Pubdate: Sat, 18 Jan 2003
Source: Lethbridge Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 The Lethbridge Herald
Contact:  http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/239
Author: Caroline Boschman

COPS CALL FOR BLOOD TESTING

Provincial police association wants changes after city cop accidentally 
jabbed with needle

Alberta police are pushing for mandatory blood testing of suspect 
individuals, particularly known drug users and sex trade workers, when one 
of their officers gets bitten or poked by a needle in the line of duty.

The issue hit home this week when a Lethbridge police officer was 
inadvertently pricked in the hand by a hypodermic syringe as he arrested a 
female suspect in connection with a robbery.

As the law stands now, a suspect individual has to consent to a blood test 
for diseases like HIV or Hepatitis C; they are not legally obligated to 
undergo testing.

The Lethbridge officer now faces agonizing weeks ahead until test results 
clear him of a blood-borne infection. The protocol of testing goes for six 
months because HIV and Hep C can take that long to show a positive result.

The Alberta Federation of Police Associations hopes that will change soon. 
They have drafted a resolution that would compel suspected sources of 
infection to submit to testing and will present it to the provincial 
government this spring.

"It is a great concern. (The risks) are very real," said Jon Netelenbos, 
executive director of the Alberta Federation of Police Associations. "The 
Canadian Police Association has actually lobbied for this for many years."

Fraser Valley Canadian Alliance MP Chuck Strahl introduced a private 
member's bill that would have provided some protection for citizens, 
including police and emergency workers, who lend assistance in stopping 
crime. Under the bill, a judge would have the power to order a blood 
sample. Strahl struck a deal with the Liberals to have the bill's subject 
matter placed before the next meeting of the Federal, Provincial and 
Territorial Attorneys General for resolution.

The legislation proposed by the Alberta police associations is similar to 
the Health Protection and Promotion Act in Ontario. The Act permits access 
to information for police, emergency workers, victims of crime and good 
Samaritans when exposure to communicable diseases is in question.

Locally, a designated officer is informed and initial bloodwork done when 
potential contamination occurs. Results provide baseline information 
because neither HIV or Hep C infections become apparent immediately, said 
Karen Thomas, communicable disease co-ordinator with the Chinook Health 
Region. Followup testing is conducted at varying intervals for HIV and Hep C.

Each incident is also evaluated by the city's health and safety committee, 
which has police representation, to determine if anything could have been 
done differently.

The Alberta Federation of Police Associations would like to see 
preventative measures put in place.

A cocktail of drugs is available to those who may have been exposed to HIV. 
It has proven to be effective against HIV but requires six months of 
treatment and comes with side-effects, said Dr. Helene Wirzba, executive 
director of the Lethbridge HIV Connection.

However, she added the risks of contracting Hep C are greater because more 
people are infected with the disease. No drug treatment is available for 
Hep C so the only recourse for anyone with a possible infection is to wait 
for test results.

Thomas said the CHR had no new cases of HIV in 2002. The risk of getting 
HIV from a deep needle stick injury with a known carrier is .3 per cent.

The risk of getting Hep C under the same conditions is three per cent.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens