Drug addicts who are HIV-positive may not be able to travel to the United States for treatment, claims the Shadow Health and Social Services Minister.

Ms Renee Webb said last week she knew of at least one case in which an addict had applied to take drug treatment abroad and been denied after testing HIV-positive.

But Human Affairs Minister Jerome Dill said he was not aware of any such case.

"To our knowledge, no one who has been diagnosed as HIV-positive has applied for overseas treatment,'' Mr. Dill said. "Information of this nature is confidential between the client and the treatment centre. I'm wondering how the honourable member obtained that information.'' Ms Webb said she had recommended the HIV-positive client for treatment abroad.

But she did not receive an answer to the question: "Is there a policy in place that says they cannot be sent abroad?'' Shadow Human Affairs Minister Dr. Ewart Brown asked what Government did for addicts who wanted to go abroad for treatment, but could not.

Mr. Dill said the National Drug Commission was negotiating to secure a site for a "halfway house'' to be used both by addicts returning to Bermuda after overseas treatment and by "persons who, for whatever reason, can not go abroad but who need a `safe house' while undergoing local out-patient treatment''.

The NDC had determined that a halfway house had a higher priority than a residential treatment centre in Bermuda, Mr. Dill said.

"It is more cost-effective and there are more treatment options available overseas than can possibly be offered locally.'' However, "the Government has not ruled out the creation of a residential therapeutic treatment centre in due course'', he said.

So far, 18 people had been recommended for treatment abroad and 14 had gone abroad, Mr. Dill said. Seven addicts were currently abroad.

It was too early to give a recidivism rate, he said.

In response to Dr. Brown's question about addicts with criminal records, Mr.

Dill said they were allowed to enter the US for treatment, "but not as a matter of right.

"Persons who are permitted to enter must be escorted to and from the drug rehabilitation treatment centre.''