Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC (March 2, 2009) HIV-related organizations across the country were recently asked to participate in a conference call with several members of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team. As a result, they were asked to submit top-line recommendations for US response to domestic and international HIV/AIDS issues. Those recommendations have now been published as an open letter to the president in the current issue of the Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care.
The journal is published by the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC), which made significant recommendations to the new administration. One IAPAC suggestion was for a Global HIV/AIDS Summit meeting where President Obama could call for action from all Heads of State. Additionally, the open letter considers all aspects of both current and ideal treatments for HIV/AIDS, including such recommendations as:
- Establishing a new entitlement program that would group most current state and federal HIV/AIDS care programs into one national entity with streamlined rules and a larger budget.
- Using a proactive approach to strengthening US HIV/AIDS programs and global health initiatives.
- Transitioning from a health emergency approach to a long-term clinical management approach in countries where large numbers of HIV-positive individuals are currently on antiretroviral therapy.
- Investing significantly in human and financial resources to scale up HIV prevention activities in the developing world, based on scientific evidence, as well as on international policies
"It is critical to foster open, objective, and evidence-based discussions about human sexuality and the promotion and care of sexual health. Efforts must be made to ensure that HIV prevention programs are developed and implemented according to up-to-date scientific knowledge and research," writes José M. Zuniga, MSPH, PhD, President/CEO, IAPAC, in the letter. "I wish to reiterate my gratitude to the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team for inviting IAPAC to recommend domestic and international response to the global HIV pandemic."
The Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care Recommendations to the Obama Administration," written by José M. Zuniga, MSPH, PhD, President/CEO, IAPAC, is being made freely available by SAGE for a limited time at http://jia.sagepub.com/cgi/rapidpdf/1545109709332105v1.
The International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) serves over 12,000 members with online educational and technical assistance offerings meant to help improve the quality of care and treatment delivered to men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS. As a benefit of membership, IAPAC members receive the bimonthly, peer-reviewed Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (JIAPAC), which presents original research, case studies, research reviews, and clinical perspectives on the treatment of AIDS/HIV around the globe. www.iapac.org
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Journal
Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care