Take a look at our latest article for Black AIDS Weekly: "Recession Forces States to Slash AIDS Drug Assistance Programs". It's very timely given the recent cuts announced by North and South Carolina and California Gov. Schwarzenegger.
Federal- and state-funded AIDS Drug Assistance Programs pick up the cost of expensive antiretroviral drugs and other medications for the low-income HIV-positive. Without these lifesaving pharmaceuticals, the virus can multiply, making the person not only sicker but also more contagious. ADAPs reach approximately one-quarter of all people with HIV/AIDS; approximately 60 percent are people of color. But with soaring state deficits nationwide and rising HIV caseloads--particularly among Black people--budget reductions are hitting HIV programs and ADAPs especially hard, from North Carolina to California.
The ADAP cutbacks are disproportionately affecting black gay men, who discuss what their life would be like without ADAP. Read the full article HERE.
Also at Black AIDS Weekly: Dr. David Malebranche and CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton discuss the myth that the "down low" is fueling the HIV/AIDS crisis in the black community. Read the full article HERE.
