April 17, 2003

CDC’s Announcement Catches up to the Changing Epidemic of HIV
Unfortunately, the newly announced strategies do not advance HIV prevention

(Washington, DC) Although AIDS Action applauds much of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new initiative, Advancing HIV Prevention: New Strategies for a Changing Epidemic, we believe it will only be effective if it keeps the door open for continued implementation of prevention and treatment strategies and respects community-based choice in the identification of appropriate prevention and treatment options. If the federal government wishes to increase HIV/AIDS prevention programs and enable all Americans who test positive to get the treatment they need, the CDC must follow the successful community-level interventions which have helped to reduce transmissions rates by 50 percent in the last five years. Further, we hope the plan represents a new beginning for the CDC and their approach to HIV prevention rather than the same old end.

Since its beginnings in the early 1980’s, the epidemic has been in a constant state of evolution, impacting different communities at different times and in very different ways. To be effective, efforts to curb the epidemic’s impact must be sensitive to the varying needs of communities across the U.S. Cookie-cutter prevention and treatment programs won’t succeed, and the CDC’s new initiative is no exception. Although it is important for federally-supported programs to be grounded in science, they must also be grounded in the culture and beliefs of the communities in which they are implemented.

The CDC’s plan also promises to fund new demonstration projects that use OraQuick, a rapid HIV test, so that Americans can receive timely diagnoses and enter treatment early on. This is a very promising and long-awaited development, as is the agency’s commitment to making HIV testing as routinized as diabetes and blood pressure screenings. However, any measure that endeavors to identify everyone who is living with HIV must be followed in short succession by a comprehensive and culturally-sensitive plan to care for and treat these individuals. Unfortunately, at this point in time, no such plan is in place.

In the wake of the CDC’s announcement, AIDS Action calls on President Bush and his administration to carry forth their commitment to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by making HIV treatment services available, accessible, and affordable to all Americans who test positive for HIV and by empowering community-based organizations to determine which prevention and treatment options are most appropriate for the people they serve. In addition, we call on the CDC to open conversation with community leaders working in the field of HIV/AIDS to ensure that the new strategies it recommends are diverse enough to be used effectively in all communities.

AIDS Action Foundation strives to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by working for public policies that promote prevention against new infections, provide care for people already living with HIV/AIDS, and support the search for a cure. AIDS Action is the national voice of all people living with HIV, representing community based organizations across the country.