A GAY organisation has complained to the Medical Council about the views of a doctor who implied homosexuals are still irresponsible about spreading HIV.
GayPoz Ireland, an organisation which lobbies on HIV and AIDS-related health issues, complained about a comment published in the Irish Medical News by one of its columnists.
In his article, Dr John Fleetwood jnr said that for a gay man to be shocked at discovering he has HIV "is like saying you are shocked when you knowingly pull the trigger of a loaded gun and blow your brains out".
GayPoz Ireland (GPI) has also urged drug companies with products for HIV/AIDS to stop advertising in the Irish Medical News.
In a letter to a number of publications, Dr John Williams, of GayPoz, said the organisation had lodged a complaint with the Medical Council about Dr Fleetwood's article.
"GPI has also lobbied pharmaceutical companies involved in the production of HIV/AIDS drugs to withdraw their advertising support from the Irish Medical News," he added. "These companies support GPI's newsletter and therefore could not be seen to support those views expressed by Dr Fleetwood and, by extension, the Irish Medical News.
The Irish Medical News's editor, Mr Niall Hunter, said advertising had not fallen off. All columnists writing for the paper had to be allowed reasonably free range to express views within the constraints of the laws of libel, Mr Hunter added. "It would seem the GayPoz people don't want him to have freedom of speech."
Mr Hunter said he was puzzled by GayPoz's reaction as the organisation had not sought a right of reply and had not contacted the Irish Medical News.
Dr Williams (whose doctorate is in science) told The Irish Times that articles such as Dr Fleetwood's discouraged people from being tested and going for treatment.
Asked if GayPoz was denying Dr Fleetwood the right to express his views, Dr Williams replied that "his views are wrong". Dr Fleetwood had said gay behaviour was the main cause of HIV/AIDS but World Health Organisation figures showed the main spread of AIDS was among heterosexuals.
Referring to Dr Fleetwood's prediction in the article that he could not express his views "without getting a slap on the wrist from the PC police", Dr Williams said this seemed to mean that Dr Fleetwood could criticise gays all he liked but they could not criticise him back.