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Exposure Ethics: Does Hiv Pre‐Exposure Prophylaxis Raise Ethical Problems for the Health Care Provider and Policy Maker?
Author(s) -
Venter Francois,
Allais Lucy,
Richter Marlise
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
bioethics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1467-8519
pISSN - 0269-9702
DOI - 10.1111/bioe.12021
Subject(s) - human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , pre exposure prophylaxis , ethical issues , health care , bioethics , medicine , engineering ethics , political science , family medicine , law , men who have sex with men , syphilis , engineering
The last few years have seen dramatic progress in the development of HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis ( PrEP ). These developments have been met by ethical concerns. HIV interventions are often thought to be ethically difficult. In a context which includes disagreements over human rights, controversies over testing policies, and questions about sexual morality and individual responsibility, PrEP has been seen as an ethically complex intervention. We argue that this is mistaken, and that in fact, PrEP does not raise new ethical concerns. Some of the questions posed by PrEP are not specific to HIV prophylaxis, but simply standard public health considerations about resource allocation and striking a balance between individual benefit and public good. We consider sexual disinhibition in the context of private prescriptions, and conclude that only unjustified AIDS ‐exceptionalism or inappropriate moralism about sex supports thinking that PrEP raises new ethical problems. This negative conclusion is significant in a context where supposed ethical concerns about PrEP have been raised, and in the context of HIV exceptionalism.

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