POZ Community Forums
Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: redbull on July 31, 2009, 03:31:44 am
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I am not sure where to post this but here it goes...
Here is a link to a chart of the states that do or do not require a blood test before marriage. I AM SHOCKED!!! I cannot believe in this day in time after AIDS and all the stds that are out there that every single last state does not require a blood test before marriage....this is absolutely ridiculous!!! WTF?
The only states that require a blood test before marriage are....CT, DC, GA, Indiana, Mass, Miss, Montana, OK. I just cant believe they are the only ones...what do you think?
http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/blood_test_requirements/index.shtml (http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/blood_test_requirements/index.shtml)
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Wow, that is surprising. It says "many states have recently eliminated blood tests". It does seem stupid. I got married in NYC in 1984 and we both had to have a syphilis blood test - but NY is one of the states that no longer has this requirement. It would seem to make sense to test for hiv nowdays.
Ann
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I think the government knows more than their letting on... it makes one wonder how many people are truly infected with a blood disease... or sexually infectious disease that can be detected by the blood... its a thought?
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Can you help me understand your post? or your surprise that states do not require pre-marriage testing?
I'm not sure I see the purpose of forcing couples to test before getting married? Maybe it could be on a list of "suggested" tests for couples considering marriage, but I'm not sure "state-forced testing" is the way to go? If you test positive - would they prohibit you from getting married? Or does it just make your positive status a matter of public record on your marriage license? So much for privacy?
Maybe I'm reading too much into it? Or maybe I'm missing the point entirely? But, from the way I understand it now, I'd rather have medical privacy.
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I think states are no longer requiring them because, from a public health standpoint they aren't very useful. The requirement is antiquated because many (most??) couples getting married today have already had sex, so if they had an STD they now probably both have it.
Additionally, these screening tests where limited to syphilis in most states -- and they didn't pick up enough positives to warrant this expense. -- at least this was true when I work in a lab in the state of RI, when it was a required pre-marital test.
Why single out folks getting married for STD screening anyway -- seems somewhat arbitrary to me. Screen all sexually active adults during routine physicals.
Mike
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Actually I am shocked that there are any states that do require such a test.
Years ago, when I first heard that you had to get a blood test before you could get married in the US I thought that it must be a joke - I mean what civilized country would do something like that - and what business is it of the state anyway? I mean, what happens if one or both of the parties do test positive for something - do they not get the marriage license or what? While you might want to encourage couples to get tested and to share the results with each other who else gets to see the results?
Sorry, this is just one of those bizarre US things that I thought had died out by now but obviously it hasn't ...
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Connecticut DOES NOT require a blood test !
Has NOT for years !
Bob and I got married on July 11th and asked if it was just for GAY marriage and the nice
woman said they have not used it is years !
be good , Carl
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I agree with sdguy and md. I don't think people should be required to give blood tests before marriage. Somehow, it just seems that goes against's someone's right to privacy.
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In iOwa none is needed. And we have same sex marriage now (yeah).
I guess I dont get the point anyway. Or how marriage has anything to do with it.
Its not like many are virgins in white on wedding day.
But people, all people, should be tested.
I think any doctor visit for any reason, a cold, a cut, a sore back, anything, they should test
automatically every few years (at least). Old, young, babies thru seniors.
How could it hurt? Knoweldge is power... ;)
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As for Washington State, the law requires that a couple applying for a marriage license swear a jurat that they either have no STDs or, if they do, the condition is already know to the co-applicant. Falsely swearing is felony perjury. This has been the law since the early 1980s, if memory serves. There are occasional rumblings from the Legislature to change back to mandatory testing, but this policy seems to be working well enough.