HIV continues to be a devastating global epidemic. At the end of 2001, there were an estimated 40 mi...
HIV continues to be a devastating global epidemic. At the end of 2001, there were an estimated 40 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS of which five million were newly infected during 2001.
The epidemic started in the early 1980s and had a profound effect on the life assurance industry. Initially, the UK market introduced automatic HIV blood testing at low sum assured levels with particular focus on perceived higher risk groups such as single males. However, over time, the automatic testing limits have increased significantly and more user-friendly methods of testing have become available ' such as oral fluid 'saliva' testing.
In recent years, there has been some success in treating HIV infection. Particular success has been experienced from the so-called triple therapy drug combination. These new medications along with better prophylactic antibiotics have resulted in a 75% decrease in AIDS mortality since 1995. Unfortunately, mortality ratios are still very high but some patients with HIV infection can survive more than 20 years. The risk of developing AIDS in HIV sufferers can also now be stratified by methods such as the viral load and CD4 cell count. As prognostic markers and therapeutic medicines continue to develop, it is conceivable that, in time, HIV will in certain circumstances be assessed by the insurance industry as a chronic but insurable condition.
