Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended universal, routine HIV screening for everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 in the United States. Dr. Steven Aronin, Director of the Waterbury Hospital Infectious Disease Clinic, will discuss the new recommendations and their impact in community healthcare settings at the HIV Forum on Tuesday, March 13, 2007. The forum will take place from 12:00 to 1:30 pm at The Institute for Community Research (ICR), 2 Hartford Square West (146 Wyllys St.), Suite 100 in Hartford. The event is free; lunch will be provided and advance registration is required.

“This forum is especially timely, because these recommendations cannot be implemented under current law in most states,” says Dr. Aronin. Currently, about 30% of HIV positive Americans do not realize their status, and approximately 40% find out they are HIV positive when the disease has already progressed to an advanced stage. The universal testing recommendations are designed to reduce the risk of spreading the infection and to initiate treatment when it is more effective, at earlier stages of the disease. “In addition”, states Aronin, universal testing can help reduce the stigma of HIV by making it a routine part of patient care for adolescents and adults.”

In his talk, Dr. Aronin will discuss the currently available diagnostic tests for HIV, including rapid testing, and how the recommendations can be implemented in all healthcare settings using the opt-out screening method. Healthcare providers, advocates, researchers, social scientists, persons living with HIV/AIDS and policy makers are particularly encouraged to attend. Says Dr. Aronin, “People will come away from the talk with a better understanding of the way HIV testing is performed, the advantages and disadvantages of the various HIV tests, and an understanding of the rationale behind the plan to implement routine opt-out HIV testing in all healthcare settings.”

This is the second presentation in the Spring, 2007 series of forums organized by The Institute for Community Research and the Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center with support from Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline and Boehringer Ingelheim. The Hartford HIV Forum meets from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m., on the second Tuesday of each month from September through June. The goal of the forums is to give the local community the most up-to-date information on current topics in AIDS prevention, treatment, research and care. To register for the forum, call the Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044. For more information about the series, contact Kim Radda at The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044 X285.

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