Chip Implants for "Aggressive" HIV Patients?

Jonathan Blanks | July 24, 2007

Authorities in Indonesia's Papua region are contemplating a new tactic to decrease the spread of HIV—microchip implants:

Lawmakers in Indonesia's Papua are mulling the selective use of chip implants in HIV carriers to monitor their behaviour in a bid to keep them from infecting others, a doctor said Tuesday.

Apparently, among other symptoms, HIV causes sociopathic behavior. Who knew?:

"Some of the infected people experience a change of behaviour and can turn more aggressive and would not think twice of infecting others," [John Manangsang, a doctor who is helping to prepare a new healthcare regulation bill for Papua's provincial parliament] alleged, saying lawmakers were considering various sanctions for these people.

"Among one of the means being considered is the monitoring of those infected people who can pose a danger to others," Manangsang said.

While Manangsang says this is only for a small number of the infected, specifying that it applies only to those "who can pose a danger to others" effectively limits the proposal only to those who are still breathing.

I wrote about governments using implants to track people here. reason Senior Editor Kerry Howley on tracking sex offenders here.

Comments

|7.24.07 @ 1:31PM|#

If we can send a person to the moon, we can send someone with AIDS to the moon, and then someday we can send everybody with AIDS to the moon.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sarah_Silverman

|7.24.07 @ 1:47PM|#

Implantable chips don't track anyone. They can help verify an ID when someone is found such at the verichip, but they don't broadcast your location. You need a RF transmitting GPS device like the ankle braclets.

If someone knows of an implant that does, i'm very interested in the a web link.

Rhywun|7.24.07 @ 1:48PM|#

"Some of the infected people experience a change of behaviour and can turn more aggressive and would not think twice of infecting others," [John Manangsang, a doctor who is helping to prepare a new healthcare regulation bill for Papua's provincial parliament watches too many zombie movies] alleged

The Wine Commonsewer®|7.24.07 @ 2:08PM|#

In order for the chip to be effective it would have to work like a shock collar. And you know what I mean by that.

|7.24.07 @ 2:10PM|#

It started as rioting. But right from the beginning you knew this was different. Because it was happening in small villages, market towns. And then it wasn't on the TV any more. It was in the street outside. It was coming in through your windows. It was a virus. An infection. You didn't need a doctor to tell you that. It was the blood. It was something in the blood. By the time they tried to evacuate the cities it was already too late. Army blockades were overrun. And that's when the exodus started. Before the TV and radio stopped broadcasting there were reports of infection in Paris and New York. We didn't hear anything more after that.

|7.24.07 @ 2:32PM|#

Apparently, among other symptoms, HIV causes sociopathic behavior.

HIV may not "cause" sociopathic behavior, but it's not unreasonable to think that being told that you've got an incurable disease that will kill you slowly over the next few years might change one's outlook on life for the worse.

Anger is certainly one of the stages that people go through when dealing with tragedy.

lunchstealer|7.24.07 @ 2:45PM|#

God damn it. Dan T. just beat me to a post. In almost exactly the same language I was planning to use.

OK, so I'm through denial, am I supposed to be at anger or bargaining right now?

Russ 2000|7.24.07 @ 2:50PM|#

Anyone in favor of implants for aggressive trolls?

Timothy|7.24.07 @ 2:54PM|#

lunchstealer: Just breathe deeply, that's right, relax...inhale the ether, there there...there there...

|7.24.07 @ 2:56PM|#

Dan T. said: "HIV may not "cause" sociopathic behavior, but it's not unreasonable to think that being told that you've got an incurable disease that will kill you slowly over the next few years might change one's outlook on life for the worse.

Anger is certainly one of the stages that people go through when dealing with tragedy."

I was diagnosed a bit over two years ago with metastatic melanoma, and had a chunk of cancer the size of your fist taken out of my armpit. I was told that I had about a 40% chance of being alive five years later.

