Doctor: ARV drugs 'safe and reasonable' step for infant

A paediatrician has told the High Court that she believes the infant of a woman with HIV has the right to reduce its risk of contracting the virus.

The HSE wants an order allowing anti retro-viral drugs to be administered to the child once born, but the heavily pregnant mother has concerns that the treatment may harm her baby.

A paediatrician has told today’s emergency High Court sitting that administering anti retro-viral drugs to a new born infant is a very safe and reasonable thing to do.

She says the toxicity of the drugs that are used to reduce the risk to the baby of contracting HIV from its mother is very minimal.

The case has come to court because the pregnant woman, who is HIV positive, wants her safety concerns addressed before consenting to the treatment.

In the absence of her consent, the HSE wants an order allowing the ARV drugs to be used so that doctors can urgently proceed with a caesarian section - another step that will reduce the chances of the baby contracting the virus.