As a number of commentators have noted, SARS exposed the vulnerabilities of our current health care systems and governance structures [2] [3] [4] . The aftermath of SARS and the spectre of pandemic avian influenza make imperative the need to consider the obligations of HCWs for patients with severe infectious diseases, particularly diseases that pose risks to those providing care. It is of pressing importance that organizations representing HCWs -professionals and non-professionals alike -give clear indication of what standard of care is expected of their members in the event of a pandemic.