AIDS Report Card Delivers "F" for Prevention

Contact: media@aidsaction.org or call: 202-530-8030

Washington, DC -- AIDS Action issued a World AIDS Day report card today on the federal government's response to the AIDS epidemic with grades in four areas: an "A-" for research, a "B" for care and treatment, a "C" for the fight against global AIDS and an "F" for HIV prevention. The release of the report card was accompanied by a full-page ad in the Dec. 1 edition of USA Today.

At a time of increasing HIV infection rates and evidence of laxity around safer sex, official Washington has tragically short-changed domestic prevention efforts and has failed to launch new initiatives around HIV prevention and education. Young people now comprise half of the estimated 40,000 new U.S. HIV infections every year. Last year's "D" on prevention decreased to an "F" this year.

"We've spent more money teaching our kids about the fantasy world of Pokemon than about the real dangers of HIV," said AIDS Action Executive Director Daniel Zingale. "President Clinton and Congress need to untie the hands of public health forces trying to educate a new generation at risk for HIV."

With continued investments in AIDS research and maintenance of funding under the Ryan White CARE Act, this year's research and care and treatment grades are the same as last year's. Last year's failing grade on global AIDS was raised to a "C" after the Clinton Administration launched a global AIDS initiative that was the first step toward addressing an epidemic that threatens to bring down entire nations.

The 1999 Until It's Over Report Card was agreed to by a panel of AIDS experts and advocates including Mary Fisher, person living with HIV; Steve Gunderson, former member of Congress (R-WI); Julia Ormond, actor; Kate Shindle, Miss America 1998; Tavis Smiley, host, BET Tonight; Jeanne White, the mother of Ryan White and AIDS Action's Daniel Zingale.

Mary Fisher provided the only dissent on the panel, disagreeing with the research grade because of her concern about the government's failure to adequately address women's health. HIV disease is now the third leading cause of death among women age 25 to 44.

As part of its own efforts to reinvigorate prevention, AIDS Action is also unveiling several HIV testing public service announcements. Take the Test" was designed and produced by DDB Needham, one of the world's largest advertising agencies. The ads feature Rae Lewis Thornton, an HIV-positive educator, talking to groups of young people about the need to be tested for HIV.

AIDS Action also released the results of an online poll at gay.com where users provided their own grades of a "B" for research, a "C" for care and treatment, an "F" for global AIDS and an "F" for prevention.