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It May Be Illegal Not To Reveal HIV

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An Ohio man was arrested this month for failing to disclose his HIV positive status to the women with whom he'd had romantic encounters. Over the course of six and a half years, the 36-year-old had met over 600 women on Craigslist.

It's unclear with how many of those women he'd consummated the relationship. He was arrested after multiple victims came forward to share their stories.

But with so many laws on medical privacy that you have to sign about 500 forms in your doctor's office to be able to bill your insurance company for the visit, is it illegal not to disclose your medical status? In the majority of states, when it comes to endangering the health of others, the answer is yes.

Most states have laws that make it illegal for someone who is aware of his or her HIV status - and in some states of any communicable sexually transmitted disease - to have sex without disclosing that to his potential partner. Which is very cold comfort to know that someone will be arrested after the fact for not telling you to protect yourself in advance.

So, while it doesn't take a lawyer to tell you that whenever you meet someone on line - or anywhere for that matter - it's up to you to protect yourself, this arrest is a pretty good reminder of what is apparently not always common sense.

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