California Businessman Launches Web Site Promoting Needle Exchange

Concerned by statistics on HIV transmission through unclean needles, a California businessman in October launched a Web site allowing users to contact members of Congress about funding needle-exchange programs, the San Mateo County Times reports. Colin Earl, CEO of the Redwood City-based SupportWizard, on Oct. 24 launched www.aidsstories.com, a Web site where people can receive AIDS news and statistics, read information on needle-exchange programs, post their own experiences related to HIV and access the addresses of their local and state representatives. Earl said that numerous Web sites already exist that address AIDS and needle exchange, but he added that his site is the first to include a section where people with HIV/AIDS can post their own experiences and read others' stories as well. He said, "It's already working -- a number of people have changed their minds [about needle exchange]. My hope is that after reading material on this Web site and getting hard and emotional data, people will write Congress and say, 'I'm a taxpayer -- stop wasting my money by refusing to fund this program'" (Sherbert, San Mateo County Times, 11/28).