For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Justin Burke - 213.201.1525
AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES HAILS SIGNING OF NAMES-BASED
HIV REPORTING BILL
BY GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER
Los Angeles, Calif., April 17, 2006 – AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) today praised Gov. Schwarzenegger for signing into law SB 699 (Soto – Ontario), an urgency measure that will allow the state and counties to implement a names-based system for reporting HIV cases. The bill was approved by the legislature earlier this month.
“California could lose millions in federal funding for HIV/AIDS unless we adopt a names-based reporting system,” said Craig E. Thompson, executive director of AIDS Project Los Angeles. “The new reporting system will give us more accurate data, and will allow us to better target scarce resources. We are gratified that the governor understands what’s at stake in this transition, and we thank the California Legislature for bipartisan cooperation in getting this bill through.”
In 2002, California established a reporting system tracking HIV cases, following a directive from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That code-based system, designed in part to alleviate fears of breached confidentiality or deterrence from HIV testing, has since proven to be highly inaccurate. According to L.A. County’s HIV Epidemiology Program, code-based lab case data collected over the last year contain a 40 percent error rate. As a result, the CDC has refused to accept code-based HIV data.
Without a change to HIV reporting by names, it was estimated that California could lose between $50 and $100 million in Ryan White CARE Act funding each year.
After concerns were raised regarding disclosure, SB 699 was reworked to provide additional protection, increasing the fines against individuals who negligently or willfully disclose HIV test results. The bill also requires California to maintain anonymous testing for individuals who do not want their names reported to county health departments.
“HIV/AIDS stigma and concerns about confidentiality remain real issues for people living with this disease,” Thompson said. “Maintaining confidentiality will require vigilance, but we believe this bill includes sufficient protections. We are convinced that a names-based system is our best option for protecting vital AIDS resources and ensuring the health and well-being of Californians living with HIV.”
AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the largest non-profit AIDS service organizations in the United States, provides bilingual direct services, prevention education and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Founded by four friends in 1982, APLA is a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national and global reach. For more information, visit www.apla.org.
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