Consent for testing in the setting of blood exposure is not required for hepatitis B, hepatitis C or any other blood-borne infection.
Consent for testing was obtained at this stage.
Consent for testing was implied through the participation and provision of personal identifying details on the sample container.
In our study, the odds to consent for testing and counseling increased by about 20% per month following the launch of a governmental ART program.
Considering death, loss to follow up, and those who were unable to re-consent for testing (excluding transfers) to represent current virologic failure, a majority who enrolled in 2008-09, 118/193 (61.1%) remain suppressed on ART.
Strict confidentiality about results would be maintained, as it is for patients who are able to give consent for testing.
We first investigate the covariates of consent for testing.
Some respondents further specified that no separate signed consent would be ethical if the patient provided verbal consent for testing.
Since this methodology can potentially uncover nonpaternity, this possibility should be discussed with the family as part of the informed consent for testing.
We do not believe that these findings should immediately prompt health care providers or organizations to abandon efforts to inform patients and seek consent for testing.
