One court and some medical organizations have said that infected doctors must tell patients or give up surgery.

Some infected doctors who care for infected patients might continue their practices, she said.

Even the nation's leading medical and dental associations announced last week that infected doctors should warn their patients.

In the first place, there is no conclusive evidence that any infected doctor has ever infected a patient.

Another would have barred infected doctors from doing "invasive procedures" like surgery.

Patients are right to believe there is some risk in undergoing invasive surgery by an infected doctor or dentist.

Patient protection is rightly favored in the guidelines over the careers of infected doctors.

The risk that an infected doctor or dentist will transmit the virus to a patient appears very small.

The greatest risk from an infected doctor may be possible impairment of skills due to the illness.

Many health authorities oppose efforts to identify infected doctors or order their activities restricted.