Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons

Doctors in Utah Back Routine HIV screenings

From a story in The Salt Lake Tribune.
September 2006

Utah doctors say they support a new federal guideline calling for all Americans between ages 13 and 64 to be routinely screened for HIV and will urge patients to get tested.

On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said HIV testing should become about as common as a cholesterol check, to help catch infections earlier and stop the spread of the deadly virus.

As a primary care physician, Utah Medical Association President Kerry Stratford said he thinks it's a good idea to make voluntary HIV testing routine.

"That way, it doesn't feel like it's an unusual request," he said. "Then maybe more people are going to be checked for HIV, more people are going to be treated, and there will be less spread of the infection."

The Utah Medical Association currently encourages HIV screenings for high-risk populations and emphasizes universal screenings for pregnant women. It will study the new recommendations before considering changes to its own policy, Stratford said.

The CDC estimates that at the end of 2003, of the 1.2 million persons estimated to be living with HIV in the U.S., one quarter were unaware of their infection.