Mandatory AIDS Testing of Pregnant Women, Jail Inmates in Washington Proposed

Dr. Frederico Cruz-Uribe, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department in Washington, has proposed that all pregnant women, jail inmates facing sex- or drug-related charges, as well as those who visit doctors for symptoms of STDs be tested for AIDS. Cruz-Uribe said hearings on the proposal should begin in January.

Those who test positive would be offered counseling and advice on treatment and preventing transmission. Their needle-sharing and sexual partners would be notified and tested. "If you do that, you're picking up the two most important groups when you look at how the virus spreads across the U.S. and in our community," Cruz-Uribe said.

Critics of mandatory testing say those with HIV and AIDS could face discrimination if identified. "AIDS is not like other diseases. It has different social implications and stigma attached to it," said Joe Hastings, director of government affairs for the Lifelong AIDS Alliance in Seattle. "To us, mandatory testing follows a slippery slope. What's next? Are you going to mandate treatment and other things?"

The proposal would probably fail a court test, according to state Rep. Jeannie Darneille (D-Tacoma), an activist with the Pierce County AIDS Foundation. "That is absolutely preposterous," Darneille said. "It's just a fundamental civil rights issue."

The Pierce County Medical Society board, however, supports the proposal, according to Dr. Patrice Stevenson, president. "It's hard to argue with what Federico is proposing," Stevenson said. "That's the way they eliminated smallpox: Find cases and identify their contacts."

About 10,000 women gave birth in the county last year; nearly 3,000 individuals were diagnosed with STDs; and more than 28,000 were sent to county jail, 60 percent on drug-related charges. Last year, 62 people in the county and 434 statewide were diagnosed with AIDS, and 147 other people tested positive for HIV.

Back to other CDC news for November 20, 2001

Previous Updates | Search the CDC archive