Proposed New York Bill Would Allow Doctors to Test You for HIV Without Consent

Doctors in New York State would be able to test patients for HIV without their explicit consent, if a new bill passes in the state legistalture.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) and awaiting review in the Senate Health Committee, would put the onus on patients to read signs in their doctors’ offices informing them that they could be tested.

“I’ve known plenty of people who didn’t get tested but wished they had, because they not only may have unknowingly passed the virus on, but their well-being suffered, too,” said Hoylman. “It’s better to know your HIV status.”

Hoylman who is gay and married believes the bill will help reduce the spread of HIV, but Jacob Schneider, a staff attorney at the Center for HIV Law and Policy, believes the legislation is “speculative” at best.

Schneider told The New York Post that the group is also trying to get a meeting with Hoylman.

“A recent landmark study showed that successful treatment can reduce the risk of HIV transmission to virtually zero among gay men. That’s why it’s important that HIV testing be widespread, routine and free from stigma,” he told The Post. “We can help achieve this with the new legislation and stop the HIV virus in its tracks.”