Internet Publicity Notice: Join An "Atlantic Unbound" Internet Debate Over Aids And Public Health

The Atlantic Monthly will be holding a public debate-- based on The Atlantic's June cover story, "The AIDS Exception: Privacy vs. Public Health" by journalist Chandler Burr-- on whether we should apply traditional public health measures-- routine testing, named reporting, partner notification-- to AIDS/HIV. Readers are encouraged to participate; selected responses will be posted. Burr argues that it's time to stop granting "civil rights" to the HIV virus and to confront AIDS with the traditional tools of public health.

TO JOIN IN: Go to http://www.TheAtlantic.com, the Web site of The Atlantic Monthly, click on Current Features in Atlantic Unbound, then select Politics.

Burr will join three others who offer varied approaches to the AIDS epidemic -- Rep. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, sponsor of "The HIV Prevention Act of 1997," Dr. Joel Gallant of John Hopkins University, and Winnie Stachelberg of the Human Rights Campaign. The host is Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic Monthly's managing editor. Debate begins on June 3.

From the magazine: "We don't routinely test people for AIDS or HIV when they're admitted to hospitals or when they’re pregnant. We don't routinely insist that the sex or needle-sharing partners or infected people be sought out and notified. If there were once persuasive reasons for not doing these things, the author writes, but there aren't any longer -- not if we are serious about bringing this epidemic to an end."

For more information, contact:

AIDS Action Council
1875 Connecticut Avenue NW #700
Washington DC 20009
202-986-1300, extension 3053
202-986-1345 (fax)
202-332-9614 (tty)
E-Mail: aidsaction@aidsaction.org