Good news from DC

Timothy Kincaid

February 3rd, 2016

Over the past several years, the city government of Washington, DC, has dedicated itself to a comprehensive and concerted effort to reduce the number of new infections of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It appears that the effort is working. (Blade)

A preliminary version of the city’s annual HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report shows that newly reported HIV cases in D.C. during 2014 declined for the seventh consecutive year.

The report, which the D.C. Department of Health released on Tuesday, shows there were 396 new HIV cases in 2014, a 29 percent decrease from the 553 new cases reported in 2013.

Whitman-Walker Executive Director Don Blanchon said the declining number of new HIV infections in D.C. reflects the value of community wide testing, treatment on demand and prevention efforts that include pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, which involves providing a daily “prevention pill” to people who are HIV negative.

“Simply put, it is saving peoples’ lives and reducing new infections,” he said. “Today’s update reaffirms that we are on the right path to getting to zero new infections in a given year.”

We appear to now be in possession of the tools that we need to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Combining testing with TasP (Treatment as Prevention) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and treating the virus as a public health matter instead of a behavioral matter are the steps that are working in the nation’s capital. As the social acceptance of PrEP increases (as it has tremendously in Los Angeles over the past year), we should expect to see even more improvement in the upcoming year.

Congratulations, Washington!

Priya Lynn

February 3rd, 2016

You make it sound like Prep was the whole story – I’m sure its not.

enough already

February 4th, 2016

It’s about time this was treated for what it is – a question of public health, not forcing people to behave like brave little heteronormative de-sexed automatons.

Priya Lynn

February 4th, 2016

Let it go Enough Already.

Priya Lynn

February 4th, 2016

Timothy posted “Whitman-Walker Executive Director Don Blanchon said the declining number of new HIV infections in D.C. reflects the value of community wide testing, treatment on demand and prevention efforts that include pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP”.

And let’s not forget, that included condoms.

Oggbert

February 4th, 2016

Priya Lynn – I didn’t see Timothy Kincaid say PrEP was the whole story – he mentioned TasP (which has been a long term strategy in public health) and shift of treating HIV as a public health mater.

The fact that DC made the shift from treating HIV infections as a matter of individual risky behaviors to a matter of public health probably had the biggest impact. As mentioned, DC made a huge effort in the last 7 years to test everyone, even offering testing at the DMV at one point, and then connecting people who test positive to treatment.

Washington DC has one of the highest rates of undetectable persons with HIV in the nation and very high treatment rates, IIRC.

Many public health organizations in DC believe that continued focus on testing, treatment and prevention with PrEP, condoms and needle exchanges will continue to reduce HIV infections in DC and all are required to meet the 90-90-90 goal by 2020.

Priya Lynn

February 4th, 2016

“Priya Lynn – I didn’t see Timothy Kincaid say PrEP was the whole story”.

Technically he didn’t but given the discussions that have gone on here it suggests bias that he didn’t mention that condom usage was also part of the story about the reduction in new HIV cases.

Oggbert

February 4th, 2016

The article quoted from in the Blade also didn’t mention condom usage.

Priya Lynn

February 4th, 2016

I see. An oversight on their part as well.

enough already

February 4th, 2016

Priya Lynn, for the sake of all the gods in the Pantheon – give it a rest.
Nobody likes condoms.
Sheesh.

I can’t believe we are all still fighting the needle exchange fight. Talk about Hep and HiV prevention….
Double Sheesh.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

“Nobody likes condoms.”.

Now you’re just being a troll, repeating the same lie just to annoy people.

Nathaniel

February 5th, 2016

Priya, EA’s campaign against condoms aside, condom use would have to have increased for it to contribute to reduced numbers of new HIV infections. Given the relative novelty of PrEP and TasP technologies, it is safe to assume their use has increased (indeed, I suspect there are hard numbers that negate the need for assumption). But there is no word on condom use. That’s not to say it hasn’t helped protect anybody, but it is difficult to see condoms as contributing to decreases in new infections if they are not being used at greater rates. Since at no point did anybody try to say condoms were not playing a role, I’m not sure why you felt the need to cry foul. But it is clear to me why condoms were not additionally praised, either: the most obvious tools contributing to this rapid decrease in new infections is clearly the new tools that are being used more extensively – more readily available testing, treatment for those that test positive, and additional prophylaxis for those that test negative.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

I never argued anything to the contrary Nathaniel.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

Upon re-reading your comment Nathaniel I take issue with this part ” but it is difficult to see condoms as contributing to decreases in new infections if they are not being used at greater rates. Since at no point did anybody try to say condoms were not playing a role, I’m not sure why you felt the need to cry foul. But it is clear to me why condoms were not additionally praised, either: the most obvious tools contributing to this rapid decrease in new infections is clearly the new tools that are being used more extensively…”.

