HIV Visa ban to be eliminated in the US

A 20 year US law that has banned HIV positive people from visiting American is to be removed thanks to a HIV positive Briton, who accused the US government of discrimination during a major health conference.

Paul Thorn, who campaigns for access to treatment for HIV sufferers, should have spoken at the Pacific health summit in the US last month, but was refused a visa after stating that he had HIV on his visa application.

Instead of attending, Mr Thorn sent a statement that was read out in his place, accusing the US of discrimination and having a HIV policy rooted in fear. The statement went on to say that the US had no right of calling itself the world leader in the fight to eradicate the disease.

Politicians took up Mr Thorn’s case, lobbying the US government to rethink its HIV policy and last week the government decided to bring the ban to an end, stating that it was time to: “remove HIV as a communicable disease of public health significance”.

The removal of the ban is likely to be in place before the end of the year.