HIV case raises a question on priority

A case in which a doctor failed to tell a man that his fiancee had HIV, resulting in the man becoming infected, has triggered controversy among the public.

Questions have been raised on whether priority should be placed on the protection of privacy or the protection of lives. In June last year, after he had married, the 25-year-old man, who lives in Yongcheng, Henan province, was found to have HIV, China National Radio reported.

The man, whose name has not been disclosed, said he and his wife had a premarital medical check on the day that they registered their marriage in March. The doctor insisted on talking to the wife in private after getting her result. The husband became suspicious and asked if anything was wrong, but the doctor said the only problem was that the woman had a high cholesterol level, according to the report.