Doctors with HIV and other bloodborne viruses can perform exposure-prone procedures as long as they meet strict criteria to avoid putting patients at risk of infection, AHPRA says.

The regulator’s new rules, which come into effect on 6 July, say that treating doctors should report doctor-patients with bloodborne viruses who fail to show up to appointments or do not undergo viral load testing within a certain timeframe without adequate explanation.

They state doctors with HIV can perform the exposure-prone procedures if they maintain a viral load of less than 200 copies/mL, while doctors with hepatitis B must have a load under 200 IU/mL.

Meanwhile, doctors with hepatitis C must be HCV RNA negative if untreated or have achieved a sustained virological response 12 weeks after completing treatment.