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C00002 00002 aids[f86,jmc] A free enterprise approach to the AIDS problem
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aids[f86,jmc] A free enterprise approach to the AIDS problem
Until a cure or vaccine for AIDS is discovered, its spread
can be limited only by the sexual isolation of AIDS carriers,
estimated by some at more than one million people in America
and less than two million. Fortunately, anti-bodies to the
virus are now detectable. Thus it has been feasible for the
armed forces to examine recruits and reject those carrying the
virus.
An obvious solution is to lead a sex life confined to
marriage and to test before marriage as is now done for the
previous venereal diseases. Many will advocate this, and quite
a lot of people will do it. They will be OK, but others don't
want to restrict their sex lives that much.
Here's a solution.
Private companies offer tests for the AIDS virus and dated
certificates of freedom from AIDS antibodies. Some of them may require
that a person taking their test have the result entered in their database
regardless of how the test turns out. A person may further contract
not to have sex of any kind with anyone who does not have a current
certificate of freedom from AIDS. This contract provides for damages
to any certificated person having sex with this person if the person
fails a future AIDS virus test. How often the tests will have to
be repeated to be regarded as current depends on statistics of
sexual activity and the transmissibility of the AIDS virus.
No-one is required by law to be tested. There can be
rival companies with different rules.
Who can object, but some surely will.