Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1985. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Miami Herald - Friday, June 21, 1985
Christine Evans, Herald Staff Writer
The City Commission passed the measure Wednesday. City attorneys approved it Thursday.
The matter landed on Assistant City Attorney Leslie Langbein's desk Wednesday after members of Miami's homosexual community told Hollywood Personnel Director Herbert Chernov that tests planned by the city violated a state bill signed into law May 30.
"My opinion is that, after reading the state law, there's nothing in it that precludes us from doing what we want on this," Langbein said.
Hollywood apparently is the first city in the nation to decide to use the ELISA test -- an inexpensive exam that indicates whether a patient has been exposed to the virus doctors believe causes AIDS.
"I think it's absolutely criminal, and they'll probably find themselves in the middle of a lawsuit," said Dr. Peter W.A. Mansell, an oncologist who monitored the tests for accuracy and usefulness at the University of Texas.
"The test is unreliable. It is not a test for AIDS. Anybody with an ounce of common sense can tell that."
AIDS -- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome -- destroys the body's immune system.
Statistics show that more than 1 million Americans have tested positively for HTLV-III antibodies, indicating that they have been exposed to the AIDS virus.
But of those, only 10 percent will get the disease, Mansell said.
Commissioners -- unaware that the AIDS test was part of pre-employment screening when they voted Wednesday -- preferred Thursday to defer to administrators. The test is part of a package of hearing, vision and blood tests.
"I don't know much about AIDS, and I don't know much about the test," Commissioner Cathleen Anderson said. "I saw the headlines, but I haven't had time to think about it."
"Frankly," said Commissioner John Williams, "the whole thing doesn't bother me a bit. I don't know much about the test, but I think there should be one."
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Copyright © 1985 - Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Miami Herald, Permissions, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 TEL: (305) 376-3719. http://www.herald.com.
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