by SGN Staff
Seattle Gay News Friday  March 12,1993
Posted with permission

Small victory for AIDS activists

The Washington state Board of Health rejected a proposal that would require laboratories to report the names of individuals with a CD4 count of less than 200. During the same meeting the Board of Health voted to accept the CDC's new definition of AIDS.

The actions of the Board of Health is a victory for AIDS activists who opposed the lab-based reportedly of names, saying the new rules would violate confidentiality.  A note  criticism of the lab-based reporting plan is that the new recommendations didn't include any pre- or post-testing counseling.

The Seattle.King COunty Department of Public Health had crafted the measure that would allow lab-based reporting, in an effort to more accurately count the numbers of people with AIDS, and receive a larger percentage of federal funding.

The Northwest AIDS FOundation stood virtually alone in its opposition to the lab-based reporting recommendation.

Steve Johnson, a member of AIDSWATCH, said he is alarmed and dismayed at the lack of interest in this issue demonstrate by the numerous AIDS organization in King COunty and throughout the state.