Mr. President, What Will Be Done About the AIDS Issue?

A lot change took place as Barack Obama took the oath of office and became the 44th president of the United States. A lot of those changes have gotten a lot of press, but many wonder what effect this change of leadership will have on U.S. AIDS policy. While President Bush has been very generous in international support of AIDS education and treatment, it seems likely AIDS policy will have a stronger focus here at home under a President Obama.

Bush leaves a legacy praised at times by even his harshest critics of providing massive amounts of funding to African and other undeveloped nations to enable even the poorest of the poor to have access to live-saving anti retroviral drugs. Dubbed the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Look, when even Sen. John Kerry praises Bush’s efforts in this regard, you know he’s done something right.

PEPFAR has enabled about 1.4 million AIDS patients to receive medications they previously would have had no access to. The only truly controversial aspect of the program has been the requirement that a third of the funding ($19 billion so far) be used for abstinence-only education. That’s what the program calls the ABC (Abstain, Be faithful and correct and consistent use of Condoms) approach. But the program also focuses on mother-to-child transmission, the safety of the blood supply, safe medical injections, male circumcision, IV drug use and other issues.

That’s not to say Obama won’t continue the good work internationally.

Obama says he would reauthorize PEPFAR, though he wants rewrite “significant portions” to take ideology out of the equation - obliquely referring to ABC (you can download a PDF of Obama’s stance on the issue here). He also wants to increase the U.S. contribution to The Global Fund. He traveled to Kenya with his wife, Michelle, in 2006 and took an AIDS test to encourage African men and women to be tested for the disease.

But Obama has laid out an ambitious policy program for fighting HIV/AIDS here at home, outlining these major points:
• Develop and begin implementation of a national HIV/AIDS strategy across all federal agencies, within the first year of his presidency.
• Fix the nation’s healthcare system so the 47 million or so uninsured get proper access to affordable healthcare, within his first term.
• Hone in on the disproportionate effect AIDS has on minority communities, in part by tackling poverty and homelessness.
• Promoting “innovative HIV/AIDS testing initiatives in minority communities,” including partnerships with a variety of organizations, from “churches to community organizations.”
• Increase funding for research, particularly in the search for a vaccine.
• Promote prevention.
• Expand HIV testing options for pregnant women.

Among the U.S. programs Obama wants to support and fund are:
• The Ryan White Care Act, which helps more than half a million low-income people with HIV/AIDS get access to treatment and support.
• The JUSTICE Act, which works to prevent HIV transmission in the prison population.
• Legislation to lift the ban on federal funding for needle exchange.
• Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) and other related housing programs, to ensure disabled and low-income people with HIV/AIDS have access to “adequate and safe housing.”

While the worldwide community that fights HIV/AIDS has a lot to thank President Bush for, there is cause to be encouraged by incoming President Obama.

Rapid HIV Testing: Now Available 24/7 In Privacy Of One’s Home

The Know Now Organization announces revolutionary 24-hour service to general public

(Houston, Texas) - In the spirit of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2006, The Know Now Organization (TKNO) is pleased to announce the launch of its innovative rapid HIV testing service. It is a physician-based organization that provides rapid HIV testing (20 minute results) 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, in the comfort, privacy, and convenience of one’s own home or chosen location. The metropolitan areas are rapidly expanding and currently include: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Washington D.C. Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Oakland/San-Francisco will be added very soon. On National HIV Testing Day, TKNO will give a number of free tests in each participating city. Radio stations will have the opportunity to award their audiences with free tests throughout the day (a $100 value).

People utilizing the service call TKNO directly to get tested at 1-877-411-TKNO (8566). Within a few hours, the TKNO staff will be there to perform the only FDA approved, oral HIV antibody test. Each test is done confidentially and offered anonymously in most states. Pre and post-test counseling along with local resources will be provided. The KNOW CARDtm is a unique tool that will be given to each client documenting their results. “It will help empower people to demonstrate the commitment they have to know their status as well as put them in a position to demand the same level of responsibility from any partner or potential partner,” said Dr. Frederick Brown, company CEO.

“We are excited to bring this much needed service to the public to help prevent the transmission of the HIV virus,” stated Dr Brown. “For a variety of reasons, a lot of people just don’t get tested as frequently as they should. Some are concerned about privacy issues in our public health clinics or physician offices, while others would simply want to be tested and educated in the comfort of their own home. We have also found that often times getting to the doctor or clinic is not feasible when the need to know the status of themselves or perhaps even their partner arises, such as evenings, weekends, or even if they are out of town. Convenience is therefore a big part of what we have to offer with our service. TKNO will help break down some of the barriers to people getting tested.”

The Know Now Organization was incepted in early 2005, and has been preparing to launch its services since January 2006. Currently, there are approximately one million Americans infected with HIV, and approximately 250,000 (>25%) of those positive individuals are not aware of their status. It is the mission of TKNO to decrease the number of people who are not aware of their status and ultimately help reduce the spread of HIV.

For More information, visit www.tkno.org

###