 |
|
|
|
|
Editorial by Chris Labonte HRC Senior Policy Advocate
As we commemorate the first World AIDS Day of the 21st Century, it is
important to both celebrate our achievements over HIV and AIDS and work
vigorously to ensure there will be continued success in the future. With
success in treatments, we risk the danger of resting on our laurels.
Instead, we must rededicate ourselves to building upon these victories and creating a future without HIV and AIDS. People with the disease live longer and healthier lives yet the number of those who are newly infected in our country each year remains steady at 40,000. The new barrier to treatment and prevention is complacency. It comes from a variety of places and appears in many forms. New highly active antiretroviral therapies have contributed to the welcome steep decline in AIDS deaths in our nation. Media and advertising campaigns for these therapies signal that one can live and should live a robust and long life - you can go rock climbing, ski down the highest mountain, continue to do fulfilling work and live your life to the fullest.
By not recognizing the true costs of HIV infection, young gay and bisexual men are engaging in risky behavior, such as intentional unprotected anal and oral sex. A recent study suggests that the more optimistic men were about the new treatments, the less likely they were to use safe sex precautions or limit their number of sexual partners. Moreover, existing health disparities among communities of color make treatments particularly out of reach for them. For the first time, the number of gay men from communities of color--African Americans, Latinos, Asian Pacific Islanders, Native American and others--outnumber the number of white gay and bisexual men in new AIDS cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control, the federal agency primarily responsible for prevention of HIV/AIDS. Prevention is also particularly concerning with communities of color, where young gay and bisexual men of color are often confronted with both homophobia and racism. We must address this situation immediately and offer prevention strategies targeted to the unique needs of gay and bisexual men of color so they can also benefit from treatments available to others. We also cannot ignore strategies that we know have been successful in reducing HIV transmission in the past. Far too often, policy makers ignore proven science to score political points at the expense of peoples' lives. Needle exchange programs and abstinence are two of the most vivid examples. Successful risk reduction programs also save money on future treatment costs. The CDC has set forth an ambitious goal to reduce new HIV infections in our nation. In addition, the independent and science-based Institute of Medicine recently released a report, "No Time to Lose," that supported the use of cost effective methods of reducing HIV transmission, including needle exchange programs. A recent study from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that parents think schools should have more comprehensive sexual education curriculum and cover topics that are not generally covered, such as sexual orientation. Effective prevention methods deserve support-- both financial and political support--from Congress, the administration, the public health community, and other impacted communities. We must strive to continue to find even better treatments, further reduce the number HIV infections, provide additional assistance to nations around the globe and develop a vaccine within a reasonable time frame. These goals are attainable and deserve our focus. In a nation as wealthy and creative as ours, we should expect nothing less. |
