HIV testing without treatment (21)
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There might not be an apparent incentive to test for HIV-1 status in
absence of affordable treatment options. Counselling and testing has
to go hand in hand. A person with positive status can play a very im-
portant role in preventing the further spread of the virus. I have
first hand experience of the anxiety associated with testing, so I
know it is indeed a very difficult situation! But in all this chaos a
point to be highlighted is the lack of access to whatever therapy op-
tions are available.
In the face of such a pandemic, there is just no room for patents nor
for profits by scientists and pharmaceutical firms. We defeat the
very purpose for which we work so hard and so long. Many of the drug
trials have been carried out in several countries and it is the peo-
ple of these countries itself that do not have access to the therapy.
Everyone has to take a step forward: the people, the counsellors, the
scientist and the pharmaceutical companies! Only then we can think of
meaningfully combating this pandemic.
Rajnish Dave
Post-doctoral Scientist
Dept. of Molecular Medicine
Children's Research Institute
Children's Hospital
Columbus, OH 43205, USA
Tel: +1-614-722-2808 (daytime)
Tel: +1-614-445-0231 (evening)
Fax: +1-614-722-3273
mailto:daver@pediatrics.ohio-state.edu
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