1. Detention for tuberculosis: public health and the law.
- Author
-
Senanayake SN and Ferson MJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Humans, Male, New South Wales, Communicable Disease Control legislation & jurisprudence, Law Enforcement, Prisoners legislation & jurisprudence, Treatment Refusal legislation & jurisprudence, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary prevention & control
- Abstract
Non-compliance with treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) by an individual can put the community at risk of transmission of TB. Public health (detention) orders can be issued to detain non-compliant individuals, but this is a last resort and rarely used. Two recent cases in New South Wales illustrate the process of issuing a public health order in NSW, and some of the issues that may arise. The NSW law can also be applied to patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or HIV/AIDS. The other states and territories have similar laws, which often apply to a broader range of diseases and have fewer limits on issuing and extending orders.
- Published
- 2004
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