NATION’S COMMUNITY LEADERS VOICE A RESOUNDING ‘NO’ TO DR. HOLSINGER, PRESIDENT BUSH’S SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2007 -- More than 75 organizations representing 24 states and the District of Columbia, and 42 cities registered their unwavering opposition to President Bush’s nominating Dr. James Holsinger, Jr. as the Surgeon General of the United States.  The HIV/AIDS, LGBT, women's rights, and human rights policy, advocacy and service organizations, affirmed their rejection in a letter addressed to Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chair and Ranking Member respectively of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.  The letter was delivered to all members of the HELP committee.  The committee has scheduled Dr. Holsinger’s confirmation hearing for tomorrow, Thursday, July 12.

The core objections to Dr. Holsinger’s nomination are his documented prejudices that demonstrate failure to embrace basic science-based public health principles and the concern that Dr. Holsinger’s personal biases are likely to perpetuate stigma associated with homosexuality, hindering efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S.  An estimated 250,000 people living with HIV/AIDS do not know that they are HIV positive, and stigma is a known factor that prevents people from getting tested, learning their status and entering into care.

“Dr. Holsinger has had an extensive medical career; however, he also has a long documented history of prejudice towards lesbians and gay men. HIV/AIDS continues to be one of the most devastating public health crises facing our nation, heavily impacting the gay community. HIV/AIDS is a disease made all the more insidious because of the high levels of stigma surrounding homosexuality,” the letter states.  “Dr. Holsinger’s personal biases, which he has expressed publicly, are likely to perpetuate stigma associated with homosexuality, hindering efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States.  It is doubtful that Dr. Holsinger will be able to advance objective public health policies for the LGBT community if he believes that homosexuality should be discouraged and altered,” the letter adds.

The letter goes on to outline Dr. Holsinger’s documented failure to adhere to accepted science-based public health tenants.  The letter also points out that former U.S. Surgeons General have been at the forefront of leadership against HIV, citing both Surgeon General C. Everett Koop and Surgeon General David Satcher for making decisions in the face of strong political opposition yet faithfully adhering to the current science. 

“Tuesday’s testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by previous Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona, shows that our concerns about science taking a back seat to ideology in this administration are far from baseless,” said Rebecca Haag, Executive Director, AIDS Action Council, the member-based national HIV/AIDS organization that spearheaded the letter.  “A Surgeon General nominee who would be all too willing to let personal bias, ideology and religious views slant his professional and legal obligations to safeguard the health of all Americans should not be confirmed.”