RELEASE OF NEW ESTIMATE SHOWS NEED FOR A NATIONAL AIDS STRATEGY
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The federal Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) long anticipated revised estimate of
annual new cases of HIV infections was revealed today in a paper published in
the Aug. 6, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association
(JAMA). The revised estimated number of new infections suggests that the HIV
epidemic here in the United States is more severe than current statistics
portray. The revised estimate of 56,300 new HIV infections in 2006 replaces
the current, widely reported estimate of 40,000 annual new infections, which
has been used for a number of years. The JAMA article does not make clear to
what degree the higher estimate is the result of an actual increase in new
annual infections or improved reporting technology. Regardless, the estimated
number of new HIV infections remains high, and is higher than what America has
been led to believe. After 27 years, the United States lacks a coherent
strategy for combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, reflected in this disturbing
increase in the estimate of HIV incidence.
"The revised CDC figure represents an unacceptable level of new HIV
infections for a preventable disease. The revised estimate underlines the
need for a National AIDS Strategy with measurable outcomes, reliance on
evidence-based programs, and sufficient funding," said Joseph Interrante, CEO,
Nashville CARES in Nashville, TN and Chair of AIDS Action Council's Board of
Directors. "Stopping the spread of HIV and treating all people living with
HIV must be a high priority for our leaders and the American public,"
Interrante added.
The higher estimate of annual new HIV infections does not mean that HIV
prevention does not work. What is failing is national leadership to fund and
support sound, scientifically effective HIV prevention programs. Federal
funding for domestic HIV prevention has not kept pace with the epidemic,
especially given the crisis of HIV/AIDS in communities of color, particularly
in African American and Hispanic communities and the high impact of HIV on gay
men and men who have sex with men. Adjusted for inflation, federal funding
for HIV prevention has decreased since 2001. Federal law blocks federal
funding for syringe exchange programs, which the scientific literature has
demonstrated clearly as an effective HIV prevention tool. Support for
comprehensive sex education that helps keep young people healthy is neglected
while the current administration supports pouring millions of dollars into
abstinence-only programs that have been proven to be ineffective. "This is
not just another set of statistics. There are people behind these numbers.
People are becoming infected with a disease that is preventable. We know how
to prevent HIV, but we have been fighting this epidemic with one hand tied
behind our back, reflecting a disturbing dismissal of HIV prevention as a
public health priority," said Ronald Johnson, Deputy Director, AIDS Action
Council. "The new, higher estimate is yet one more wake-up call to our
national leaders that they need to do more, starting with developing and
implementing a real national AIDS strategy," Johnson noted.
www.AIDSaction.org
Editor's note 1: Nationally recognized HIV/AIDS experts Ronald Johnson
(quoted in this release) and Rebecca Haag, Executive Director, AIDS Action,
are available for interviews. Ronald is in Mexico City (at the International
AIDS Conference), and Rebecca is stateside.
Contact: Diego Sanchez, AIDS Action, 617.835.1455 dsanchez@aac.org
SOURCE AIDS Action
Diego Sanchez of AIDS Action, +1-617-835-1455, dsanchez@aac.org
