Bill Targets Ban on Donor Policies for Men With HIV
Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) has introduced a bill (SB 443) that would allow HIV-positive males to use reproductive medical services, the Contra Costa Times reports.
A 1989 state law bans HIV-positive individuals from donating sperm, blood or tissue in an effort to reduce the spread of disease.
Migden says current law discriminates against HIV-positive men who might opt to try to conceive through intercourse, thereby increasing the risk of infection.
The measure would allow couples to take advantage of artificial insemination or in-vitro fertilization. Before the process, the semen would first be treated to minimize the risk of transmitting HIV in a procedure known as "sperm washing."
The bill would affect a small population because of the high cost of the reproductive services. In-vitro fertilization costs about $15,000, while artificial insemination costs several hundred dollars, according to Migden (Zapler, Contra Costa Times, 3/6).