After a few incredibly miserable weeks trying to deal with this, I got to acceptance, because the alternative was to be miserable every day the rest of my life. I enjoy each day I get now, and am happier than I was before.

So, other than being completely wrong about me personally, nice post, Dan.

lunchstealer|7.24.07 @ 3:08PM|#

I think angry nihilism is probably a low-probability reaction, but with a disease as widespread as HIV, there will still be large numbers of people with that reaction.

Where, of course, I would differ from the Indonesian authorities is as to whether violating someone's civil rights is an acceptable response to a reaction that many people will never have. If someone shows that they are unwilling to take even basic steps to prevent the spread of their still incurable and still ultimately fatal disease, then maybe they need some closer supervision.

But what percentage of HIV transmissions are from people who are aware of their HIV status, and how many are from the untested?

|7.24.07 @ 3:20PM|#

Implanted chips? They're watching too much TV.

I thought one of the few benefits of living in a third world hellhole is the ability to amputate offending body parts?

|7.24.07 @ 3:24PM|#

"""but it's not unreasonable to think that being told that you've got an incurable disease that will kill you slowly over the next few years might change one's outlook on life for the worse."""

Dan you must be out of the loop. You can live with HIV. It's not a death sentence anymore.

lunchstealer|7.24.07 @ 3:28PM|#

TrickyVic - In the US that's true, but in Indonesia? In Indonesia, I'd be astonished if it weren't a death sentence for any but the well-off.

Dave W.|7.24.07 @ 4:35PM|#

Dan you must be out of the loop. You can live with HIV. It's not a death sentence anymore.

And it is not at all certain that the drugs are helpful. And the infection mechanism seems to be a lot different in Africa than Europe or North America.

|7.24.07 @ 8:59PM|#

Dan T., lunchstealer, and Dave W. are right. Since it is possible that a few people might get angry when they are diagnosed with an incurable disease, we should put a chip in them that would allow us to identify them.

Makes complete and utter fucking sense.

dhex|7.24.07 @ 9:05PM|#

the stealer of lunches is not endorsing such a method that i can see.

debbie|7.24.07 @ 10:18PM|#

A chip that does more than tracking is needed. One that can prevent or at least inhibit erection will be the only effective way to stop HIV and or sexually transmitted diseases.

Such a chip can be used for both tracking and control. It would also eliminate many teenage pregnancies. Once under control some males might find that there is much more to life than just self centered sexual pleasure while often spreading disease which can be fatal.

Simon Levy|7.24.07 @ 11:00PM|#

"The Wine Commonsewer" said that "for the chip to be effective it would have to work like a shock collar."

I would be happy to see a "shock collar chip". It would be a deterrent for those who commit rape, sexual assault, indecent exposure, and other sexual offenses.

It is about time that these offenders are held accountable. A chip implanted in the testicles or at the base of the shaft could interface with the scrotal nervous system to reduce testosterone and sperm production and induce impotency. That ends the problem.

lunchstealer|7.25.07 @ 10:47AM|#

Marcus - Reading is Fundamental.

To wit:

Where, of course, I would differ from the Indonesian authorities is as to whether violating someone's civil rights is an acceptable response to a reaction that many people will never have.

|7.25.07 @ 10:52AM|#

Apparently, among other symptoms, HIV causes sociopathic behavior.
Perhaps, since AIDS causes brain damage...or perhaps it's the other way 'round...

Antisocial personality disorder (ASP) is common in substance abusers and may be associated with increased severity of psychosocial problems and risk of HIV infection.


AIDS Inflicts Specific Pattern Of Brain Damage, Reveals UCLA/Pittsburgh Imaging Study ...The finding may shed light on why AIDS is often accompanied by mild vocabulary loss, judgment problems and difficulty planning.


Irritability, anger and violence are common in subjects with HIV infection and in subjects with paranoid, antisocial, borderline, histrionic and narcissistic personality disorders (DSM III R).