Testing healthcare workers for AIDS is costly, ineffective.

T he debate on whether healthcare professionals should be tested for the human immunodef ic iency virus J (HIV) has fired up recently, especially since the case of the Florida dentist who infected five patients. Until then most patients and healthcare professionals perceived the risk of patient infection as theoretical at best. Hut repeated questions have arisen recently about the mandatory testing of medical staff members. Under pressure from patients, the media, and healthcare advocates, hospitals are now dealing with the issue of screening healthcare workers, including medical staff, for HIV.