AIDS AWARENESS: Elders, Brown Rally the Troops
Kicking off the National HIV/AIDS Update Conference in San Francisco yesterday, former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders joined Mayor Willie Brown (D) to remind the public that the fight against the disease is not over, despite public perception that it is. "This is a mammoth struggle," Brown said, stressing that the battle needs to continue and address new concerns such as the elderly, workplace re-entry and long-term drug therapy. Elders said a new problem emerging is the growing public complacency toward HIV/AIDS. Dr. Mervyn Silverman, chair of the conference, which is sponsored each year by the American Foundation for AIDS Research, said surveys show that the public is "tuning out all the AIDS awareness campaigns." The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Elders "offered a familiar litany of suggestions," including universal health care and needle-exchange programs (Hall, 3/25).
This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.