Pennsylvania's HIV reporting system takes effect October 18

Pennsylvania will implement a new names-based HIV reporting system on October 18. The new regulations require labs, testing sites, and doctors to share HIV case data with state health officials. The state will collect HIV case information dating back to 2000. Pennsylvania has maintained a names-based AIDS case reporting system for 20 years but had not collected information on HIV-positive state residents who had not advanced to an AIDS diagnosis. Officials at the state Department of Health say the new HIV reporting system will enable health officials to better track the spread of HIV throughout the state and will allow better allocation of prevention and treatment funds to areas hit particularly hard by HIV/AIDS.