Disturbing HIV policy Raises Concern

Posted on March 10, 2008
Filed Under Health, Science |

Recently the Switzerland National Aids Commission published in the Bulletin of Swiss Medicine that some individuals with HIV can have unprotected sex, and that this is a safe practice. This goes against practiced HIV barrier protection that has been advocated for several decades. Swiss researchers did a retrospective analysis of individuals with HIV and determined that sex without a condom is safe with the following criteria…when an infected person is in a long-term monogamous relationship, has had a low undetectable viral load for at least six months, and has adhered to taking HIV cocktail medications routinely.

The Swiss Commission is quick to point out however, that this conclusion does not apply to all HIV-infected individuals and that informed consent is mandatory for the infected person’s partner. Myron Cohen, director of the University of North Carolina’s Center for Infectious Diseases in Chapel Hill indicates that although the risk for transmitting the virus to an uninfected partner appears to decrease in the Swiss study, the possibility of infection still remains. Given the HIV epidemic, one wonders if such a practice does not leave open the possibility of future infection. Dr. Cohen relates…”We have an HIV epidemic, and suggesting that some people with HIV can have sex without a condom will only create confusion and make it worse.”

To add to this, another study released in early February found that macaques on anti-retroviral medications do not acquire the simian version of HIV when exposed. Although this is good news in terms of such medication slowing or preventing HIV and even it’s use as a prophylactic, the possibility of abuse, particularly in light of the Swiss study remains.

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