inside
triangle productions!
takes off-center
stage
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P o r t la n d , O r e g o n
V olume 17 ♦ N umber 21 ♦ S eptember 1 , 2000
FR EE
Public hearings
will discuss HIV
reporting policy
Critics say the proposal
could cost lives
by J onathan
K ipp
ore than two years have passed since the
Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention directed the Oregon Health
Division to report the names of all indi-
viduals testing positive for HIV.
In that time, the state agency has asked for
public comment and has met with AID S advoca
cy groups and service providers but still has not
made an official change to the policy. The divi
sion recently announced three more hearings on a
new proposal.
The plan before the community essentially
would mirror the states current AID S reporting
system, which includes using names. People diag
nosed with AID S have been reported since the
beginning of the epidemic.
But identifying people with HIV by name, or
even a unique identifier, remains controversial.
Although epidemiologists say it helps them track
the disease’s spread, activists say any lack of confi
dentiality discourages testing.
The new hearings and the continued effort of
the Oregon Health Division to consider reporting
names of those testing positive angers Jack Cox, a
spokesman for the HIV Advocacy Council of
Oregon and Southwest Washington. “All com
munities have advised against it.”
When the CD C announced the mandate in
1997, Cox says it scared everyone. He says he
understands the science behind the proposal.
Cox is aware of the benefits that could come
from tracking individuals with HIV— most signifi
cantly, providing the CD C more accurate informa
tion. But he says the sexually transmitted disease is
unique.
“HIV is not chlamydia,” Cox says. “The truth
about AIDS is it’s much more of a sociological dis
ease than a biological one. There is still endless
shame involved with it.”
Because of that, Cox and others think people
will fear their HIV status will be revealed. That
will keep them from being tested, he says.
M
EVERYBODY
WINS
WHEN THE
RCSA SCORES
Page 21
BY
O R IA N A
CREEN
Continued on Page 11
I N S I D E
m
■ Lon's law yer
Lively returns
Page 7
■ Forum invites friends, foes
to come together Page
io
■ Fund-raisers benefit
No on I Campaign Page 24