Compliance, coercion, and compassion: moral dimensions of the return of tuberculosis

Since 1986, we have seen a rise in the occurrence of tuberculosis in the United States. Long considered defeated in this country, the disease is returning with distressing vigor. Outbreaks of MDR-TB, tuberculosis resistant to more than one medication, have been reported around the country. This arti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of medical humanities 1996, Vol.17 (2), p.91-102
Main Author: Booker, Michael J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altruism
Bioethics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Coercion
Commitment of Mentally Ill
Communicable Disease Control - history
Communicable Diseases
Federal Government
Government
History of medicine
History, 20th Century
Human Rights
Humans
Jurisprudence
Mandatory Programs
Patient Care
Patient Compliance
Pharmaceutical Preparations
Public Health
Public Policy
Quarantine - history
Socioeconomic Factors
Sociology - history
State Government
Tuberculosis - history
United States
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Summary:Since 1986, we have seen a rise in the occurrence of tuberculosis in the United States. Long considered defeated in this country, the disease is returning with distressing vigor. Outbreaks of MDR-TB, tuberculosis resistant to more than one medication, have been reported around the country. This article analyzes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Action Plan to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis, with particular focus on the moral dimensions of mandatory directly observed treatment (DOT) and involuntary quarantine. It is proposed that a moral response to the control of tuberculosis must be one which is sustainable and which can effectively curtail the spread of the disease at a minimal cost to individual rights.
ISSN:1041-3545
1573-3645
DOI:10.1007/BF02276811