ADAP

Day two is going great!  I attended the Save ADAP's affinity group today and feel like I have some actionable items I can take home to work within the community to advocate for continued treatment, particularly for those who can't afford the cost of treatment on their own.  I did find it alarming that there seems to be such huge disparities in services on a state-by-state basis.  I’m not sure how to best support and advocate for those who live in areas not as fortunate, but I plan to do whatever I can to provide support and be a resource for all I can.  I am most excited about the opportunities that will come from being part of a larger network of individuals with a shared goal.  Definitely looking forward to signing up for as many networks as possible Friday before we all head back home.

BJ Cavnor Inteviews Ann Lefert of NASTAD.

Greetings Everyone, as you are getting ready for the Catalyst Forum, here's a taste of what you can expect next week. As a testiment to the collective power of community advocacy, the sign on statement we've posted here on the website on the ADAP crisis and drug pricing negotiations garnered 226 organizational and 601 individual endorsers. The letter is now being sent to all the HIV drug companies letting them know that we are watching their negotiations with ADAP in May. There will be several skills building and affinity group sessions at the Catalyst Forum addressing treatment access and drug pricing issue and what more you can do to help end the ADAP crisis.

We've now posted a second sign on statement, this one concerns the recent change in when to start treatment recommendations issued by the antiretroviral guidelines panel, and its potential negative impact on enrollment in a critical treatment strategy study called START. Click on ACTION2 in the menu above. The statement has already garner over 100 endorsers after the first 24 hours. Please help by distributing the sign on information to your contacts, networks, doctors, clinics, and AIDS organizations you work with. We expect this to become a big story in the next few months as more people take notice of this critical issue.

Looking forward to meeting you all in Baltimore!

Lei Chou, Treatment Action Group