Free HIV treatment for foreign nationals in England welcomed

The free treatment has been approved on the grounds of public health and of reducing long-term costs to the NHS.

Currently, failed asylum seekers who are allowed to remain in England because their country is too dangerous to return to, people who have overstayed their visas and undocumented migrants are required to pay for treatment.

The restrictions on HIV do not apply to other sexually transmitted infections or to tuberculosis and they do not apply to those foreign nationals in Scotland or Wales who can already receive free HIV treatment.

Campaigners have argued that the current English rules are harmful to public health efforts and result in higher costs to the NHS in the long term because of greater risk of onward infection and increased costs associated with treating HIV in its later stages.

Lisa Power, Policy Director for Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We strongly support this move by the Government to bring HIV in line with all the other sexually transmitted infections which are free from charge on public health grounds.

“It makes no sense to deny people medication that dramatically reduces the risk of them passing on their infection to others.  Read More