So Truvada, an expensive HIV prevention drug, has been in the news lately. It got me to thinking about our prison population.
I think I know the answer, but I wonder if Truvada will be made available to prisoners. I wonder if it should be.
How do we measure the costs-benefits to something like that?
Those behind bars are part of our community, and the vast majority will be released back into the population at large. It is short-sighted of us to endanger our own health because we fail to reduce the health risk of the incarcerated.
At the same time, we have limited resources, so is our money best spent on expensive treatments for the "bad guys?" (How about we start with making something cheaper available, like condoms?)
Like usual, the issue is more complicated than that:
- There are other modes of transmission in jail other than unprotected sex.
- We have to be careful in any drug therapy of fostering drug-resistance.
- Other diseases such as Hepatitis C and Tuberculosis may be even more widespread.
So, again, how do we measure the costs-benefits?
Hi Kareen,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. The picture you used here relates to the spread of lice, scabies, Hep C, TB, Noro Virus as it does to HIV and other infectious diseases.
Moreover, this cell is typically for inmates who are considered fit for parole at different upcoming dates.
I would pick your first two options as reasons why we should consider using Truvada and any other medication/treatment as may be efficacious for any of the diseases that are found in the prison setting.
In my opinion, even condemned criminals should be treated in no different way.
I believe it is more cost effective to preventinevitable spread to the outside world.
Your blog is freakin' awesome! That's my critique haha. But seriously, the template you're using is very user friendly, the fonts and color scheme are pleasing to the eye, the topics you post on are very interesting and well written... truly, GREAT WORK! You should definitely keep this up after the class is over.
ReplyDeleteGreat pol Karen! You got my thinking about a lot of things, things I must be honest - I haven't given thought to before. Thanks for that. Your blog is fantastic!
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