Q. My doctor recently suggested that I get screened for hepatitis C and HIV.
Why—and should I?
A. Sounds like your doctor is following the latest recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group that recently advocated screening all baby boomers (the generation born from 1945 through 1965) for hepatitis C, a virus that attacks the liver, and everyone age 15 to 65 for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And yes, our experts think those are good ideas.
Getting tested is the only way you can know for certain if you’re infected. Then you can take steps to minimize the risk of infecting others, and weigh your treatment options. Hepatitis C medications can sometimes eliminate the virus from the body and prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. HIV drugs can reduce the risk of developing AIDS or delay its onset, helping people with HIV live longer than ever before. Plus, under the new health care law, most insurance plans must cover the task force’s recommended hepatitis C and HIV screenings at no cost to you when conducted by a network provider, so check with your insurer for details.
Have a question? Ask our health care experts.
—Doug Podolsky
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