HIV Clinic Could Lose NIH Funding

Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve sending an urgent letter to NIH officials requesting reinstatement of about $2.5 million in funding for a local HIV clinical trial site, the Los Angeles Times reports. The clinic would be forced to close without the funds, which are scheduled to terminate Dec. 31.

The Rand Schrader HIV Clinic, located at County-USC Medical Center, is one of at least eight clinics nationwide that will lose federal funding, according to the Times. There are 33 clinical trial sites nationwide.

The clinic annually treats about 3,000 patients, who participate in tests on new drugs and drug combinations. Between 70% and 90% of patients are Hispanic.

NIH has not sent the county a formal explanation for its revocation of funds, but county health officials say NIH wants to consolidate U.S. trial sites to expand clinical trials in developing countries.

An NIH official said a public statement about the funding cuts will not be made until funding decisions for most of the research sites are finalized (Rosenblatt, Los Angeles Times, 12/6).

Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday also approved a new $1.5 million pilot program that will provide housing vouchers to homeless people discharged from county hospitals, the Los Angeles Times reports. The program will help an estimated 100 people (Los Angeles Times, 12/6).