The Trump administration’s plan to dismantle the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) division dedicated to HIV prevention has drawn strong condemnation from health organizations, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities. The move could shift the department’s responsibilities to another part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Philadelphia-based Mazzoni Center, one of over a dozen LGBTQ+ health organizations opposing the plan, fears it will jeopardize years of progress in fighting HIV/AIDS. David Fair, a long-time HIV/AIDS advocate and co-founder of Lavender Health (now known as Mazzoni Center), warns that dismantling the CDC’s programs would undo decades of work and lead to a resurgence of new infections and unnecessary deaths.
Fair, who has been involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS since the 1980s, recalls the devastating impact of the disease on the gay community at the time. “We called it the gay cancer,” he says. “There were few treatment options, and the response from public health officials was slow and reluctant.”
Despite these challenges, Fair and others in Philadelphia worked to create a robust system of care for people living with HIV, focusing on addressing complex needs such as mental illness, drug addiction, and vulnerability. The Mazzoni Center, which serves the LGBTQ+ community and over 18,000 people living with HIV in Philadelphia, plays a pivotal role in providing HIV care, treatment, prevention, and education.
Dr. Stacey Trooskin, Chief Medical Officer at Mazzoni, expresses deep concern about potential funding cuts, fearing they would make her program “at a true disadvantage.” Many patients are already worried about losing access to crucial medications like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and treatment options for those living with HIV.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/mazzoni-center-cdc-hiv-prevention-division