Abstract
Questions have been raised about the Centers for Disease Control's policies on confidentiality after the agency admitted releasing the names of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) victims to health agencies not affiliated with the federal government. Since the majority of AIDS victims are homosexuals, gay rights groups are concerned about the consequences if names are released to law enforcement officials, despite CDC assurances that nonhealth agencies do not have access to its records. Failure on the part of the CDC to convince the gay community of the need for some identifying information on AIDS records could compromise epidemiological research on the disease. (KIE abstract)
