Now, 22 years ago today, the Department of Health and Human Services or the HHS has issued regulations allowing foreigners with HIV to enter the country.
In 1987, Congress voted to impose a travel ban for the US having all immigrants who were infected with HIV denied from our country. Currently people with a communicable disease on the "banned" list can pay $545 to apply for travel ban waiver. according to http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/14964 Visitors could have applied for these waivers though some felt it would have branded them as HIV positive and jeopardize their future citizenship or career.
The AIDS advocates are excited for the plan to be lifted. When congress voted this law, they were wrongly feared that the disease could be spread through casual contact, said Dr. Michael Saag, incoming chairman on the HIV Medicine Association. Saag feels there is no scientific or health rationale for excluding people with HIV infection from the US and that it is an embarrassment.
According MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31910664/ns/health-aids/ immigration critics say it could possibly injure our country financially. If this ban were lifted it would allow 4,275 HIV-infected people into the country annually and a lifetime medical cost of $94 million for those admitted in just that first year!Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, believes it becomes a matter of collective responsibility and cost. Also he claims to be in question as to why Americans should have to be in a position to pay for it. Others are also concerned that HIV positive visitors could possibly spread the disease.
MSNBC also states that more than 1.1 million people in the US are infected with HIV and more than 250,000 remain undiagnosed. Also that every year 56,000 people in the US are newly infected. Though some believe it to be a death sentence for these foreigners to be allowed into US soil, this ban was also reformed and allocated when it was thought HIV could spread by kissing or as little as hugging someone.
If people are not familiar with the issue are surprised at the proposal to reverse the ban, it's likely because they haven't kept up on the progress of the HIV spread and treatment, said Phil Curtis, director of government affairs for the AIDS Project of Los Angeles.
"Today we are one step closer to ending a discriminatory practice that stigmatizes those living with HIV, squanders our moral authority, and sets us back in the fight against AIDS," said Senator John Kerry. "By proposing this rule, the Obama administration has made a powerful statement in favor of overturning the HIV travel and immigration band that has no foundation in public health or common since. There is no reason for this policy to remain on the books." http://immigrationequality.org/blog/?p=1009
It is well past time for the US to act upon the HIV policies for immigration in this country. As scientific studies have increased it has now reached a point for drugs to be able to allow an HIV infected citizen to live a normal life span. Though it may cause our increases in infected citizens, maybe it will increase a cure in medicine.
The public has 45 days to comment on the Federal Register notice according to http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/14964
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