i was incarcerated for a time, after I had been in a study with the NIH for years. I had stopped my HIV medication because I became involved in drugs and drug addiction. While I eventually was arrested and made my way through county, and finally sentenced to time in prison, i was never on my previous medication. Eventually, at the State level they confirmed I was HIV positive, and my numbers were so low, below 200, that I was classified at having AIDS. I asked them only to give me bacterim

Sounds like there's a pretty harsh penal system in the US...It always makes headline news here in the UK, when the various States carry out the gruesome death penalty to possibly innocent prisoners..But anyone having their medications witheld is a shocking situation.

I had to answer this, because I had this to happen to me here in Va. I was refused my meds, because it was stated they had not been approved by the medic. Then they said that they lost my meds. The truth of the matter was, this was the jail where I was housed, way of getting back at me, because I had filed a grievance with the Virginia Department of Corrections. Also I had family and co-workers on the outside who advocated for me as well.

Yes... I got arrested (effectively solely for being HIV+) when I was 23. I was released from jail when I was 27. In that time, I can't count the number of times I either didn't get my meds, didn't get all my meds, or didn't get the right meds. Even in Canada, HIV care in jails is nothing short of a joke. It's sad, really.

It is time to address such..let the world know..