Today, hundreds of AIDS advocates and people living with HIV/AIDS rallied on the steps of the State Building to voice their opposition to Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to cap enrollment in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Calling the budget proposal life-threatening for hundreds of low-income individuals with HIV and AIDS, advocates vowed to fight for Californians who cannot otherwise afford life-saving HIV medications. The rally was sponsored by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Women Organized to Respond to Life Threatening Diseases (WORLD) and Project Inform, and endorsed by over 30 organziations.

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides a range of HIV-medications to approximately 24,000 low-income Californians, most of whom are severely economically disadvantaged. Without ADAP, HIV medications--which can cost between $10,000 and $15,000 per year--will be out of reach for hundreds of low income Californians. In FY 2004-05, ADAP needs at least $25 million in additional funds to meet the demands of increased enrollment, the use of additional drugs by current enrollees, and growing drug prices. Schwarzenegger did not include any increase in funding for ADAP in his budget proposal; instead, he proposed to cap enrollment in the program at its current level of 23,900 individuals. This will result in HIV medications being denied to over 1,400 people in FY 04-05 as well as reduced benefits for existing enrollees.

"Capping enrollment is an unacceptable and inhumane solution to a life and death problem," said Dana Van Gorder, Director of State and Local Affairs for the Foundation. "For the Governor to say that some people will receive drugs to help them survive HIV and others will not is indefensible. While we fully recognize the budget crisis facing California, the Governor should not balance the budget on the backs of California's most vulnerable citizens."

The failure to adequately fund ADAP not only puts lives in jeopardy, but will ultimately cost the state additional dollars for unnecessary hospitalizations and acute care. "Every person who cannot access these life-saving medications will become increasingly sick, and the cost of their acute healthcare will only add to the California 's financial burden. We ask Governor Schwarzenegger to work with us so that no person needing HIV medications is denied the hope of living a long and productive life," said Anne Donnelly, Director of Public Policy for Project Inform.