National HIV Prevention Conference

Today, I had the opportunity to chat with some of the delegates at the National HIV Prevention Conference about their hopes for their time here. Be sure to click through to see the whole post with all 4 clips...

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(cross posted at RH Reality Check)

By Julie Davids and David Ernesto Munar

ATLANTA (Aug 23)-As members of the new Administration opentheir first federal scientific gathering on HIV/AIDS six-months into the Presidencyof Barack Obama, they face a mix of high expectations and serious challengesfacing HIV-fighting efforts in the U.S. AIDS advocates are poised to assess the course on HIV/AIDS charted by theAdministration and attempt to apply their influence.

More than 3,000 scientists, service providers, publicofficials and advocates have joined in downtown Atlanta for the NationalConference on HIV Prevention (NHPC)sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Withthe newly appointed heads of the Department of Health and Human Services,Kathleen Sebelius, and CDC Director Tom Frieden welcoming delegates tomorrow,the conference opened tonight with a panel of speakers who are all living withHIV, including Magic Johnson and a member of this reporting team, David ErnestoMunar of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (see his remarks here)

The conference marks just over a year since CDC officials,presented at the International Conference on AIDS in Mexico City,unveiled stark new data suggesting the annual number of HIV infections in theU.S. is 40 percent higher than previously estimated, with African Americansshouldering the greatest number of new cases and rates still on the rise amonggay and bisexual men of all races. Based on its new calculations, CDC says that an estimated 56,300 peoplebecome infected with HIV each year, far greater than the long-standing, priorestimate of 40,000 annual infections.  read more »

HIV prevention providers and advocates are prepared to usethe conference to highlight a range of economic and political issues hamperinganti-HIV efforts, calling for a greater focus on prevention work through effortsto strengthen the "pillars" of a comprehensive, combination approach groundedin healthcare access; integration and expansion of voluntary HIV testing,prevention and treatment; and long-overdue attention to social inequalitiesthat can further the spread of the epidemic. And they are seeking to determine, and influence, whatrelative priority HIV-fighting efforts will have for this Administration in themidst of many competing challenges.