discuss with Ruth the possibility of her acquiring AIDS without breaking Milton's confidentiality.
The pharmacist may reveal Milton's AIDS status to his attending physician, or the local health care officer.
In the first alternative, the pharmacist may choose to honor Milton's confidentiality and not reveal to Ruth that he has AIDS or that she faces the risk of acquiring HIV. This alternative is undesirable for two reasons. First, the pharmacist has an ethical obligation to Ruth to bring to bear all his professional knowledge to her benefit in handling her medical needs. To take no action would violate this obligation. Second, as will be discussed later, the pharmacist may place himself at legal risk for violating his "special relationship" with Ruth by failing to take action to protect her from foreseeable danger.
In the second alternative, the pharmacist may break Milton's confidentiality and reveal to Ruth that he has AIDS. While t
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