More Than 1,000 Georgians on Waiting List for AIDS Drugs

Georgia now has the second-largest waiting list for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program behind Florida. As of Feb. 24, Georgia had 1,009 low-income HIV patients waiting to get into the program, according to the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors. Georgia has not increased the amount it contributes to ADAP since 2004, while demand for the program has grown significantly, said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality. "This is due to a bad economy, and people losing their private insurance, it's also due to public health efforts to reach people earlier, through testing and treatment programs," he said. Graham and other AIDS advocates are urging the state to increase ADAP funding by $5 million to help meet the program shortfall.

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