More Young Americans Are Contracting HIV

[RestoreGore]

http://health.yahoo.com/news/healthday/moreyoungamericansarecontractinghiv.html

FRIDAY, Nov. 30 (HealthDay News) -- In the 26 years since scientists first spotted AIDS in America, millions of dollars have been poured into outreach efforts aimed at keeping young people clear of HIV, the virus that causes the disease.

But on the eve of World AIDS Day, a disturbing statistical fact has emerged in this country: The number of newly infected teens and young adults is suddenly on the rise.

And the question is, why?

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2001 to 2005 (the latest years available), the number of new cases of HIV infection diagnosed among 15-to-19-year-olds in the United States rose from 1,010 in 2001, held steady for the next three years, then jumped 20 percent in 2005, to 1,213 cases.

For young people aged 20 to 24, cases of new infection have climbed steadily, from 3,184 in 2001 to 3,876 in 2005.

Experts say a number of factors may be at play, including the fact that many HIV-infected patients are now being kept healthy with powerful drugs -- making AIDS seem like less of a threat to young people than it did in the past.
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On this World AIDS Day we can sit and praise advances in anti-retroviral drugs that make life liveable for many... however, we don't need to just make life liveable for those with AIDS, we need to CURE IT and eradicate it from the face of this Earth. So what is all the money politicians are throwing at this really doing towards that end? I remember when AIDS first hit the gay community in the 80s, the Conservative administration of Ronald Reagan didn't even speak the word AIDS in public or acknowledge it as hundreds of deaths in the gay communities particularly in San Francisco rose into the thousands. Now they put big red ribbons in front of the White House like they put flag lapel pins on, as if that is supposed to absolve them from the fact that over thirty years later AIDS is still a prevalent and cruel killer in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Africa.

However, do not be fooled by these advances. AIDS is still a merciless evil disease attacking people in every corner of this planet. It is a holocaust in and of itself, and it is time for politicians to stop putting up ribbons and throwing money at it during election cycles and start truly getting serious about CURES. And also, perhaps these Conservative politicians need to stop pushing funds for "abstinence only" programs and start realizing that that could well also be a cause of this disease spreading among young Americans. Young Americans need to be made aware that this disease is still out here and that even though anti-retrovirals if they can afford to get them will make life "liveable" that is no life.

I pray for all those today on World Aids day that a CURE will be found and that those making money off of the deaths of the millions who have suffered because of the apathy shown towards those who first contracted this disease so long ago which contributed to its lethalness will get what they deserve in the end.

[RestoreGore]

1. Oh well, this will fall off the board soon...

What exactly do people care about? Really? Getting "dirt" on candidates now? Is that all that matters here?