[By Li Shigong]

The real-name testing policy, however, could help relevant departments track down patients and take further preventive measures. When patients and their families, particularly their sexual partners, remain unaware of their health conditions, the situation becomes both dangerous and unfair. The protection of one's own privacy may thus put others' health or even life itself at risk. This is the worry underlying the real-name testing policy.

Guo Songmin (Legal Daily): For years, the protection of AIDS patient privacy has been overstressed in China. While such measures are well-intended, the objective result is that those close to patients, particularly their spouses or partners, face hidden danger. Strangely enough, however, HIV/AIDS patients are currently in a morally advantageous position, with some even threatening society in the name of victimization.

Excessive protection of AIDS patient privacy might lead to an even quicker and covert spread of the disease. In today's China, HIV/AIDS patients are diagnosed via an anonymous process. Thus, most undergo tests using false names and worse still, disappear soon after testing positive for HIV. This makes gathering accurate statistics on HIV/AIDS nearly impossible.

Since the first case of HIV/AIDS was discovered in China in 1985, the disease has spread across the country. With the AIDS-related death rate continuously on the rise, methods of transmission have also expanded, even though uninformed sex with HIV positive partners remains the prime suspect. The latter is directly linked to excessive protection of AIDS patient privacy.

There is still no effective medicine to fight HIV/AIDS, or any vaccine to prevent infection. The removal of public discrimination against HIV positive patients depends on wider awareness of this disease, and not on the covering of privacy. Guangxi has set a good example in HIV testing real-name registration. The rest of the country is expected to follow suit. Overly protecting the privacy of those who live with HIV/AIDS will do more harm than good to society.

Liu Wenwen (cnhubei.com): Today, there are still serious cases of discrimination against AIDS patients, and thus real-name registration during HIV testing may discourage potential HIV carriers from approaching testing institutions.

It's OK to push forward real-name registration, alongside developing a much needed system to protect private information, so that patients feel comfortable and willing to cooperate in medical treatment. In a caring and open society, HIV/AIDS patients will naturally support real-name registration during testing.

Meng Lin (gb.cri.cn): In Chinese society, discrimination against HIV carriers and AIDS patients remains severe. Further exposing private health details would increase pressure associated with daily life, employment and family. Legislation demanding real-name registration will only discourage people from undergoing HIV tests.

People worry that their lives would be ruined once their identities are revealed, particularly among the more well-educated, and those employed at big companies. Thus, I think it's not yet time to impose real-name testing requirements.

Huang Qichao (voc.com.cn): Those who support real-name registration for HIV testing argue that anonymous tests will make disease prevention and control difficult, as it's impossible to track down HIV positive patients without a record of their health status kept at official medical institutions. This argument sounds reasonable. However, although medical institutions promise that health workers will always do their utmost to protect patient privacy, there is no guarantee of 100-percent safety.

Even if health workers do manage to keep patient privacy perfectly safe, the issue of trust might still prevent people from undergoing real-name tests. This might result in a sharp decline in HIV testing, which is unfavorable to the prevention and control of the epidemic.

Removing discrimination against patients will play a crucial part in the effort to fight HIV/AIDS. However, there is still a long way to go before we reach this goal. Discrimination is a major reason why people reject real-name registration for HIV testing.

Huang Xue (voc.com.cn): At the end of 2011, 780,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in China, about half of which unknowingly. So why do so few people get tested? And why do some even give up treatment?

The answer relates to wide-spread discrimination within China against HIV/AIDS patients. With most of society hostile toward those suffering from the disease, what would real-name HIV testing achieve? A lot of HIV positive patients prefer to suffer in silence rather than face discrimination or abandonment by family and friends.

It's not enough to show concern for patients of the disease only on World AIDS Day. Existing or potential carriers need real care and more understanding in order to help build trust in society.

Yang Tao (Legal Daily): Statistics show that since July 2011, when Beijing's medical institutions began to ask ID cards from those who come for HIV testing, they have seen a sharp decline of visitors. As a result, more HIV/AIDS carriers will remain unknown and thus untreated, increasing the risk of infection.

The lack of real-name registration during HIV testing might prevent adequate protection for those who suffer in secret. According to the Criminal Law, deliberate transmission of HIV/AIDS is a crime. The important thing is that there are legal regulations that demand relevant authorities inform HIV positive patients of their legal responsibilities.