If it is clear to you why condoms were not additionally praised you’re showing poor judgement, that is merely an unsupported assumption on your part. You don’t know if condom usage contributed to the decline or are being used at greater rates.

I don’t know why you’re crying foul when that is the reason why I originally posted.

Timothy Kincaid

February 5th, 2016

I think that the reason that condoms were not praised for the decrease in seroconversion rates is because they had little to do with the decrease in seroconversion rates.

This is not to say that condoms do not contribute to the overall prevention of transmission. Surely they do, just as they have for many years. And for many years there have been significant numbers of new transmissions each year.

But this is not a report about ‘things as usual’; this is a report about how things are dramatically NOT as usual. And the explanation of the dramatic reduction in transmission rates is not “people are still using condoms”.

Rather, the explanation is:

… community wide testing, treatment on demand and prevention efforts that include pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, which involves providing a daily “prevention pill” to people who are HIV negative.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

“I think that the reason that condoms were not praised for the decrease in seroconversion rates is because they had little to do with the decrease in seroconversion rates.”.

That’s merely speculation on your part. None of us know what role they did or didn’t play in the decrease.

Timothy Kincaid

February 5th, 2016

While it is entirely possible that you are right and Whitman-Walker Executive Director Don Blanchon is wrong, I think for now I’ll stick with Blanchon’s explanation.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

“Rather, the explanation is:

… community wide testing, treatment on demand and prevention efforts that include pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, which involves providing a daily “prevention pill” to people who are HIV negative.

Note: “prevention efforts that include“. That does not say that only Prep was responsible for the drop, but rather says that factors other than Prep also played a role. You don’t know whether those other prevention efforts responsible for the drop includes condoms.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

Blanchon did not say what you’re attributing to him.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

Timothy, you’re usually such a stickler about not making assertions not founded in a document, its surprising to see you doing so now. And I never asserted that Blanchon was wrong, rather that the explanation he gave doesn’t exclude condoms from being partly responsible for the drop in seroconversion rates.

This is not me contradicting what Blanchon said, rather it is you reading into his explanation something he didn’t say.

Timothy Kincaid

February 5th, 2016

If you choose to believe that condoms were some significant contributor to the drastic change in conversion rates in Washington DC, you may do so.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

I don’t require your permission to think anything.

Priya Lynn

February 5th, 2016

And I make no assertion that condoms were a significant contributor to the change in conversion rates.

enough already

February 6th, 2016

Timothy, have you seen that Fulton County, Georgia has launched a PrEP clinic Friday? They commented that they have one tool in their toolbox and they’re going to leverage it.

enough already

February 6th, 2016

Timothy, have you seen that Fulton County, Georgia has launched a PrEP clinic Friday? They commented that they have one tool in their toolbox and they’re going to leverage it.

enough already

February 6th, 2016

Priya,
If the only thing available is a condom, then it should be used. Obviously.

One thing I’ve forgotten in dealing with the condom lovers. There is a very small group of men who don’t experience jiz-joy and, in fact, hate semen. Maybe I should be cutting them some slack. Just as they should accept that nearly all gay men like semen and experience jiz-joy.

Oggbert

February 8th, 2016

Considering the reduction has been over a 7 year period, PrEP is logically not the only, or even main factor in the long term decrease. The distribution of free condoms, a tenfold increase from 2007-2013, by the same orgs dedicated to testing and treatment also clearly played a major roll. In 2009 (when the big push in DC started), his clinic found 70% of those surveyed did not used condoms during a recent sexual encounter, which led them to focus on risk education (including the use of condoms). Given Blanchon’s previous statements (particularly in regards to this annual report), I think he was talking about PrEP as a new tool in the toolbox, as opposed to condoms, which have had a long history of supporting.

Leave A Comment

All comments reflect the opinions of commenters only. They are not necessarily those of anyone associated with Box Turtle Bulletin. Comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

(Required)
(Required, never shared)

PLEASE NOTE: All comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

 

Latest Posts

The Things You Learn from the Internet

"The Intel On This Wasn't 100 Percent"

From Fake News To Real Bullets: This Is The New Normal

NC Gov McCrory Throws In The Towel

Colorado Store Manager Verbally Attacks "Faggot That Voted For Hillary" In Front of 4-Year-Old Son

Associated Press Updates "Alt-Right" Usage Guide

A Challenge for Blue Bubble Democrats

Baptist Churches in Dallas, Austin Expelled Over LGBT-Affirming Stance

Featured Reports

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.

Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate

When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.

Paul Cameron’s World

In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.

From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”

On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.

Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"

The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths

At last, the truth can now be told.

Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!

And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.

Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?

Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.

Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples

Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.

The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing

Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.

Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count

Daniel FettyThe FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.