Letters to the Editor
Re-Evaluating
OraQuick
Thank you for raising the issue of HIV Rapid
Testing in your July 2004 article, "The Longest Week." The awareness
OITM brings to our community around issues such as this is greatly appreciated.
We agree that the health and well-being of gay and bisexual men and other
populations at risk for HIV is important. At this time I'd like to clarify
some information that appeared in this article.
As recommended by the Vermont HIV Prevention
Community Planning Group, the Vermont Department of Health evaluated rapid
testing in the summer of 2003. During that time we considered issues such
as the accuracy of the test, the complexity of the test, appropriate testing
locations, and costs associated with implementation and maintenance of
a rapid testing system. This gave us reason to not recommend rapid testing
for the general population at that time. We have recently received new
information about the accuracy of the test and will be conducting a new
review of these issues to see if implementing a pilot program for rapid
testing makes sense in Vermont communities.
We understand that CDC encourages rapid
testing because more people will choose to be tested and will learn their
HIV status as a result of this new technology. CDC says that, nationally,
up to a third of people who are tested for HIV do not go back to receive
their test results. Vermont has a much better track record than the rest
of the country in giving back test results. In Vermont in 2003, 83% of
overall test results were delivered to clients. Ninety percent (90%) of
positive test results were delivered to clients that same year. In 2002,
100% of positive test results were delivered to clients.
It is important to clarify that the OraQuick
rapid test described in your article is a screening test only. As such,
all positive results from OraQuick are considered "preliminary positive"
which must then be confirmed through traditional testing methods. Getting
results from these confirmatory tests can take up to two weeks. The traditional
tests used by the Vermont Department of Health include a set of two screening
tests and a simultaneously-run confirmatory test on each positive test
result. This means that when an individual receives a positive test result
through the Vermont Department of Health testing system, he or she can
be sure that the test result is accurate from the start.
Susanna Weller, MPH
Acting Director, HIV/AIDS Program
Division of Health Surveillance
Vermont Department of Health
Pride Satisfied
Could this year's Pride Day live up to the
line of success, positive / negative write-ups, rain / shine, heat / cold,
more / less funds, volunteers, attendees, vendors, homophobes... YES!!
Nat Michael
Underhill
Faith and Pride
July 10 was a terrific day for me and my
family. After marching the length of the Pride parade with my partner
and son and enjoying the waterfront festival, we attended the Evensong
service held at the Episcopal Cathedral in Burlington.
The gathering at the Cathedral was a testament
to the strength of our movement. As I looked around, I saw a large number
of people who worship regularly at the Cathedral, both straight and gay.
I also saw people I recognized from other faith communities in town, again,
both straight and gay. Many of them had marched in the parade that morning.
The service afforded us all the opportunity to hear Gene Robinson preach,
the openly gay man who last year was approved by the national Episcopal
Church to serve as Bishop of New Hampshire.
All too often it seems that terms like "religious" and especially
"Christian" have become shorthand for "homophobic."
But there are vast numbers of people out there who are working for lgbt
justice because of their religious convictions. Our community is wise
to recognize and appreciate the kind of faith that demands justice, for
us and for others. The Evensong service was a living reminder and embodiment
of just that kind of faith, and I was very glad to be there.
Liz Stedman
Burlington, VT
Major Marriage Fight
Make no mistake, lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender issues are on 2004 election ballots in almost 13 states.
In Oregon, Republicans opposed to same-sex
marriage have turned in double the number of signatures required to put
an anti-gay constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Voters in
Missouri will see an amendment at the August primary election, and Louisiana's
electorate will confront the issue in September. Then, in November, marriage
ballot measures will take place in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma
and Utah.
In Michigan, anti-marriage groups will submit
over 400,000 signatures to election officials and easily qualify their
constitutional amendment for the fall ballot. Arkansas and Montana are
still verifying signatures, while Republicans are continuing to get signatures
in North Dakota and Ohio.
I did not defend this country for over 20
years so George Bush and the Republicans could restrict civil liberties
in America. I urge you to get mad, get active, register to vote and support
Kerry/Edwards and
other Democrats in 2004.
Major Robert Tormey
U.S. Air Force, Ret.
Escondido, CA
People
or Courts?
President Bush keeps saying that people,
not the courts, need to decide the issue of gay marriage. Funny, he had
no problem with the courts, not the people, deciding the last presidential
election.
William Stosine
Iowa City, IA