HIV positive man unable to become a commercial pilot

[Deleted]

I see you're just trolling ok

I see you are just lying, okay.

You started this pointless thread. Now eat my opinion about it. I don't give a damn about that HIV infected idiot and I don't want the rules to change for a special snowflake when there is even the smallest chance of something happening - and there is. Because HIV is no joke and people who are infected do NOT live normal lives.

Your body is affected by it, negatively, medicine does not yet cure it like it would cure your snotty nose. The medicine itself is already harmful, it's also not failsafe - if you truely have HIV infected friends, you'd actually know that.

It's only as harmless or as harmful as the patient is responsible and taking his medicine.

[THEORACLE64]

Who gets to fly a plane

Well, no. There's certain medical conditions which would be understandable in this case, like if you were missing limbs or taking high doses of pain-relief medication that would severely cloud your judgement. HIV and HIV medication, however, doesn't come close to either of those. Untreated HIV leading to AIDS is of course understandable, but HIV that's being medicated for isn't really one.

[Dr Assbandit]

The sheer amount of ignorance and quite frankly asinine comments being made in this thread are ridiculous.

If you guys aren't even able to take one minute out of your day to get some barebones information about HIV via google and how much of a nonissue it is with respect to the article in the OP then please just ask me any questions you have regarding HIV, what different statuses mean, the medications commonly used and their side-effects, or the current promising research being done in this field.

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I see you are just lying, okay.

You started this pointless thread. Now eat my opinion about it. I don't give a damn about that HIV infected idiot and I don't want the rules to change for a special snowflake when there is even the smallest chance of something happening.

Watch out lads we have an internet badass here! Or more accurately someone with an utterly uninformed opinion trying to pass it off as him being educated on the topic. It's okay to admit you know literally nothing about HIV and their medications rather than betray your ignorance.

[Jotaux]

I think a lot of you are misreading their reasoning. The concern is not that the HIV will spread, its that he will be a danger to fly without someone else there. The requirements for the license is a solo flight. I don't know anything about HIV so I don't know if they need a co-pilot or not. If they do I don't see why they can't give the guy the limited license other pilots get if they contract HIV while they already have a license.

[Deleted]

I see you are just lying, okay.

You started this pointless thread. Now eat my opinion about it. I don't give a damn about that HIV infected idiot and I don't want the rules to change for a special snowflake when there is even the smallest chance of something happening - and there is. Because HIV is no joke and people who are infected do NOT live normal lives.

Your body is affected by it, negatively, medicine does not yet cure it like it would cure your snotty nose. The medicine itself is already harmful, it's also not failsafe - if you truely have HIV infected friends, you'd actually know that.

Then your HIV acquaintances are not correctly medicated

[Deleted]

The sheer amount of ignorance and quite frankly asinine comments being made in this thread are ridiculous.

If you guys aren't even able to take one minute out of your day to get some barebones information about HIV via google and how much of a nonissue it is with respect to the article in the OP then please just ask me any questions you have regarding HIV, what different statuses mean, the medications commonly used and their side-effects, or the current promising research being done in this field.

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Watch out lads we have an internet badass here! Or more accurately someone with an utterly uninformed opinion trying to pass it off as him being educated on the topic. It's okay to admit you know literally nothing about HIV and their medications rather than betray your ignorance.

Actually, the one being ignorant is you. Do you honestly think you go to a doctor, get your medicine and take it for the rest of your life and you are fine?
No sideeffects whatsoever after a change in medication?

O-okay...

[Deleted]

Actually, the one being ignorant is you. Do you honestly think you go to a doctor, get your medicine and take it for the rest of your life and you are fine?

You're aware HE'S A DOCTOR

[Dr Assbandit]

I think a lot of you are misreading their reasoning. The concern is not that the HIV will spread, its that he will be a danger to fly without someone else there. The requirements for the license is a solo flight. I don't know anything about HIV so I don't know if they need a co-pilot or not. If they do I don't see why they can't give the guy the limited license other pilots get if they contract HIV while they already have a license.

Your T-cell count needs to be below significant levels to be even at risk for opportunistic infections. A regular HAART therapy for an individual who doesn't have any resistance to the medication keeps their cell count way above those levels so they are at risk for just about the same infections as any other person.

[Deleted]

You're aware HE'S A DOCTOR

He is?

So he's telling me there are no side effects or long term deficiencies

[Independent voter]

All I'm concerned about is if he's weakened, mentally confused or overly tired or something like that, otherwise I don't have a problem with him flying the plane I'm in.

It wasn't that long ago that they fired several pilots for flying while drunk.

[Dr Assbandit]

He is?

So he's telling me there are no side effects?

