Foundation Gathers Experts to Discuss Key HIV/AIDS Issues on World AIDS Day

How far have we come in the ongoing struggle to eliminate HIV and AIDS in the United States? How can we build upon progress made in the 25 years since the epidemic began? These were key questions motivating the San Francisco AIDS Foundation to invite a panel of influential thought leaders to a World AIDS Day forum titled "Renew the Promise. End AIDS," held on December 1, 2006.

New strategies to combat rising HIV infection rates nationwide were presented at a World AIDS Day forum, moderated by Hank Plante.

More than 150 local leaders and community members joined SFAF at the forum, held at the Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Main Public Library. Moderated by Hank Plante, Political Editor for CBS affiliate KPIX-TV, the panel included Dr. Timothy Mastro of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, discussing the contribution that routine HIV screening could make to reducing prevalence; Dr. Judith Auerbach, SFAF's Deputy Executive Director of Science & Public Policy, evaluating biomedical approaches to HIV prevention that could be added to the behavioral and social interventions that have reduced new infections in vulnerable populations; Dr. Robert Fullilove, Associate Dean and Professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, examining key drivers of high HIV rates in the African-American community; and Jennifer Kates, Director of HIV Policy for the Kaiser Family Foundation, suggesting how financial resources could be maximized to change the course of the epidemic.

Enormous progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS since the earliest years of the pandemic. New infections have declined substantially due to extensive education and prevention efforts. More effective medications are helping HIV-positive people to live longer and enjoy improved quality of life. And entrenched stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV have gradually eroded -- in part because of advocacy and coalition building by groups like SFAF and our partner organizations.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is, of course, thankful for this progress. But we are tired of the rate of new HIV infections here and across the country. In fact, a set of key measures has remained constant for several years -- suggesting that progress in controlling HIV has stalled.

Today, some 25% of Americans who are HIV-positive do not know it, either because they have never been tested or because their test results are outdated. Even in San Francisco, this figure is estimated to be 20%.

Nationally, some 20% of HIV-positive people who know they are infected are not receiving treatment. This situation threatens the health and well-being of these HIV-positive individuals and increases the likelihood of further transmission of HIV.

In California, the number of new HIV infections has remained constant at 6,700 to 9,000 cases annually. Nationally, that figure is stable at 40,000 per year. San Francisco has experienced a welcome decrease in the infection rate in recent years -- to some 900 to 1,000 individuals annually -- but these numbers can and should be lower.

Developing successful new strategies to reduce new infections and to ensure that all people living with HIV learn their status and receive medical care -- in short, renewing the promise to end AIDS -- will take enormous leadership and innovation. As always, SFAF intends to play a pivotal role in the development and implementation of those strategies.

We invite you to view a video of the World AIDS Day forum. We also welcome your active participation in our programs and services; please visit our Volunteer page, or speak with a volunteer recruiter at 415-487-8014.