| I've been thinking its way past the time I should be | | | | vaccine for HIV. Two failed attempts have been |
| taking out some health insurance! I have been lucky | | | | combined to produce a treatment that reduces the |
| so far that neither I nor my children have been | | | | risk of infection by up to a third. This is still a long |
| seriously ill but how lucky can one family be? Now in | | | | way from having a vaccine that can be released |
| my Forties I feel it's time I took a serious look at | | | | worldwide but is the most significant breakthrough in |
| health issues and start to prepare for the future. | | | | twenty five years. |
| Looking around at some of the policies it seems you | | | | This disease still infects 7,500 people every day and |
| really do need to read the small print! | | | | kills two million every year and has been one of the |
| Looking at just one health insurance provider it quite | | | | most prolific infections to outwit scientists in their bid |
| clearly states that cover is not provided for chronic | | | | to eradicate it. This development opens the gateway |
| illnesses and very limited physiotherapy and often | | | | to a better understanding of how to tackle it. |
| little or no alternative therapies. Ok, so the alternative | | | | That said, looking at the trials I struggle to see how |
| therapies you can understand, particularly if they are | | | | it is conclusive. In the study, 16,000 heterosexual |
| not proven to work. But surely a chronic illness that | | | | men and women, free from the virus, were given |
| just goes on and on is where you might well need | | | | either the drug or a placebo. They were then tested |
| some assistance, given NHS waiting lists? | | | | every six months for three years and fifty one of |
| Anyway, as I said, it pays to read the small print. Not | | | | the vaccinated group contracted HIV compared with |
| all health insurance providers are the same, each | | | | 74 of the placebo group. Maybe it's possible that the |
| provider will have different packages that you can | | | | vaccinated group just took less chances with their |
| purchase that cover different aspects of health care. | | | | lives, were less promiscuous or were simply less likely |
| One thing I did notice, not that it applies to me but I | | | | to catch it due to their lifestyles? |
| thought it interesting, is that health insurance does | | | | Still, this is a start and instead of fumbling around in |
| not cover treatment for HIV/AIDS. | | | | the dark for a solution at least they have a starting |
| Just as well then, that it looks as though scientists | | | | point. |
| have made a breakthrough in getting closer to a | | | | |