Sir, I would like to expand on the points made by your correspondent P. Tweddell (BDJ 2005; 199: 128). I absolutely agree that as health care professionals we have an obligation to treat all individuals and we are expected to have proper infection control systems in place in order to minimise the risks that arise. Statistics suggest that the risk of infection of health care workers is very low but of course it can never be zero, any more than the risk is zero in the wider world. If you choose a career tending the sick there will always be the possibility that it may do you harm, but that is a risk which must be accepted. That is why I am vehemently opposed to the other aspect of the situation, which is the policy towards infected health care workers. This has gone a stage further in now requiring new graduates to demonstrate that they are 'clean' before they are allowed on to the register. This is a policy which sends two negative messages. Firstly, if our infection control procedures are satisfactory, it ought not to be an issue, and GDC policy must be seen as questioning that fact. Secondly and perhaps more importantly is the human rights issue. While patient safety is clearly important, I cannot accept that the public has any more fundamental right to safety than health care workers. I believe that GDC policy constitutes a double standard and I am disappointed that our regulatory body is not more robust in espousing this position.