Bill in Massachusetts Aims to Expand Testing for HIV

State senators are set today to debate a bill that would eliminate the requirement that patients give their consent in writing before being tested for HIV.

While the bill would substitute informed verbal consent, it would maintain the requirement for obtaining the patient’s written consent before any HIV-related medical information is shared with anyone other than the patient and doctors treating the patient at the same facility.

The Massachusetts Medical Society, which represents 23,000 physicians, has expressed some concerns about the bill’s language; the organization says HIV testing should be handled no differently than screening for any other infectious disease.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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