September 22, 2008

Politicians Urge Bush for Final Repeal of HIV Travel Ban

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has yet to remove HIV from its list of communicable diseases of public health significance, the Los Angeles Times reports. On July 30. President George W. Bush eliminated the federal law restricting HIV-positive people entering the United States, but HHS still has the authority to forbid it. Lawmakers and advocacy groups are urging Bush to take steps to ensure that the HHS travel ban is lifted as soon as possible.

“We write to encourage you to act quickly to remove HIV from the list of communicable diseases of public health significance and end the HIV travel and immigration ban,” Sens. John Kerry (D–Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R–Ore.), main backers of the measure in the Senate, wrote to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt last month.

In a separate letter mailed to the president last week, 58 House Democrats—including California Reps. Barbara Lee (the chief sponsor in the House), House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman—asked Bush to take “swift action on this issue.”

According to the article, HHS must revise its current rule—which has been in place since 1987—submit it for public comment and finalize it in order to effectively lift the ban.

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Previous Comments:

Fredrick Adegboye, Lagos, 2008-10-06 07:01:48
I believe it will be relief for some of us HIVers who are giving a serious thought to going to the US to study. If, of all countries in the world, and with scientific information on HIV now at every interested person's disposal, the US still perceives HIV as a "communicable disease", then what is hypocrisy if this is not one? Especially when it is often bandied about that people living with HIV should not be discriminated against. I most sincerely believe it's time thetravel ban was lifted.

cara, lagos, 2008-09-25 05:04:14
iI Am a Nigerian poz lady. I don’t understand how a country like US should still be involved in banning people with HIV from entering their country. They donate millions of dollars to developing countries. Please, I beg them; something urgent should be done and fast. Thanks

John, London, UK, 2008-09-24 04:51:44
It's worth noting, that HIV prevalence is almost the highest in the developed world. If a travel ban was justifiable on public health grounds, WE should be keeping YOU guys out, not the other way around! And for Travis, it's not those on treatment or tested that pose the greatest "danger", it's those not tested or on treatment. And they are the ones the ban doesn't catch anyway!

Jimmy, , 2008-09-24 00:45:38
I wonder if Michael Leavitt, secretary of HHS, is really doing his best to final the ending of the ban, or procrastinating due to political reason. I REALLY don't think it should take this long. If not for the democrats who checked in on him, would he even be working on it? I hope he's really doing his job to lift the ban!!

Cathey, Flagler Beach, FL, 2008-09-23 17:45:21
I was not even aware of this ban until I went to Canada in 2003; I actually did not believe it(& I might add argued with many Dear Canadians!) until my Canadians showed me online and am absolutely appalled that IT IS STLL IN EFFECT! How insane!!!! Where is a petition to sign or email to send to our politicians?!?!?!?!?

Andrea Boyce, NY, 2008-09-23 14:25:46
How stupid are our leaders? Anybody know what liberty & freedom means. If you try to come to American you will still not know. I swim in our pool daily, now what you got to say?

Jane, Edmonton, 2008-09-23 13:20:46
This is absolutley ridiculous to have been restricted to begin with. Sitting next to someone will not infect me. My best friend is HIV and I am appalled that he would be told he cannot go to any other country!!! This is OUTRAGEOUS - discrimination at it's finest.

Travis, , 2008-09-23 11:16:20
What effect will this have on Superinfection in the community? Various subtypes traveling here going to clubs and such.

paul, Somerset, 2008-09-23 10:39:59
At this stage, does this still mean that Immigration can turn away a positive person traveling on a tourist visa. For example....coming from the UK on a 7 night trip?

John, London, UK, 2008-09-23 10:18:59
Now that treatment has made near normal - if often inconvenient - lives possible for many with HIV its time for the US to lift it. Equally important is the example that the US gives to other countries by having this ban. The word needs to go out that the greatest driver of infection is not HIV+ on treatment but those who remain untested and untreated. In the light of that, the idea of travellers avoiding the US (as I do) or worrying that their medicines might be discovered is just craz

Kyle, Chicago, 2008-09-22 21:31:24
It's nice to see that politicians like John Kerry care about llifting the ban. 21 years is a long time and we are not a third world country, it's our constitutional right to have this ban lifted. I understand that people back in the 80's were scared and did not know much about how h.i.v is transmitted and there was no treatments, times have changed.