You do realize that not everyone suffers from side effects correct? If we suffered from all the side-effect profiles you see on even everyday drugs such as Acetominophen, then we would have people with chronic liver and kidney failure everywhere.

Side-effects are relatively rare to begin with, but you're absolutely right that some of them can be concerning. Thankfully we have a myriad of different drugs for HIV that we can mix and match to avoid them if a patient shows symptoms. This goes for pretty much all chronic conditions such as Crohn's Disease, Hep B/C, Ulcerative Colitis, or even chronic depression. I haven't even brushed the surface of pathologies that require constant drugs, with side-effect profiles far more debilitating than antiretrovirals, yet a cursory glance shows that those conditions are exempt from this restriction.

Look, I understand your concern. I wouldn't want a patient whose mental or bodily functions are impaired to be in charge of the lives of others. To date especially in this day and age HIV with proper medication isn't one of them, even if you include side-effects from said medication. I don't mean to assume but your harsh response to Adam earlier shows that you might have personal strong feelings against this rather than an objective look at it.

[THEORACLE64]

He is?

So he's telling me there are no side effects or long term deficiencies

Of course there are side effects, like any medication for any illness, and like with any medication that you take those side effects are listed for legal reasons. However, just because side effects are listed it DOES NOT mean that you'll develop any of them.

[Aitch]

What are side effects of hiv treatment?

[Deleted]

Look, I understand your concern. I wouldn't want a patient whose mental or bodily functions are impaired to be in charge of the lives of others. To date especially in this day and age HIV with proper medication isn't one of them, even if you include side-effects from said medication. I don't mean to assume but your harsh response to Adam earlier shows that you might have personal strong feelings against this rather than an objective look at it.

I'm actually looking at this from a different point of view.

I'm saying that there is a deficit involved and it's not worth lowering the standards

Depression, developing a resistance and all kinds of other sneaky illnesses or side effects that come from taking medicine and from suffering an illness in the first place are factors.

So it's not unreasonable to limit the license, which is how it's done in the first place. This is not something that is limited to Pilots either... this isn't anything fancy or new or special, this is a normal procedure and comercial pilots are supposed to be healthier than the average person - high standards. Just like I want police officers to be more able than the average person.

It's also not uncommon to not get a certain job, insurance or whatever you can think of because of things that "could happen", even if the probability is just slightly tilted into the negative.

[Mafic]

So is diabetes

Exactly and that ends the debate right there.

The risks are too high.

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Most people don't realize that HIV+ people are still at greater risk than others. Yes, its treatable now than it was in the past. But it doesn't mean the person who has it is 100% tracked for their status. Some people won't take treatment, or be on track of current, or new treatments. Which they believe is a hazard to passengers.

Yes, HIV+ can be worked with. but the jobs and employment leaders are not held responsible to track their employees' health. HIV+ can cause so many issues for the pilot. Even sicknesses could end up render him unable to continue the flight. This ruling is in place protect its passangers, and the pilots themselves. Does it suck? Yes. But is it needed? Clearly the Airport management believes so.

Exactly.

This is about common sense not about making someone feel good.

[I Push Buttons]

Well, no. There's certain medical conditions which would be understandable in this case, like if you were missing limbs or taking high doses of pain-relief medication that would severely cloud your judgement. HIV and HIV medication, however, doesn't come close to either of those. Untreated HIV leading to AIDS is of course understandable, but HIV that's being medicated for isn't really one.

That's the point.

There is no way for them to be sure he remains medicated because his medical privacy is protected, they have no right to know.

[Vash The Stampede]

Clearly the best option is to just get a robot to fly the plane.

[hakujinbakasama]

He is HIV+, on successful treatment, and does not exhibit AIDS, therefor his immune system is fine. Living HIV+ today is much different than in the past, and successful early treatment leaves your immune system intact.

Yeah it's like having herpes or a stuffy nose.

[THEORACLE64]

That's the point.

There is no way for them to be sure he remains medicated because his medical privacy is protected, they have no right to know.

Of course, but symptomatically you'd be able to tell when he's too sick to work. A doctors note confirming that he's taking the medication and that it's safe for him to carry out his job is probably sufficient enough too. Personally, if it was a job that i loved and trained years to do, i'd have no qualms in providing medical evidence that i was taking said medication (backed up by blood tests confirming the low/undetectable levels of the virus).

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Clearly the best option is to just get a robot to fly the plane.

Computers pretty much already do 90% of the flying o/

[xenogear3]

You're aware HE'S A DOCTOR

Everyone claimed that they work for Blizzard, lawyer, stock analyst and realtor, whenever that area is hot.

If someone has to take a medicine or he will go crazy. he should not be a pilot.
What happen if he forgot to bring/eat the medicine?