LETTER FROM THE EDITOR.DEAR READER, In recent months, AIDS coverage by the media has taken a turn. In addition to news covering the struggles with vaccine development or the advantages and disadvantages of various drug therapies, several other themes have cropped up: the politics of AIDS, the economics of AIDS, the ethics of AIDS. Some of these themes are not necessarily new--indeed, many have been explored before--but it seems now that more people are starting to listen. The politics of AIDS. The US is certainly familiar with AIDS politics. The paths to government funding for HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome research and assistance have been paved with the struggles of activists and politicians alike. However, in the current climate of globalization globalization Process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world. Factors that have contributed to globalization include increasingly sophisticated communications and transportation , AIDS is now perceived as a multinational issue. The recent announcement by the US government that AIDS is a national security threat sent shockwaves through the international community. The US National Security Council has never been involved in combating an infectious disease Infectious disease A pathological condition spread among biological species. Infectious diseases, although varied in their effects, are always associated with viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites and aberrant proteins known as prions. . By current estimates, 25% of Africa's population will die of AIDS in the next 20 years. Similar catastrophes are probable in Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union and virtually every developing nation. The implications for the governments of these countries, as well as those of developed nations, are disastrous. A virus is literally reshaping the course of humankind. The economics of AIDS. The decimation DECIMATION. The punishment of every tenth soldier by lot, was, among the Romans, called decimation. of a population is cause enough for despair, but the epidemiology of AIDS increases the gravity of the matter. AIDS is killing millions of people, with the greatest prevalence of infection among young adults. This age group is a tremendous resource to any population. Africa is witness to human resource shortages; the workforce is dwindling dwin·dle v. dwin·dled, dwin·dling, dwin·dles v.intr. To become gradually less until little remains. v.tr. To cause to dwindle. See Synonyms at decrease. . Also, in the wake of this epidemic are millions of orphans--an economic burden of another sort. With an estimated 5,000 people in Africa becoming infected every day, the economic effects of this devastation have only begun to be realized. Likewise, the disease is now infecting more diverse ethnic and socio-economic groups in the US. The ethics of AIDS. Recent conflicts over the licensing and sale of antiretroviral drugs Antiretroviral Drugs Definition Antiretroviral drugs inhibit the reproduction of retroviruses—viruses composed of RNA rather than DNA. The best known of this group is HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, the causative agent of AIDS. in developing countries have pitted wealthy international pharmaceutical companies against governments and human rights activists. However, the question of how to make expensive medications available to millions of infected people who cannot afford them is only the tip of the iceberg tip of the iceberg n. pl. tips of the iceberg A small evident part or aspect of something largely hidden: afraid that these few reported cases of the disease might only be the tip of the iceberg. . Other ethical concerns have surfaced regarding the participation of such individuals in clinical research. A recent study on the transmission rates in serodiscordant se·ro·dis·cor·dant adj. Being a couple in which one partner has tested positive for HIV and the other has not. heterosexual couples in Africa has drawn criticism. What if other studies were to investigate how the virus is transmitted or how it progresses in untreated individuals? If' these individuals will not have access to life-saving treatments, should medical science stand to gain knowledge from their situation while providing nothing in return? All of these developments put our work at The Center for AIDS in perspective. We are battling not only a disease, but also a veritable threat to civilization. Our mission is to provide the latest HIV/AIDS treatment and research information to all persons living with HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. , their physicians and caregivers. What we report may not always be popular, but will be based on our judgment of' what is supported by facts and data. Our work is not over until a cure is found. By reading RITA RITA Cardiology A clinical trial–Randomized Intervention Treatment of Angina–comparing the outcome of PCTA vs CABG in Pts with angina. See Angina, Angioplasty, CABG, Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. ! you participate in this work. Knowledge, hope and inspiration may yet conquer this disease. Very truly yours, The Center for AIDS: Hope & Remembrance Project Thomas Gegeny, MS,ELS Editor |
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