NGLTF today lauded the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS for Monday's strong rebuke of President Clinton and Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala for their "almost complete silence and continued inaction" on needle exchange policy.

"The politics of fear and timidity prevail, and as a result so does HIV," said Lobel. "Lives are being lost because of this inaction," added Lobel. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately half of all new HIV infections each year are from contaminated needles, which translates into approximately 33 people every day contracting HIV from dirty needles.

The preponderance of research on needle exchange indicates that such programs reduce the rate of HIV infection. The American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health are among the many organizations supporting needle exchange programs. And, as stated by the president's Advisory Council, there is "no credible evidence that needle-exchange programs lead to increased drug abuse."

The Task Force is urging citizens around the country to contact both the president and Secretary Shalala and urge them to forcefully support and advocate for federal funding of local and state needle exchange programs. Contact information:

President William J. Clinton
Executive Office of the President
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
202/456-1111
president@whitehouse.gov

Secretary Donna Shalala
Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Ave SW; WDC 20201
Washington, DC 20201
202/690-7000
assistant: jgaither@os.dhhs.gov