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The BBC News reports that:
The 56 Dean Street clinic in London's Soho sent out the names and email addresses of 780 patients when a newsletter was issued to people who attend the clinic. Patients were supposed to be blind-copied into the email but instead details were sent as a group email.
From an interview with one patient:
One man, a 40-year-old public sector worker, has been HIV positive for 13 years and has been using the Dean Street clinic for five. He said: "I felt sick when I realised what had happened. I first saw the email at work but ignored it as I was busy. I then looked at it when I was on the way home from work. I couldn't breathe. I'm concerned who will get this information. If it ends up in the hands of the wrong people, such as hate groups, it could be dynamite."
Further:
Fellow patient James ... said: "I was travelling back from the pride parade in Manchester on Monday when I received this email. I couldn't believe it when I got it and I've been full of worry since. I am not ready to disclose my HIV status to my wider friends or family. I fear now that I have no choice."
Finally, a friend informs me that a breach of privacy at another clinic may be widely reported within the next few days.
(Score: 2) by albert on Thursday September 03 2015, @05:02PM
Why are we even helping people to hide the fact that they have a dangerous disease that could spread to others? Is it that we want to support them in lying about it, and thus in spreading it?
There is more justification for an HIV list than there is for a sex offender list.
There is nothing special about HIV. Quit thinking this has anything whatsoever to do with gay rights. The same applies to tuberculosis for example. This information should be public. It's for public safety.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2015, @05:50PM
> Why are we even helping people to hide the fact that they have a dangerous disease that could spread to others?
Go back to the 1980s.
If we don't give people medical privacy, they will avoid treatment all together. And then they won't even know they are contagious.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2015, @10:44PM
We mandate testing. We report diseases by category, sending notification to neighbors and coworkers. We don't disclose the exact disease. For example, tuberculosis would be reported as "airborne". HIV would get reported as "sexual". (blood transmission too, but that applies to nearly everything so no point mentioning it) Leprosy would be reported as "contact". Polio and cholera would be reported as "fecal". Ebola is reported as, well, all of the above.
Nobody has to know exactly what you have, but everybody knows what general type of biohazard you are.
Embarassing? No, you'd get used to it. You'd be hearing about other people all the time, and so would everybody else. It wouldn't be such a big deal anymore. We'd all be safer this way.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by arslan on Thursday September 03 2015, @10:50PM
airborne you say? She's a WITCH!! Lets burn her!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by TheGratefulNet on Thursday September 03 2015, @06:01PM
methinks you have not walked in the shoes of those who may have a VERY different view point, having lived thru it.
people like you are the most dangerous kind; you are all too willing to sacrifice privacy for your own selfish reasons.
this is the most personal info and it has NO BUSINESS being public. I could care less what reasons you have; its wrong, its dangerous and if you ever had to be on the other side, you'd instantly understand how stupid and wrong it is!
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2015, @10:55PM
I suppose I kind of like privacy, but I'll gladly sacrifice mine...
1. in exchange for others doing likewise
2. to help ensure the safety of others
3. for easier access to my own medical records
Just one of those reasons is probably enough. All three? Hell yeah.
Privacy is not some absolute good. There are many excellent reasons to give it up in varying degrees, both individually and for society as a whole.