AIDS and HIV

We call for humane and adequate handling of ALL people with AIDS/HIV. ALL people in ALL countries, including those with AIDS/HIV, have a right to adequate medical care, protection from discrimination, and confidentiality. Government has a responsibility to protect and advance the health of the public. The AIDS epidemic has been inadequately addressed at the local, state, federal, and international levels. Inadequate research for a cure, education, and medical treatment have occurred. While condom use is often effective as a preventive measure, it is not infallible and constitutes safer sex rather than safe sex. More research is required to improve condom protectiveness, and in characterizing the risks of oral and other modes of sex.

 

Drug corporations have a strong profit motivation to make this disease a manageable one (like diabetes) with guaranteed sales of very expensive drugs, in the billions of dollars every year. Drug companies have not emphasized research that targets a cure. While new drugs have dramatically saved lives, many have side effects so debilitating that the quality of life is poor, if not intolerable during the extended lifetime of the patient. But even these need to be produced generically to stop the devastation resulting from corporate refusal to provide these to the millions dying throughout the world who cannot afford these basic lifesaving drugs. Researchers must have a cure as their ultimate goal. A better understanding of HIVand its interaction with the immune system, as researchers are finding, may allow the immune system itself (as it does with other invasive viruses) to recognize and manage HIV. There are many other exciting research possibilities to reach a cure that are languishing because of both a general lack of funding and lack of interest by drug corporations. A new activism must arise: To agitate for a cure and also for the distribution of generic drugs worldwide-like ACT-UP successfully did in the U.S. in the late 80s and 90s for the development of and quick FDA approval of antiviral drugs.

 

The Green Party of California calls for:

 

Increased funding for AIDS education and patient care

 

Increased funding for comprehensive sex education that includes AIDS education

 

Increased funding for research focusing on a cure, methods of prevention, and on bolstering immune systems.

 

Improved technology, facilities, laboratories, researchers, staff and personnel to cure AIDS/HIV. A Manhattan Project for a Cure is required.

 

COMPLETE sharing of information between researchers, funding agencies (including corporations), and the public on AIDS/HIV before award of the next research grant

 

More research into better methods of prevention of HIV infection. While we support condom use, better condoms are also required. We support more vaccine research.

 

Equal access to AIDS education, treatment and medications for ALL affected. Accordingly, funding and accountability should be increased.

 

Allowing ALL prisoners affected with AIDS/HIV in ALL countries to have the same access to education, treatment, preventive measures (including condom use), and medical care as the civilians of each country of incarceration

 

A uniform international definition of AIDS

 

Protecting the confidentiality of ALL people diagnosed with AIDS/HIV or tested for HIV

 

More careful and timely approval of effective AIDS drugs by the FDA

 

Production of affordable and available versions of patented medicines in ALL countries

 

Targeting the young for age-appropriate education about AIDS/HIV and appropriate methods of prevention. We support the distribution of condoms in schools, and sex education.

 

Providing housing for homeless and poor people with AIDS/HIV

 

Support for needle exchange programs and for programs to help drug addicts

 

No mandatory screening for AIDS/HIV; anonymous screening must be available

 

Lifting the ban prohibiting HIV positive people from entering the U.S. as visitors or as immigrants

 

Single-payer health insurance in the United States

 

Support for medical marijuana as stated by the California Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (formerly Proposition 215), that is, relieve the pain of AIDS/HIV sufferers with marijuana on the recommendation of a physician