January 25, 2008

NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn Sounds Off on City's HIV Crisis

In an editorial published January 14, The New York Times examined the alarming rise in the infection rate among young men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City.

According to the Times, new HIV diagnoses among MSMs under the age of 30—particularly African-American and Latino men—rose 32 percent from 2001 to 2006, while diagnoses of MSMs between the ages of 13 and 19 doubled during that period. The editorial suggests, because younger generations of MSMs did not experience the early years of the epidemic and the widespread mortality caused by AIDS, they view HIV/AIDS as a treatable chronic condition as opposed to a death sentence.

“Silence now seems to be winning the day…many young men appear to have persuaded themselves that the infection is no longer such a big deal,” stated the editorial. “It is true that antiretroviral therapy has improved the outlook for anyone who becomes infected. But the treatments are still too new to know whether they can work much beyond a decade. Public health officials need to continue to distribute condoms, encourage testing and treat those who are ill. The fight against AIDS is far from over.”

On January 22, the Times published numerous reader responses to the editorial, including a letter from New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. She wrote, “The HIV and AIDS epidemic continues to be one of the greatest health challenges facing our city, and providing resources for HIV and AIDS prevention has been, and will continue to be, a major priority for the City Council.”

In her letter, Quinn said the Council—working with the Health and Hospital Corporation—will finance a $5.6 million effort to expand HIV testing efforts in public hospitals, including offering pre- and post-test counseling and other educational services to those who get tested.

“The only way to truly combat this crisis is to ensure that all New Yorkers take a simple first step—learn their HIV status,” she wrote. “Only then can we arm those residents who are positive with both the medication and education they need to keep themselves and their partners healthy.”

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