HIV diagnosis turns out to be wrong

[Scooter24]

California man thought he was dying

The Associated Press
Updated: 10:07 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO - A California man who once tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS has learned the diagnosis made eight years ago was mistaken and he never had the disease.

Jim Malone spent years battling depression and losing weight, expecting to die at any time. He attended support group meetings and accepted free meals from an AIDS charity.
Malone’s main doctor, Richard Karp, acknowledged the error in an Aug. 4 letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs clinic where Malone was treated. “As his primary care provider, I take full responsibility,” the doctor wrote.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5861458/

[onebigbadwulf]

1. Well I'm sure he's a better man now.

We could all use a little scare to shape us up.

[Maddy McCall]

2. I completely disagree...

Can you imagine spending eight years preparing for your death? What if, believing that he were HIV positive, he were in a relationship with someone else HIV positive and didn't use protection, because he believed he was infected, and then caught the disease?

What about his family members and the trauma they have been through?

This is terrible. I am sure the guy is relieved to have a "new lease on life," but just imagine what he has been through the past decade.

[Scooter24]

4. not to mention.

the extreme debt of his medical bills. I agree, he is owed more than just an "ooops, sorry"

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Or the damage done to his body

taking all those meds that he didn't need to take.

[bluestateguy]

3. I smell a lawsuit that is going to make somebody very wealthy

He deserves to have those 8 years back as much as its possible: gobs of money so he doesn't have to work for the next 8 years and can indulge himself in all of life's pleasures.

[dansolo]

6. Was this a Gulf War veteran?

Could he have had Gulf War Illness, which was misdiagnosed as HIV?

[Scooter24]

7. That information

wasn't available in the article..HIV Blood Tests are quite hard to mess up. That is unless the sample was tainted.