Nevada: Doctors Push HIV Testing Bill

Four babies were born HIV-infected in Clark County in 2006, following four consecutive years with no mother-to-child transmissions, Dr. Mary Guinan told Nevada's Assembly Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday. "We know there are over 200 HIV-infected women of child-bearing age who are not receiving treatment in Clark County," said Guinan, dean of the School of Public Health at University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Guinan and other health care professionals are urging the committee to pass Senate Bill 266, a measure stating that doctors "shall ensure" pregnant women are offered HIV screening during routine prenatal care. The women would receive a pamphlet about HIV, the HIV test, and their right to opt out of screening. The bill passed the Senate 19-0 on April 13.

In studies conducted in other states, 25 percent of pregnant women were screened for HIV when offered opt-in testing. But when told HIV screening was a normal part of prenatal care that they were free to decline, 94 percent of pregnant women consented to the screening.

Despite declaring, "Overall, this is a great bill," Nevada Trial Lawyers Association lobbyist Graham Galloway said he objected to a clause that freed physicians from liability if they failed to tell pregnant women about the HIV test. "We oppose any legislation that doesn't hold people accountable," he said.

The Assembly committee's chairperson, Sheila Leslie (D-Reno), agreed with Galloway and said she would consider amending the bill at a future committee session.

Back to other news for April 2007