Keith Berndtson

In the following viewpoint, Keith Berndtson argues that mandatory testing of health care workers and patients is unethical, wasteful, and unnecessary. There is very little risk of HIV transmission in health care settings, he maintains, and that risk could be lowered further by scrupulous adherence to safety precautions. In addition, he contends, mandatory testing of health care workers or patients violates constitutional rights and could lead to discrimination against those who test HIV positive. Berndtson is the medical director of Rush Corporate Health Center in Chicago.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the ratio of Americans infected with HIV, according to Berndtson?
2. What is the prevalence of HIV in health care workers compared to the general population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as cited...