Subject: TAN Alert
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1998 00:00:13 -0800
From: Treatment Action Network < TAN@projinf.org>
To: DWA Web Action 98

Dear Day With(out) Art Web Action participants:

Below is an Action Alert designed for World AIDS Day 1998. TAN invites you to express your concern for the Federal Needle Exchange Ban. Please also forward this alert widely. It's up to us to make a difference on this issue!

Ryan Clary
Treatment Action Network Coordinator
Project Inform
205-13th Street #2001
San Francisco, CA 94114
tan@projinf.org

CONGRESS AND THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION CONTINUE FEDERAL NEEDLE EXCHANGE BAN Urge federal elected officials to stop neglecting individuals at risk for HIV infection! December 1, 1998

Despite the partisan politics and rhetoric that marked the 1998 federal legislative session, HIV/AIDS advocates were able to achieve many significant victories. Congress approved large increases in funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health. Thanks to the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Fiscal Year 1998 appropriations bill includes $156 million for prevention and treatment services targeting African-Americans and other communities of color.

However, 1998 was also the year that the Clinton Administration failed to take action that would prevent thousands of new HIV infections. On April 20th, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala made her long awaited declaration on federal funding for needle exchange programs. At that time, the Secretary had the authority to allow federal funding for these programs if she determined that they reduce the spread of HIV and do not increase illegal drug use.

Secretary Shalala declared that there is clear scientific evidence demonstrating that needle exchange programs meet these requirements. However, she announced that the Clinton Administration would continue the ban on using federal funds for these lifesaving programs. The decision not to fund a program based on proven public health principles appeared to be a political one and a clear statement that injection drug users are a disposable community.

Days after this announcement, some members of Congress began acting to legislate a permanent ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs. This would mean that only Congress, not the Secretary of Health and Human Services, could release the funds. Such a law would completely politicize a public health decision and make it extremely difficult to ever obtain federal dollars for these programs. While the House of Representatives did approve this measure, the Senate never voted on a permanent ban. Instead, the final Fiscal Year 1998 funding bill contains language that puts a one year ban on funding needle exchange programs. The bill also contains language denying any federal funds to organizations in the District of Columbia that provide needle exchange services - even if those funds are for a different program. That action can effectively close most needle exchange programs in D.C., causing many needless HIV infections.

We clearly have much work to do to change this situation. Every day, 33 American men, women, and children are infected with HIV because of injection drug use. According to a June 1996 study, had there been established needle exchange programs in the United States, between 4,400 and 9,700 HIV infections could have been prevented. In addition, up to half a billion dollars in health care costs could have been avoided. The study also found that through the year 2000, an additional 11,300 cases among injection drug users, their sexual partners, and children could be prevented by providing access to needle exchange programs. The Clinton Administration needs to know that local communities must have the right to use federal prevention dollars for such a proven humane and cost-effective program.

Your help is needed to demonstrate strong public support for needle exchange programs!

Action needed:

E-mail President Clinton and Vice-President Gore today. Express your outrage that the Administration has failed to demonstrate leadership in the fight against AIDS by not allowing federal funding for needle exchange programs. Urge them to work with Congress to allow funds after the one year ban. You can use the sample e-mail message below to craft your message. Please encourage your family, friends, colleagues, etc. to do the same!

Contact information:

President Clinton
president@whitehouse.gov

Vice-President Gore
vice.president@whitehouse.gov

Sample e-mail message to copy and paste:

Dear:

I am writing to express my disappointment in the Administration's failure to provide federal funding for needle exchange programs. Secretary Shalala has determined that these programs reduce the spread of HIV and do not increase illegal drug use. Scientific evidence, including a report commissioned by your Administration in February 1997, supports these conclusions.

Every day, 33 American men, women, and children are infected with HIV because of injection drug use. We need your strong leadership on this crucial public health issue. Please work with Congress to ensure that the federal ban on these programs is lifted as soon as possible. Your action can save thousands of lives.

Sincerely,


Your name

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Day Without Art Web Action Project 212/206-6674 x201 staff@creativetime.org

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