HIV

Did you know that until November of 2009, if you tested HIV-positive, you were banned from visiting or immigrating to the United States? "Stigma and discrimination are huge [issues] for people living with HIV," says Lance Toma, “the travel ban is one that is in our laws that legalizes the stigma."

Written in 2009, the article “Obama Lifts U.S. Ban on Foreign HIV-positive travelers” discusses the ban placed on the immigration and visitation of foreign people testing HIV-positive. In 1987, a ban went into effect that prevented those with HIV from entering the country. In 1993, the ban became more strict, when it was written into immigration laws that anyone looking to immigrate had to be HIV-tested. President Obama stated: “"If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it,” as he lifted the ban. The article states that about 12 other countries have bans similar to the U.S. ban lifted in 2009. HIV-positive people could apply for a waiver to move or visit the U.S., but it was so time consuming and difficult, that most didn’t bother. Immigration waivers were available only to heterosexual couples. After a long, hard fight, people in the AIDS research field have applauded the ban.

Personally, I do not think that this ban was fair, and it makes me hopeful that we are headed in the right direction with HIV/AIDS research, and awareness. After reading the comments posted below this article, it seems as though people are not informed about HIV and the people who have this virus. People seem to think that the only way HIV is spread is through careless/ unprotected people having sex. According to www.Avert.org, nine out of ten children infected with HIV were infected by their mothers. These children cannot help the fact that they tested positive, and it is not fair for them to be punished for something that they didn’t do, choose, or for carelessness. The whole reason this ban went into place was out of fear and lack of information in this field. This is discrimination and people need to become more informed about HIV/AIDS, and support its progress, so we may not have to worry about it in the future. I completely support the lifting of this ban, and hope that it will open people’s eyes to the struggling HIV-positive people around them. 

To read more, please go here: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2009/11/02/obama-lifts-u-s-ban-on-foreign-hiv-positive-travelers/.

Animal Biotechnology Cartoon

Discrimination and Genetic Diseases

Did you know you can be denied health insurance even when you need it most? People with a family history of genetic diseases are. “‘Ultimately asymptomatic individuals at genetic risk are at similar risk for discrimination because their label of having a family history of disease.’”

An article written in 2009, ‘Individuals with family history of genetic disease at risk of discrimination’ dicusses how in the United States and Canada, insurance companies are dening people with a genetic disorder history. Because genetic diseases can be inherited, insurance companies will turn down people with a family history of them, because individuals may be at risk, for developing diseases like Huntington’s. Huntington’s is a genetic disease for which there is not a cure or treatment.  “Around 40% of respondents said they experienced discrimination, primarily by insurance companies. (1 in 3)”

One thing I will take away from this unit is being informed about  the small dangers of genetic testing. While genetic screening can be helpful to diagnose at risk individuals, people like insurance companies will use genetic information against their client. Another thing I am taking away from this article is a perspective of the United States Government.  Because of such fear that genetics were being used against citizens, the US Government “passed legislation preventing health insurance companies and employers using genetic information.” In the past Biology unit, my respect for the government, mainly the Justice System decreased. Because the government is taking action on the use of genetics, and such an important cause, it makes me hopeful that  we are headed in the right direction.

Read this article by clicking here.