On this date in 1991, Kimberly Bergalis, 23, died of AIDS after contracting HIV from her dentist. Her case became the first reported AIDS fatality caused by doctor-to-patient transmission of the HIV virus. The death caused a national stir, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention subsequently adopted guidelines calling for HIV-positive health care workers to disclose their health status to patients. Currently, the American Medical Association opposes a mandatory disclosure policy for HIV-positive doctors and the issue continues to be a source of debate.

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