“HIV+ patients can have sex without a condom under certain conditions”
Belgium-Brussels. The Health Council has issued new advice in connection with the use of condoms by people who are HIV+. The council says that couples that include an HIV+ partners can enjoy sex without a condom under strict conditions.
The Health Council stresses that the condom remains the choice means of preventing the spread of the virus, but it is now relaxing its advice.
In order to be able to have sex without a condom HIV+ patients must be under continued medical supervision. They also need to be screened to ensure they have not contracted any sexually transmitted infections before they chuck their condoms in the bin. Following the screening the two partners must remain in a monogamous relationship.
Condoms can only be dropped when the two partners are in a settled relationship and, perhaps most importantly of all, when quantities of the HIV virus in the infected partner’s blood have been below detection levels for at least six months.
The choice in favour of abandoning the condom must be made under medical supervision.
“In addition the HIV- partner must give his or her permission for unprotected” sex says Dr Linos Vandekerckhove.
The Health Council stresses that as soon as any of these conditions are no longer met the Health Council and the medical profession will no longer be able to support a decision no longer to use condoms.
