| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
April 21, 2009
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Media Contacts:
Krishna Stone, GMHC, 212-367-1016
GMHC Applauds NYS Commissioner of Health and Assembly and Senate Health Chairs for Introducing HIV Testing Legislation
Albany, NY — Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) fully supports efforts by the New York State Department of Health, along with Assembly Health Chair Richard N. Gottfried and Senate Health Committee Chair Thomas K. Duane, to advance HIV testing legislation that would guarantee a dramatic increase in the number of people tested for HIV across the state. Last month Senator Duane introduced S.3293 into the State Senate and just last week Assemblymember Gottfried introduced A.7610 into the State Assembly.
"By simply requiring the offering of an HIV test in medical settings, the DOH-Gottfried-Duane measure will greatly increase HIV testing. It will help to reduce HIV stigma by making testing a routine part of medical care. This measure will also preserve the crucial preventive function of HIV informed consent," said Marjorie J. Hill, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Gay Men's Health Crisis.
GMHC believes strongly that testing for HIV must include meaningful written informed consent, with information on what exactly HIV testing means, along with linkages to counseling, care and prevention for both those who test positive and those testing negative. The routine offering of an HIV test to most individuals seeking healthcare will make significant inroads to find the one in four people infected with HIV who are unaware of their status.
We know that left undiagnosed and untreated, newly infected individuals exhibit high viral loads and are at greater risk of spreading HIV. Studies have shown that between 50 and 70 percent of new infections are caused by people who are unaware of their own HIV status and who have been infected for less than two years.
Dr. Hill continued, "By making HIV testing a regular part of medical care we will make more people aware of their status and get them into care. We will also decrease the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS."
In addition to universally increasing HIV testing, this bill will also help to protect health care workers in some instances of occupational exposure to HIV, as well as allow the Department of Health to cross-reference aggregate data and see what other co-morbidities exist among people living with HIV, such as Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections.
GMHC has worked extensively with the State and City Departments of Health, the Health Chairs in both the Assembly and Senate, and the HIV provider and advocacy community to craft the Daines-Gottfried-Duane bill. We urge the whole bodies of the State Assembly and State Senate to pass this bill immediately.
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Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. We provide prevention and care services to more than 15,000 men, women and families that are living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS in New York City, and advocate for scientific, evidence-based public health solutions for hundreds of thousands worldwide.
Our Mission: GMHC fights to end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected.
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