There has been a lot of news coverage of late on the discovery of a new strain of the HIV virus by doctors in New York. This new HIV strain appears to advance to full blown AIDS very quickly. Health authorities across North America have been trying to get the word out and in doing so have been accused of fear mongering. Critics have claimed the health authorities are issuing these warning to scare people into safer sex practices.
The news of the existence of a new strain of the HIV virus resistant to HIV treatments and its subsequent rapid advancement into full blown AIDS is essential information for the public and AIDS service organizations.
Fears that these new findings may lead to more blaming the victim are legitimate. We know from research two of the determining factors that affect the spread of HIV are stigma and discrimination associated with the disease. On January 26 this year, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network announced a nation-wide educational campaign to address stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. You can read more on the effort here.
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