Citation

AIDS Policy Law 1995; 10(8): 12.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Buraff Publications)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11362491

Abstract

According to researcher Dr. Lawrence S. Brown Jr., of the Addiction Research and Treatment Corp. in New York, the chance of a professional American football player becoming infected with HIV on the field is less than 1 in 85 million. The study provides further evidence to those who say there is no medical or public health reason for routine testing of athletes for HIV, or denying HIV-infected athletes from competing in sports. Researchers observed 11 National Football League (NFL) teams during 155 season games in 1992 and found 575 bleeding injuries. Using computer models based on environmental variables, researchers calculated the risk of HIV transmission to be infinitesimally small. The researchers also contend that the calculations used in their study overestimate the risk for HIV transmission, and that direct contact between the bleeding injuries of two players is almost impossible. Consequently, the real risk of transmission may be considerably less than that calculated. The study suggests that athletes are more likely to become infected through unprotected sexual intercourse or injection drug use than by contact sports.

Language: en