30% of dentists refuse to treat HIV-positive patients in France. This alarming figure comes from a survey carried out by the association for the fight against AIDS Aides revealed by the daily The Parisian.
To arrive at this observation, the association conducted a survey of 440 dentists and 116 gynecologists. “False” patients have requested an appointment for scaling or a smear, specifying only their HIV status. To ensure that only their seropositivity could lead to a possible refusal, they presented a French name and no universal health coverage (CMU).
While the majority of gynecologists agreed to provide care to these patients (1.7% refusals and 4.3% disguised refusals), dentists were much more likely to refuse. In total, 132 dental practitioners avoided the appointment. Statistically, 3.6% of dentists expressly refused the HIV-positive patient, and 30% found excuses not to receive him (excess fees, unsuitable materials, lack of knowledge of the pathology, overfilled agenda, etc.) . “People like you go to the hospital instead”, “I don’t prefer to give you an appointment, I’m not used to treating people like you”, “Ah, are you HIV positive? Okay, okay, I’ll put on two pairs of gloves ”,“ People like you prefer to put them on at the end of the day, it helps to clean the cabinet ”. These are the reactions of the dental surgeons contacted by Help.
However, these practices are formally prohibited by law, insofar as “no person may be discriminated against in access to prevention or treatment”, in accordance with the Public Health Code.
For the Aides association, “this testing revealed a cruel lack of training and knowledge of practitioners and medical secretaries” vis-à-vis the transmission of the AIDS virus, the HIV.
“These practices are all the more unacceptable as the standard, necessary and sufficient precautionary measures have been repeatedly recalled by various public and scientific bodies”, adds the association in its press release. It also recalls that “the recommendations in force recommend the same hygiene protocol or disinfection for all patients. […] There is therefore no scientific or medical basis for implementing differentiated treatment or flexible working hours for HIV-positive people. Its only effect is to stigmatize people and discourage them from seeking care. “
This discrimination is all the more absurd as the risk of contamination is minimal (around 1 in 420 million), Aides reminds us, and that many people in France are HIV positive without even knowing it.
“These reactions are completely abnormal, and we continue systematically when they reach us,” assured Christian Couzinou, president of the national order of dental surgeons at the daily Le Parisien. “In the surgeries, the precautions are the same regardless of the patient. Moreover, some do not know that they are HIV positive, and when they do, they do not have to say it. “
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