Clinic Uses Outdated Forms for HIV Testing
The San Francisco City Clinic has been using outdated forms that promise patients their HIV tests results will remain anonymous, despite a state law passed in April that requires clinics to report to the county health department the names of those who test positive, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/3).
The law, which created a names-based reporting system for new HIV cases in the state, will allow the state to retain more than $50 million in annual federal funding for HIV/AIDS-related programs (California Healthline, 4/18).
About 400 people have received HIV tests at the clinic since the law was passed, but county health department officials said most of them received the correct form. Those who received the outdated forms will be contacted and asked if their names can be reported, according to Mitch Katz, county director of public health.
The ACLU on Friday released a letter sent to the county agency demanding that the correct forms be used and that clients be notified of the error (San Francisco Chronicle, 6/3).