Pending legislation may lead to better access to HIV screenings, treatments

Pennsylvania health officials have addressed state representatives to support the approval of new legislation, which would adjust the current HIV screening law.

If the bill is approved, it will remove the need for written consent and pre-testing counseling for patients wishing to be screen for the sexually transmitted disease (STD). A total of 45 states have already adopted similar laws, which may improve HIV detection and slow the spread of the virus.

Currently, the pending legislation has received support from the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), which is a national association that works towards increasing accessibility to HIV screenings and treatments.

"Early treatment equals prevention," said Mary van den Berg-Wolf, chair of the AAHIVM Pennsylvania steering committee. She added that "by making testing for HIV disease less cumbersome, we will be able to identify more positive patients earlier, which leads to better health outcomes for the patient and reduces transmission to others."

While new legislation can help treat those who have already been diagnosed with STDs, HIV is a growing concern nationwide. In 2006, more than 1.1 million people in the U.S. were living with HIV, and 21 percent of these individuals were undiagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.