August 17, 2009

Veterans Affairs Now Offers Routine HIV Tests

As of Monday, August 17, the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) will now offer routine HIV tests to veterans receiving medical care through its facilities, The Associated Press reports. Under the policy, veterans must verbally consent to the test and may decline if they wish.

According to the article, the VA’s earlier protocol was to require veterans to sign a consent form for the test. The new testing policy follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation that patients should be offered HIV tests even if they are not considered to be at risk.

The VA currently treats about 22,000 HIV-positive veterans.

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Previous Comments:

Tammy W, North Charleston, 2009-08-20 14:13:23
As an HIV+ vet I fully support the testing and treatment of vets. I was diagnosed in 2000 and have run the full spectrum from undetectable to full blown AIDS and back. They finally found meds that work for me.

Proud Vet, TN, 2009-08-18 13:09:18
Why do people all way think you have drugs or sex of HIV. Yes I am glad to see this change. I was asked to be tested and it saved my life.

man in mn., mpls, 2009-08-18 12:21:32
the v.a. should make manditory hiv testing even after you are out, and if you get care from a tax payer fuled agency , you get tested and for all the drags the vets do to, some of these men and women are severly addicted to drugs and blow there checks every month on meth, crack tabaco and alcohol, lives of our honered into oblivion , on our $$$$ stop the maddness now, drug test all that get a gov. dole out check,!!!!! every one !!!