Drugs and HIV check dutch airlines

[DAPSTER]

Yesterday I've spoken to a medical officer who's doing examination for KLM. This person told me that the KLM kandidates checks on drugs and HIV leads. This without the kandidates permission. I've to admit that I comprehend this mode of operation because of insurance policy, but in my opinion they do need a permission (legaly).

[QDMQDMQDM]

but in my opinion they do need a permission (legaly).

Depends what you signed when you went for the medical. In the UK, performing any kind of test or procedure without the patient's express permission is an assault.

In any case, it is extremely bad practice to test for something like HIV without the person's knowledge, even if they have signed an all-encompassing waiver.

If this really is happening, I am amazed.

David

[homesick rae]

A friend of mine has been flying for years for several different airlines. He found out he was HIV positive just under 2 years ago. Consequently he had to turn down offers from 2 different Gulf airlines. He joined a UK company and flew with them until fairly recently, when he decided he wanted to leave and join something slightly more lucrative. He was tested without his knowledge, he was given a blood test for other things, and was not offered the job.

He has told me last year that UK companies were legally bound not to test for HIV. This guy just wants to fly and is perfectly healthy otherwiese.

What IS the law regarding this in the UK?

[QDMQDMQDM]

This is really hard to comment on without knowing the specifics. Certainly, in the UK it would be regarded as an assault to perform an HIV test without permission.

With regard to your friend, there are certain abnormalities which could show up on a blood test in someone with HIV infection, which are however not tests for the HIV virus itself: e.g. a low platelet count, abnormal liver function tests due to anti-retroviral drugs etc. These are non-specific, but require further investigation and so could alert someone to the fact that something isn't quite right here.

I would be happy having someone with HIV and a normal CD4 (t-helper cell) count flying my aircraft, even if they were on anti-retroviral drugs, as long as they were stable on them. I would be deeply unhappy having someone with HIV and a low CD4 count flying my aircraft, but I guess that would be picked up on the medical.

I am presuming, in all this, that it is possible to get a Class 1 if you are HIV positive?

David

[Otterman]

I fly for KLM. This subject is only interesting in that the candidate isn't told about this before his medical, this is wrong, wasn't the case with me though. So I am not sure what went wrong here. Because of the T & C's at KLM they expose themselves to a big liability if they hire someone who within a relatively short period of time looses his/her medical. Our T & C's provide a loss of medical benefit that is hard to beat. Basically works out to 70% of your last pay-check for life. I think this justifies the company being very careful in hiring people whom have easily diagnosable pre-conditions. Can’t imagine other companies not doing the same thing. From my information the company does not tell you if you are positive unless you seek this information. So in that way your privacy is guarded, you just won’t get hired. There are a lot of reasons that the candidate can be given for not being invited before the final selection committee; none of those will reveal private information. When I went through the process all the different departments which are involved in your screening basically give a thumbs up or down based on a number. If your numbers don’t add up you don’t get called before the final board. I did sign a blanket release for the medical and psychological exams. By the way, I had to go through an hiv test when I got my mortgage, same thing applies in my opinion.
With KLM this entry test was the only aids test that was done. So it is not an annual or bi-annual event.

[apioca]

Just for the record: There is no such thing as an AIDS-test. You can go for a HIV-test, which check for HIV antibodies.

AIDS is a syndrome, a definition you get when several criteria are met (varies from country to country!) one of which is HIV-positivity!