AIDS Foundation of Chicago Commends U.S. Senators' Call for Increased HIV Prevention Resources

CHICAGO—The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) applauds a letter written by ten U.S. senators, including Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, which calls on the federal government to invigorate domestic HIV prevention strategies. Writing to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson on April 7, the ten senators say that the government's efforts over the past three years have "failed to adequately and appropriately address the AIDS epidemic facing our nation."

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spearheaded the letter with Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mark Dayton (D-MN), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

In a strongly worded statement, the senators said the nation would be unlikely to meet the CDC's five-year goal of reducing annual HIV infections from an estimated 40,000 to 20,000 by 2005 given recent data showing HIV cases on the rise. "In the past three years, far too little has been done to carry out the widely-supported recommendations of the CDC's HIV Prevention Strategic Plan," the senators say. "The result of this failure is self evident: the HIV epidemic today is far worse than it was in 2001 when the strategic plan was put in force."

The senators cite a CDC report from November indicating a 5% rise in HIV diagnoses from 1999 to 2002. African Americans, they say, account for over 50% of all new HIV diagnoses, though they represent 12% of the U.S. population.

"For some segments of America's most disenfranchised and vulnerable populations, rates of HIV rival those of sub-Saharan Africa," the letter says. "Given these startling statistics, we fear that America is losing the war against HIV/AIDS."

According to the lawmakers, inadequate funding for HIV prevention services is largely to blame for the government's failure to make progress toward the CDC's goal. President George W. Bush, the senators note, has proposed no significant funding increases for CDC to fully implement its HIV prevention strategic plan since taking office.

"Under-funded, these programs are now unable to keep the ever-growing epidemic in check," the senators write. "When adequately funded, prevention and education are our best weapons against the HIV/AIDS epidemic."

The letter argues that failure to reduce new HIV infections will overwhelm public healthcare programs, including the Ryan White CARE Act and Medicaid, and cost the nation an estimated $18 billion in new care and treatment costs by 2010.

While praising components of the CDC's new initiative, Advancing HIV Prevention (AHP), the senators say the expanded focus on HIV testing and prevention with people already HIV-positive may hinder progress toward achieving the overall goals of the CDC's strategic plan.

The letter asks Secretary Thompson to provide Congress a report of the government's efforts to meet the goals of the 2001 strategic plan by 2005, the estimated cost needed to achieve the strategic plan's goals, ways the federal government will report on the plan when it reaches its target date next year, and plans to invigorate HIV prevention activities in the U.S.

The senators write: "We cannot afford to continue neglecting HIV prevention. Without a significant financial investment, our HIV prevention strategies will remain overwhelmed by the magnitude of this problem."

For information about CDC's HIV Prevention Strategic Plan Through 2005, go online to http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/hiv_plan/default.htm.

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Founded in 1985 to provide central leadership in the fight against the epidemic, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) promotes sound HIV/AIDS public policy, funds HIV/AIDS prevention and care projects, and through its Service Providers Council, helps to coordinate the delivery of essential HIV/AIDS services.

Letter to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson (PDF)