The power of detention in the management of non-compliance with tuberculosis treatment: A survey of Irish practitioners and analysis of potential legal liability

Abstract

Detention and isolation of non-compliant tuberculosis patients remains in active use. Physicians detaining, or threatening to detain, patients continue to expose themselves to legal liability because of the outdated legal framework underlying those powers.

Risk Factors for Poor Outcomes Among Patients with Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB): A Scoping Review

“…The most highly resistant forms of TB have been described in the literature in a number of different ways, aside from XDR-TB. These include: total drug-resistant TB, 27 , 28 totally drug-resistant TB, 11–14 (TDR-TB), super extensively drug-resistant TB (SXDR-TB or super XDR-TB), 12 , 29 extra extensively drug-resistant TB (XXDR-TB), 11 , 30 pan-resistant TB, 36 , 37 pan drug-resistant TB (PDR-TB), 30 – 33 , 38 , 39 untreatable TB, 34 , 35 , 40 untreatable drug-resistant TB, 36 , 37 incurable TB, 20 , 41 and incurable drug-resistant TB. 42 , 43 The term extremely drug-resistant TB has also, in some cases, been given the same abbreviation as extra extensively drug-resistant TB (XXDR-TB), 38 , 42 and, in others, the same as abbreviation as extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) 39 , 40 In order to account for this variation in terminology, all of these terms were included as search terms in our review.…”

Criminalizing Health-Related Behaviors Dangerous to Others? Disease Transmission, Transmission-Facilitation, and the Importance of Trust

“…Directly observed therapy is particularly important to avoid interruptions in treatment that risk development of resistant strains of the organism. Quite coercive public health measures applied to risky TB patients include detention and isolation for prolonged periods of time (Duffy 2009 (Ireland), Senanayake and Ferson 2004 (Australia and New Zealand), Oscherwitz et al 1997 (United States)); prohibitions on immigration, emigration, or travel 18 ; and deportation (Simmons 2008). The Atlanta lawyer Andrew Speaker, who traveled internationally against medical advice despite his supposedly XDR-TB, drew international publicity (Fallow 2008).…”