http://blog.aids.gov/2011/11/cdc-echpp-plans-released.html HIV Policy & Programs. Research. New Media. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:58:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blog.aids.gov/2011/11/cdc-echpp-plans-released.html#comment-72705 Joe Beckmann Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:17:57 +0000 http://blog.aids.gov/?p=4556#comment-72705 Continuing to use summative numbers, now nearly five years old, underscores the readiness of NIH and the CDC to continue the epidemic well beyond its normal cycle. An HIV policy which blindly ignores the rapid decline in gross counts of recently reported cases in key cities like Boston, New York, San Francisco and Vancouver seems to intentionally promote ignorance rather than build on strength. In cities like Boston – the only one with 97% insured and the only one where an HIV+ test is not a prelude to losing insurance! – the number of truly new infections (as opposed to new reports of infections of many years ago) is down even more. Even the state recognizes that 32% of the “new” cases in 2008-10 were “dual diagnosed,” HIV and AIDS, indicating a mature infection with five to ten years of history before formal state diagnosis. In other words, treatment IS prevention, and the closer that treatment is to the date of infection the better everybody, infected or not, will be. And the epidemic will end as soon as enough people realize that a test can save your life and the life of everyone you may ever love.

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