Brief Encounters
PARENTS AND ETHICS
Many people living with HIV want to have children, but would like to reduce the risk of harm to their sexual partners and offspring. Sharma and colleagues on the one side, and Taylor on the other, debate the ethical and practical issues involved. Sharma provides an optimistic view, and argues that it is unethical to deny infertility treatment to HIV couples. Taylor is more guarded, raising concerns about the long term impact on children. Both sides agree that it is possible, and ethical, to provide advice and support to reduce the risk of transmission to partner or child. But, as Taylor points out, there is currently no funding for sperm washing, an intervention that both sides in the debate agree is essential. We should also remember that for millions of people with HIV, effective interventions to reduce vertical transmission …
