Nelson Vergel, a former chemical engineer from Venezuela, has been HIV positive since 1983. Over the years, he has become a leading treatment advocate on HIV disease in the United States. In 1994, while trying to reverse his own wasting, he created what is now known as the "Program for Wellness Restoration (PoWeR)," a national non-profit organization that disseminates information for people living with HIV about a comprehensive survival program for maximum health and productivity.

Nelson has lectured extensively around the country and overseas, providing over 300 seminars in English and Spanish and speaking at over 18 conferences. For four years he was a community member of the Metabolics Study Group at the AIDS Clinical Trials Group. Along with his research partner, Michael Mooney, Nelson is the co-author of the book "Built to Survive," which summarizes available knowledge about the use of clinical nutrition, supplementation, exercise and anabolic hormones in HIV disease. In June of 1998, Nelson founded the Body Positive Wellness Center in Houston, which has helped more than 800 patients with HIV live a healthier life. Nelson is currently active in the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition and helps thousands of people through his Internet Web sites and listservers (www.powerusa.org). He also serves as a member of several pharmaceutical companies’ community advisory boards.

Nelson is an unpaid consultant for TheBody.com; his involvement is strictly voluntary and without compensation of any kind.

Disclosures

Nelson Vergel reports that he has no significant relationships to disclose.