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Death of Rehovot Surgeon from AIDS Raises Controversy
News Archive 1994
"The sudden death from AIDS of an orthopaedic surgeon in Israel last week has triggered arguments over whether all health workers should undergo an HIV test. The Israel Medical Association, which represents 12 000 Israeli doctors, opposes the suggestion for "professional" reasons, and the health ministry insists its money is better spent on blood testing and educational campaigns.
Dr Gabi Ben-Meir of Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot was the first doctor known to die of AIDS in Israel. The 42 year old man took a voluntary HIV test earlier this year; the result was negative. Three months ago Dr Ben- Meir fell ill with the type of acute pneumonia characteristic of AIDS. His colleagues at Kaplan Hospital asked him to undergo an HIV test but he refused. The diagnosis was confirmed but details were disclosed only after his death.
Hundreds of the surgeon's former patients were invited by the hospital for HIV testing; of the 100 tested so far, none has been positive. But Shaul Yahalom, a member of parliament representing the National Religious Party, initiated a private member's bill that would require all health workers who perform invasive procedures in hospitals and clinics to undergo regular HIV tests.
The first Israeli doctor known to be an HIV carrier is Dr Hassan Matani, a 46 year old. The surgeon took an HIV test last year when applying for an insurance policy; he was shocked to learn that he was HIV positive. When rumours reached the media that a surgeon at Hillel Yaffe Hospital in Hadera was HIV positive the health ministry refused to reveal his identity.
But after pressure from patients the then deputy health minister, Nawaf Massalha, persuaded Dr Matani to face the press. He said that he suspected he had been infected from a patient while performing surgery; the source of the HIV has not been proved. Over 1000 of his 1300 former patients underwent HIV tests; all were negative. Dr Matani has given up surgery and now works as a consulting physician.
Professor Zvi Bentwich of the Kaplan Hospital, a member of the health ministry's AIDS steering committee, opposes mandatory testing of medical staff. "The risk of a doctor giving his patient AIDS is infinitesimal; a patient is much more likely to infect him."
He said that "cost was not the only factor. Periodic tests of a population of tens of thousands would result in numerous false positive results." Many medical staff would refuse contact with HIV carriers or AIDS patients.
But Dr Sanford Kuvin, founder of the Kuvin Center for Tropical Diseases of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, who is also chairman of the board of trustees of the US National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, advises Israel to begin mandatory testing for HIV (and hepatitis B) of health workers - and patients who undergo invasive procedures."
Source: J Siegel-Itzkovich. News: Death of surgeon from AIDS raises controversy. British Medical Journal Vol.309, p.222 (23 July 1994) [FullText]
"The sudden death from AIDS of an orthopaedic surgeon in Israel last week has triggered arguments over whether all health workers should undergo an HIV test. The Israel Medical Association, which represents 12 000 Israeli doctors, opposes the suggestion for "professional" reasons, and the health ministry insists its money is better spent on blood testing and educational campaigns.
Dr Gabi Ben-Meir of Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot was the first doctor known to die of AIDS in Israel. The 42 year old man took a voluntary HIV test earlier this year; the result was negative. Three months ago Dr Ben- Meir fell ill with the type of acute pneumonia characteristic of AIDS. His colleagues at Kaplan Hospital asked him to undergo an HIV test but he refused. The diagnosis was confirmed but details were disclosed only after his death.
Hundreds of the surgeon's former patients were invited by the hospital for HIV testing; of the 100 tested so far, none has been positive. But Shaul Yahalom, a member of parliament representing the National Religious Party, initiated a private member's bill that would require all health workers who perform invasive procedures in hospitals and clinics to undergo regular HIV tests.
The first Israeli doctor known to be an HIV carrier is Dr Hassan Matani, a 46 year old. The surgeon took an HIV test last year when applying for an insurance policy; he was shocked to learn that he was HIV positive. When rumours reached the media that a surgeon at Hillel Yaffe Hospital in Hadera was HIV positive the health ministry refused to reveal his identity.
But after pressure from patients the then deputy health minister, Nawaf Massalha, persuaded Dr Matani to face the press. He said that he suspected he had been infected from a patient while performing surgery; the source of the HIV has not been proved. Over 1000 of his 1300 former patients underwent HIV tests; all were negative. Dr Matani has given up surgery and now works as a consulting physician.
Professor Zvi Bentwich of the Kaplan Hospital, a member of the health ministry's AIDS steering committee, opposes mandatory testing of medical staff. "The risk of a doctor giving his patient AIDS is infinitesimal; a patient is much more likely to infect him."
He said that "cost was not the only factor. Periodic tests of a population of tens of thousands would result in numerous false positive results." Many medical staff would refuse contact with HIV carriers or AIDS patients.
But Dr Sanford Kuvin, founder of the Kuvin Center for Tropical Diseases of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, who is also chairman of the board of trustees of the US National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, advises Israel to begin mandatory testing for HIV (and hepatitis B) of health workers - and patients who undergo invasive procedures."
Source: J Siegel-Itzkovich. News: Death of surgeon from AIDS raises controversy. British Medical Journal Vol.309, p.222 (23 July 1994) [FullText]
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