By a measure signed into law by Acting Governor Richard Codey, pregnant women will be routinely tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It also requires testing of newborns whose mothers with positive or unknown HIV status. Although women will be allowed to opt out of the testing, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and some feminist groups contend that the law deprives women of the right to make their own medical decisions.Arkansas, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas require clinicians to test mothers for HIV, unless she asks not to be tested, while Connecticut, Illinois, and New York test all newborns, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Although compressions-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was unveiled in 2003, after a decade of research, the American Heart Association still stops short of recommending it.

Two new studies, of 10,000 Swedish and 5,000 Japanese patients, who suffered a witnessed, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, show comparable rates of survival after compressions-only or compressions with mouth-to-mouth breathing.

Previous studies have shown better survival rates with compressions only. Additionally, cardiac researcher Gordon Ewy, M.D., notes that mouth-to-mouth breathing interrupts blood flow to the brain. Thus, compressions-only CPR minimizes brain damage.

“Millions of dollars and millions of hours” have been spent to teach traditional CPR worldwide, Ewy points out, although it works no better than chest compression only, at this point rarely taught and usually done by people with no training (Carla McClain, Ariz Daily Star 12/21/07).

“It is now time to change the guidelines,” he said (Circulation 2007;116:2894-2856).

Additional information:

• “Compression-only CPR Triples Survival Rates,” AAPS News of the Day 11/18/06.