The changing definition of AIDS. What's in a name?

Earlier this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control proposed altering its definition of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) to include those with 200 or fewer CD4 cells. That proposal, scheduled to take effect April 1, 1992, would dramatically increase the number of Americans officially considered as having AIDS. The previous definition relied on a list of specific opportunistic infections, tumors, or itemized manifestations of HIV disease. While eventually the definition of AIDS should be replaced with a definition of HIV disease--which would include all those who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus--the CDC proposal would be a useful stopgap measure. It would provide access to needed treatments such as AZT to thousands of men and women who now are excluded from reimbursement systems including private health insurance and Medicaid.