Criminalisation of HIV transmission: implications for public health in Scotland

[...]even a modest decline in the uptake of HIV testing by those who are actually infected could herald a one third increase in new sexually transmitted HIV infections. Notification of current partners has been done mainly by the patient, and notification of past partners, whether by patient or healthcare worker, is rarely done well. 10 11 Use of condoms to prevent sexual transmission of HIV has been promoted as everyone's responsibility and as the only protection that individuals have against undiagnosed or undisclosed HIV infection. [...]in practice in the United Kingdom, the confidentiality of the index patient has had priority over informing and safeguarding contacts-be they healthcare workers, drug injectors, or sexual partners.