Researcher David Holtgrave calls flat funding
"public health malpractice"
ATLANTA, July 30, 2003-- Claude Allen, deputy secretary of Health and
Human Services, was met with silent protest when thousands of participants
at the 2003 National HIV Prevention Conference stood and held signs bearing
the words "STOP THE WAR ON HIV PREVENTION."
Allen, a widely known opponent of comprehensive HIV prevention, spoke
at the closing session of the conference, in the place of CDC director
Julie Gerberding. Once the press secretary to Sen. Jesse Helms, Allen
has been nominated to a federal judgeship. After the audience respectfully
listened to him, his remarks were met with widespread booing and hissing.
"Allowing Claude Allen -- a man with such hostile viewpoints on
the basic tenets of HIV prevention -- to close the conference speaks volumes
about the Bush administration's true agenda on these issues," said
Terje Anderson, executive director of the National Association of People
with AIDS.The audience reaction was the latest response to dramatic changes
announced by the CDC regarding its priorities for prevention approaches
and funding. "It's a shame that we have to go to such lengths to
get the attention of our government and for our perspective to be heard,"
said Gene Copello, executive director of Florida AIDS Action. "But
after three days of workshops extolling the importance of community involvement
in HIV prevention, the CDC still wasn't willing to include us in the most
important decisions made about HIV and our communities."
Ronald Johnson, GMHC's associate executive director, said, "When
70 percent of new HIV infections in the country are among people of color,
it's more important than ever to empower those most at risk to decide
what will work and how it will be implemented."David Ernesto Munar,
AIDS Foundation of Chicago's associate director, said, "It's vital
to continue to challenge inadequate levels of federal funding, censorship
of prevention research and the government's continued attacks on access
to condoms, needle exchange and other effective prevention strategies.
We just can't let Claude Allen have the last word.
"Before Allen's speech, David Holtgrave of Emory University's Rollins
School of Public Health, called the failure to fully fund prevention and
follow best prevention practice "public health malpractice."
Citing the CDC's own data in support of community-level intervention,
Holtgrave said, "We have values statements that are sometimes crowding
out science. We need to use the science that is available." He received
a standing ovation from the crowd."Now more than ever, we need courageous
people like David Holtgrave to come forward and speak the truth about
the cost to the nation and our lives if we don't fully fund HIV prevention,"
said Keith Cylar, co-president of Housing Works."The depth of anger
seen today makes it clear that people across the country are frustrated
and also ready to further mobilize," said Shana Krochmal, communications
director of the STOP AIDS Project. "Narrow political agendas are
still being allowed to trump science by the best and the brightest in
prevention."This latest response by participants was the culmination
of three days of community mobilization, including:
Ý A meeting held Tuesday night, when more than 250 people packed into
a room in the basement of the conference hotel, spilling out into the
hall and the exits, and speaking out about the impact of federal AIDS
policies on their communities.
Ý Thousands of participants cheered and government officials were shocked
when invited speakers at the opening session challenged changes in prevention
policies.
Ý Delegates from around the country wore colorful stickers and badges
during the week: "Condoms are not weapons of mass destruction,"
"Don't blame positive people," "Censorship is not research,"
"Real funding saves lives, flat funding kills."
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