Are HIV positive asylum seekers an unfair burden on the NHS?

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7407.171

BMJ 2003;327:171 (19 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7407.171

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Are HIV positive asylum seekers an unfair burden on the NHS?

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The extra burden on the NHS is one of the issues cited in thecontroversy over the number of asylum seekers entering theUnited Kingdom. My specialty, which includes care of patientsinfected with HIV, has seen a considerable increase in thenumber of new diagnoses of HIV in patients who acquired the virus abroad, such that most new cases in the United Kingdomare now in this category. A major proportion of these patientsare asylum seekers, largely from sub-Saharan Africa.

Doctors treating asylum seekers are often required to supportapplications for exceptional leave to remain in this country,on the grounds that antiretroviral treatment is not widelyavailable (or affordable) in their countries of origin. Thegrowing realisation among doctors and politicians that a sizeableand increasing amount of resources is being taken up in the care of these patients has led to two opposing points of view.. . . [Full text of this article]

David R Chadwick, senior lecturer in infectious diseases

Department of Infection and Travel Medicine, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough davidr.chadwick@stees.nhs.uk

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Disagreement to philosophy of treatment: Vera M Dalley
bmj.com, 22 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Disagreement to philosophy of treatment: Susana Mancero
bmj.com, 23 Jul 2003 [Full text]