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Mark Heller of Newark, DE asks:
Do you believe it will be more difficult to keep public interest in and public money for AIDS research if the disease is relatively under control here, but spreading like wildfire abroad? I know it is an unpleasant question, but I wonder if America is becoming a bit too comfortable.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, responds:
We are, I fear, becoming a "bit too comfortable." There is,
unfortunately, a growing misperception that AIDS is no longer a problem
in this country. Although the mortality rate from AIDS has declined due
to the introduction of highly active antiretroviral regimens, the number
of new infections in the USA has plateaued at approximately 40,000 each
year. This is an unacceptably high level, and much remains to be
accomplished in terms of prevention, notably the development of a safe
and effective vaccine.
In addition, although substantial improvements have been made in the
care of HIV-infected individuals, the currently available drugs are
plagued by substantial toxicities and the inevitable development of drug
resistance. The next generation of anti-HIV drugs, and better access to
therapy, is urgently needed to help the 650,000-900,000 Americans who
are currently HIV-infected.
As you note, the epidemic continues to accelerate in other parts of the world,
notably in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia. These realities
underscore the importance of policymakers, public health officials
and concerned citizens in combatting misperceptions that "AIDS is
over" by cogently and soberly discussing these realities in whatever
fora are available to them.
Return to this forum's introduction.
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