Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
It was sad to read the comments about care of HIV positive patients
written lately in the BMJ (1). Probably, the fact that in some medical
care centers, patients with proved (or suspected) HIV infection, are seen
by health care professionals all dressed up in gowns, masks and gloves,
reflects a basic ignorance of the mechanisms of HIV-transmission. The only
possible medical effect of all this paraphernalia is to add up to the
patient's anxiety and to build up a wall of physical prejudice. If the
main intention of those measures is to prevent tuberculosis transmission,
then they might be justified, although a simple mask and a sympathetic
explanation to the patient would probably do.
Osler would have known better
It was sad to read the comments about care of HIV positive patients
written lately in the BMJ (1). Probably, the fact that in some medical
care centers, patients with proved (or suspected) HIV infection, are seen
by health care professionals all dressed up in gowns, masks and gloves,
reflects a basic ignorance of the mechanisms of HIV-transmission. The only
possible medical effect of all this paraphernalia is to add up to the
patient's anxiety and to build up a wall of physical prejudice. If the
main intention of those measures is to prevent tuberculosis transmission,
then they might be justified, although a simple mask and a sympathetic
explanation to the patient would probably do.
1. DUNEA G. A gross story. BMJ 2002; 325: 227a
Competing interests: No competing interests