HC notice to NACO over HIV testing method

A notice has been issued to the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) and the state government by the Gujarat High Court while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking change in standard testing method for detection of HIV virus prior to blood transfusion. The division bench of acting chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala issued the notices on a PIL filed by one Babulal Thakkar who appeared in person before the court. Next hearing has been scheduled for August 9. In his PIL, the petitioner has sought directions for the NACO and state government to replace the present method for detecting HIV in India through the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test or the anti body with Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for testing of blood before transfusion.