DECISION ON HIV REPORTING HAILED.

Byline: Dennis Anderson Associated Press

One of the major groups that helps the AIDS and HIV community applauded Wednesday the California Medical Association's reversal of its earlier policy that favored mandatory reporting of positive HIV tests.

On Tuesday, the state association voted to revamp its policy supporting mandatory HIV reporting in favor of a plan that preserves patient privacy.

Details of that plan are yet to be worked out.

Tuesday's vote at the association's annual convention in Anaheim acknowledged that patients at risk of being infected with the virus that causes AIDS might avoid testing if they knew their names might be reported to local health officials, doctors said.

People at risk of infection fear discrimination in housing, employment and insurance.

"We do not want to do anything that would deter individuals from presenting themselves for testing," association spokeswoman Danielle Walters said.

The reversal will encourage people to keep coming in for tests, the deputy executive director of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Services Center said.

"It was a bad public policy position," Darrell Cummings said. "It's good to know that the state's medical health association (now) supports people's confidentiality."

The greatest significance of the association's decision is that it may present an obstacle to legislation making reporting of HIV infection mandatory, Cummings said.

"It takes a little steam out of the legislation," Cummings said.

The physicians group is one of the most influential in helping shape state health policy.

Advocates of mandatory reporting contend such information disclosure ensures that a person's sexual partners will be notified.

The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Services Center provides about 800 anonymous HIV tests each month. Cummings said surveys indicate there could be a drop of as much as 90 percent in testing if it were known the results would be passed on to health officials.

Twenty-five states require confidential reporting of HIV-infected individuals by name to local health authorities. California does not require reporting of HIV infection.