The Lancet / HIV testing in Greece: repeating past mistakes

The Lancet, Volume 382, Issue 9887, Page 102, 13 July 2013

The Greek Government has brought back into force a regulation on the transmission of infectious diseases that runs counter to all international guidelines on HIV testing and breaches human rights.

On July 1 it was made public that this regulation, repealed in April of this year, had been reintroduced to allow mandatory health examinations, isolation, and compulsory treatment of any individuals with diseases deemed to be of importance to public health. 

This regulation covers many diseases, including hepatitis, influenza, malaria, polio, syphilis, and tuberculosis, but the most troubling previous applications of this regulation have been with regards to HIV. 

In particular, the regulation identifies some groups as priorities for testing, including sex workers, intravenous drug users, homeless people, and undocumented migrants.

A disturbing example of the application of this regulation was reported in May, 2012, by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in their mission report Joint Technical Mission: HIV in Greece. 

The report outlined that many Greek and foreign women, suspected of being illegal sex workers, were detained by the police, tested for HIV, and then had their details, including their HIV status, published on the internet by the police. 

These women were not asked to consent to the testing and felt that they were not able to refuse.

HIV testing should never be done without consent and results should always be confidential, as stated in international guidelines.

Regulations that stigmatise vulnerable and already marginalised groups are counterproductive since they are likely to deter people at risk of HIV from seeking testing and services. 

Coupled with the worldwide poor investment in services to tackle HIV in these groups, outlined in the 2012 UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report, the measures reintroduced by the Greek Government seem more about political posturing rather than constructively engaging with public health. 

Rather than tackling HIV ethically and effectively, Greece is storing up health problems for itself in the near future.
from:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2813%2961546-9/fulltext?rss=yes