CDC Visit to San Francisco Probes HIV Prevention Workshops

CDC investigators met San Francisco Department of Public Health officials on Tuesday to try to determine whether the Stop AIDS Project's HIV prevention workshops -- such as "A Walk on the Wildside" and "Guy Watch" -- are obscene. This is the second time in as many years that SAP's workshops have been questioned following complaints from a San Francisco AIDS activist and letters from a congressman. The investigators, who met with SAP staff on Monday, spent two hours with DPH officials Tuesday.

Last October, Health and Human Services Inspector Janet Rehnquist said SAP's "Booty Call" and "Great Sex" workshops could be viewed as "obscene" and as "encouraging, directly ... sexual activity." SAP receives $686,000 in federal funding, $461,000 of which comes through the DPH and the rest of which is a direct CDC grant.

Federally funded HIV prevention programs must comply with national obscenity guidelines and cannot promote sex or intravenous drug use. A community review panel must decide whether the messages are obscene for a particular area. The health department must ensure that the panel represents the community and that it thoroughly reviews federally funded materials and curriculum.

"I hope this puts this thing to bed," said James Loyce Jr., DPH director of health for AIDS programs. "We meet the CDC standards as far as I'm concerned."

New CDC Director Julie Gerberding, a former doctor at the University of California-San Francisco, ordered the visit after receiving a letter from Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.), questioning the workshops' funding. San Francisco AIDS activist Michael Petrelis, who is awaiting trial on felony charges of harassment, stalking and criminally threatening AIDS researchers, public health officials and journalists, notified Souder last year about the workshops.

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