December 9, 2006

AIDS ACTION CALLS ON PRESIDENT TO SIGN RYAN WHITE TREATMENT MODERNIZATION ACT

Vows to work with 110th Congress to increase funding for CARE Act

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2006 The Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act passed Congress early this morning with bipartisan, bicameral support. AIDS Action Council calls on President Bush to sign the Act immediately to ensure continuity of care for over 500,000 people in the U.S. who count on this program for life-saving care and treatment, and to expand access to thousands who are not currently being served. President Bush is expected to sign the Act, which he endorsed most recently just last week in his World AIDS Day address.

The Ryan White Care Act expired in September of 2005. Advocates and legislators have been working for over two years to reauthorize the act. According to Haag, “there were many disagreements and compromises along the way, all of which strengthened the bill. Now we must all come together and work with the 110th Congress when it reconvenes in January to increase CARE Act funding to ensure all of those living with HIV/AIDS in this country have access to care and treatment. Passage of this bill is a good first step, but with 40,000 new infections in this country every year, we must increase funding if we want to have any hope of putting an end to this epidemic.”

There are an estimated 250,000 people in the U.S. who are infected with the HIV virus but are unaware of their status and not in medical care. The CDC has recently recommended routine testing in order to increase identification of those who are infected.

Many people living with HIV in this country are still not in care and treatment. There have been wait lists for access to life saving drugs in several states, and over 250,000 are estimated to be infected but do not know their status. Haag said, “We urge President Bush not only to sign this Act, but to join us in asking Congress for additional funding. Everyone in this country should have access to life saving drugs. People’s lives are at stake. Let’s all work together toward the common goal of caring for our neighbors, friends and colleagues and ending this epidemic in our country.”

AIDS Action strives to end the HIV epidemic by advancing public policies that prevent new infections, provide care for people living with HIV, and support the search for a cure. AIDS Action serves as the national voice for AIDS service organizations, health departments, and a diverse network of community-based organizations across the country that provide services for people living with or affected by HIV infection.