Long-Term Survivors

Our December 2015 cover story, “The POZ 100: Celebrating Long-Term Survivors,” spotlighted individuals who have been making a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS and living with the virus since 1995 or earlier. Congratulations to everyone on the POZ 100 list and to long-term survivors everywhere.

Congrats to the 2015 #POZ100 featuring 17 @uspwn members! Honoring #LongTermSurvivors #HIV #AIDS #WAD2015 #pwnspeaks

nainadevi

@nainadevi

This is amazing! I’m so happy all of these folks are still with us! They deserve the accolades for being so strong!

Danny Pintauro

@dannypintauro

How about we reward their commitment and good fortune by curing this dreaded disease?

Mishma

I tested positive May 27, 1993, one week before my 21st birthday! I remember my T-cell count was 45 and I was taking 32 pills a day. Now, I’ve been undetectable for 12 years and am taking one pill a day. Don’t give up the fight!

Scott McDavitt

I am so honored to be recognized among this amazing group of courageous men and women! The fight continues! Thank you POZ magazine for this humbling recognition!

Pastor Charles Straight

I am 69 years old and have been positive and a survivor since 1988. I still have undetectable lab results!

Phillip Ramsey

I am one of the long-term survivors. At diagnosis, I was suffering with PCP, CMV retinitis and the MAC virus. I was able to access the protease inhibitors in a clinical trial and became undetectable, but still suffer from the side effects of multiple infections and early drug damage. Thanks to the scientists who made the new drugs available!

Garth Wong

#POZ100 honors people living w/#HIV for over 20yrs—before treatment was widely available.

Greater Than AIDS

@GreaterThanAIDS

 

How were these top 100 chosen? Somehow I still feel marginalized after being HIV positive for 30 years. I’ve been involved with fundraising and raising awareness through a nonprofit that I have been with for many years. I have lived with HIV more during my life than not with integrity and spirit. I’m glad to celebrate hard work and survival, but there are a lot more of us out here.

Jeff

Editor’s Note: The annual POZ 100 is selected from nominations submitted by individuals. We encourage readers to nominate themselves or others when applicable.

Blood Bans

The POZ.com article “#BloodEquality Launched to Protest FDA’s New Policy on Gay Blood Donors” (December 22, 2015) reported on a new GMHC campaign that opposed the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) latest policy for gay and bisexual male blood donors. The lifetime ban was replaced with a policy that allows gay and bisexual men to donate blood if they have not had sex with another man in the previous year.

What about men who have had sex with a female prostitute during the past year? What about women who have sex with a man during the past year? What about a woman who has sex with her husband, who, unknown to her, goes out and has sex with men—in essence, she is having sex with all of these same men. Why does this policy specifically target gay men? Again, the FDA is attempting to make HIV a gay disease. It sends a message that there are no other at-risk behaviors. It’s irresponsible.

Earl

Wow. Discrimination at its finest! I’m not sure if I am outraged at [the new FDA policy] or the total apparent lack of actual security of donated blood. What about all of the other people who just lie about risky behavior? Either they can test [the blood supply] and it is safe or they can’t and it’s not. Who you have sex with shouldn’t matter because oral surveys are bunk anyway.

Connie