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Organizers called for big
increases in HIV testing and treatment as the 19th International AIDS
Conference (IAC) took place in Washington this past week. Testing-and-treating
is now central to the US AIDS prevention strategy, and experts say
treatment-as-prevention has the potential to dramatically alter the epidemic.
In addition to improving a patient’s health, treatment can help prevent further
transmission of the virus.
Diane Havlir, the US co-chair of the
IAC, said, “We can save millions of lives with the knowledge we have today if
we fully implement the proven strategies we now have to treat those living with
HIV and prevent new infections.”
In line with new national
guidelines, the District of Columbia announced last month that health care
providers will start treatment at once for those newly diagnosed with HIV
instead of waiting to see evidence of advanced immune system damage. With free testing
offered at a Department of Motor Vehicles branch and more than 20 other
locations, the District’s HIV screening program is among the most aggressive in
the nation.
Since 2006, the District has
followed an opt-out HIV screening policy, meaning patients get the test unless
they choose not to. Health department surveys of high-risk individuals show
that about 70 percent recently diagnosed as HIV-positive had seen a doctor in
the previous year but had not been offered the test, said Gregory Pappas, senior
deputy director of the department.
In response, D.C. Council member
David A. Catania (I-At Large) authored legislation incorporating HIV/AIDS
education into requirements for medical professionals’ license renewals; the
council passed this in May.
The District is the only
jurisdiction with a law requiring insurers to cover HIV testing in the
emergency room. Doctors say, however, that in practice some insurers may not
reimburse physicians if patients show no signs of the 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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
