February 17, 2009

Majority of States Adhere to CDC Testing Recommendations

After the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended in 2006 that health care providers make HIV testing routine for all patients ages 13 through 64, researchers have found that most states have been open to those proposals, MedPage Today reports. As of November 1, 2008, only 16 states have one or more laws that act as barriers to so-called “opt-out” HIV testing.

According to a study published in the February 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, 34 states and the District of Columbia have laws that are either consistent or neutral to the CDC recommendations, which eliminated previous requirements for pretest counseling, separate written consent for HIV testing and a specific request for testing.

However, while the CDC’s testing guidelines are intended to get more people tested for HIV, researchers said there is concern that some state laws and regulations may impede health care providers from putting them into effect. According to Anish Mahajan, MD, and his colleagues, nine states require specific written consent by law for HIV testing, while 10 states require post-test counseling regardless of the results. Two states require pregnant women to either ask for an HIV test specifically or sign a separate written consent to opt out.

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Previous Comments:

daisy, missouri, 2009-02-20 22:43:20
If there would have been mandatory testing of every blood draw, maybe 2 of our family members who the Dr.s said had no "risk factors" for testing for Hiv would not have ended up in a big city hospital with OI's & full blown aids. 15 years of Drs. never gave them an HIV test even though they had previously received blood transfusions ( which they said were tested and safe) . Make the Dr.s pull their heads out of the sand! The current laws are a joke!

Hakim, , 2009-02-19 23:34:23
A story always seems to have to sides. I'd like to look at only at one this time and say that given the challenges (emotional, physical, economic, and social to name a few)of HIV infection, testing for it should be routine. Many people find out about their infection rather late and at a time when, the kindness of unawareness has spread and hurt many others.

Linda, Maryland, 2009-02-19 08:35:31
I believe everyone should be tested, there should be no option to refuse a full STD screening. it should be part of a normal work up when blood work is done or yearly physicals. if we want to gain any kind of control over diseases we have to know who has it or it will continue to spread.this should start at age 12 when most children these days are starting to experiment with sexual acts.