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May 2003 On Monday, May 12, 2003, the National Organizations Responding to AIDS (NORA) Coalition, of which AIDS Action serves as the convener, held its monthly meeting. The meeting opened with a brief presentation from Dr. Joe O'Neill, director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. Dr. O'Neill used this opportunity to brief NORA members about the administration's support of the recent passage of House Resolution (H.R.) 1298 (or the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003). Dr. O'Neill also expressed his hope that the community would support the passage of a Senate bill that is identical to H.R. 1298. Following Dr. O'Neill's comments, there was a presentation by Rob Camp, Antiviral Project director for the Treatment Action Group (TAG). Mr. Camp spoke with NORA members about the recent FDA approval of T-20, also known as Fuzeon. The HIV/AIDS community has raised concern about the drug's prohibitive cost (over $20,000 a year) and challenges, including adherence to the regimen and injection-site reactions, faced by patients who would have to administer the medication twice a day by injection. In addition, the community is worried about the fiscal impact that Fuzeon will have on state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP), whose budgets are already strapped. Mr. Camp encouraged NORA members to educate themselves, their organizations, and their networks about Fuzeon and its implications for people living with HIV and AIDS. For
more information on TAG, consult http://www.aidsinfonyc.org/tag/. |
