The world’s first HIV-positive sperm bank has been opened in order to “remove stigma” of the deadly disease. Sperm Positive, the New Zealand company, now has three HIV-positive donors who are making deposits into the bank so that women can sign up to be impregnated by them.
As reported in the Independent, all the HIV-positive sperm donors have an “undetectable viral load” after years of receiving HIV drugs. Although they have not technically been “cured,” it means that it is unlikely (but not impossible) to pass the virus on through their body fluids.
Women who would like to play Russian Roulette with their uterus and future babies can sign-up to get impregnated by the HIV-positive men, and hope and pray their babies aren’t infected with the virus.
The clinic doctor hopes that if enough women get pregnant by HIV-positive men but they and their babies are healthy, it will reduce the stigma of the disease.
Dr Mark Thomas, an infectious disease doctor and Auckland University associate professor, said, “I’m glad to say that in this time there have been great changes in public understanding of HIV, but many people living with HIV still suffer from stigma.”
He went on to explain, “Stigma can lead to inconsistent taking of medicines, and result in much less effective treatment of HIV, and risk of transmitting HIV. Fear of stigma and discrimination can stop people at risk from getting tested, and those living with HIV from accessing treatment and support.”
Therefore, the clinic will be placing babies and women at risk in order to make HIV-positive men feel more comfortable and confident in their ailments.
