"Against God's Will": Gay Man Sues NJ Hospital For Being Denied HIV Meds

New Jersey gay man Joao Simoes is suing his hospital after an on-staff doctor refused him his HIV medications. Dr. Susan Borga* allegedly later told his private physician what the patient had done to become infected was "against God's will."

When the hospital finally permitted Simoes to call his personal physician on the third day of his stay, he learned that the doctor had already spoken with Borga about Simoes' medication, according to the complaint. Borga allegedly responded: "You must be gay, too, if you're his doctor." "Additionally, apparently realizing that plaintiff's doctor had an accent, Dr. Borga exclaimed, 'What, do you need a translator?' to which plaintiff's doctor had again responded that Dr. Borga needed to give plaintiff his HIV medication," the complaint states. "Dr. Borga responded to plaintiff's doctor by stating, 'This is what he gets for going against God's will,' and hung up the phone on plaintiff's doctor."

The hospital also initially refused to allow the patient's sister to visit him. She was finally permitted to bring him his medications after he'd missed five doses. Missing doses of HIV medication can cause the patient to become resistant to the drugs.