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2000 SESSION

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HJ 264 Study; blood-borne pathogens.

Introduced by: Marian Van Landingham | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Study; blood-borne pathogens. Continues the Standing Subcommittee Monitoring the Issues Related to Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Viruses as the Standing Subcommittee to Monitor Issues Related to Blood-borne Pathogens. This resolution notes the evolution of the subcommittee from a joint subcommittee with many meetings per year to a monitoring subcommittee with only two meetings per year. The resolution also notes the efforts of the subcommittee to benefit not only AIDS/HIV patients but all of the citizens of the Commonwealth and the impressive list of accomplishments in this regard, including, but not limited to, (i) laws to require reporting of HIV while setting confidentiality protections for test results, providing Virginia with complete and useful data on this ever-changing epidemic; (ii) a statute that provides a process for obtaining testing of sexual offenders that helped victims of sexual crimes across the Commonwealth; (iii) the revision of the isolation law to balance due process and public health issues that has provided protection for Virginians; (iv) and the establishment of a law to regulate a new industry that purchases life insurance policies from terminally ill patients, thus protecting Virginians with any terminal illnesses from being exploited. Because of cooperation with the Department of Corrections and a request from a private citizen to examine reporting issues relating to a pathogen that can cause leukemia, the standing subcommittee has learned of serious public and institutional concerns about hepatitis and other blood-borne pathogens that must be accorded careful scrutiny by the General Assembly. These concerns have resulted in requests from outside the subcommittee for the standing subcommittee to request continuation and to ask that its study be broadened to include the many issues relating to all blood-borne pathogens, including HIV, hepatitis, and other emerging diseases.


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