NATIONAL COMMISSION ON ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME

CHAIRMAN

June E. Osborn, M.D.

VICE CHAIRMAN

David E. Rogers, M.D.

MEMBERS

Diane Ahrens

Scott Allen

Hon. Richard B. Cheney
Harlon L, Dalton, Esq.
Hon. Edward J. Derwinski
Don C. Des Jarlais, Ph. D.
Eunice Diaz, M.S. M.P.H.
Donald S. Goldman, Esq.
Earvin Johnson

Larry Kessler,

Charles Konigsberg, M.D.,M.PH.

Hon. J. Roy Rowland, M_D.

Aton. Louis W. Sulliven, MD.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Roy Widdus, Ph.D.

1730 K Street, N.W., Suite 815.
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 254-5125 FAX 254-3060 TDD 254-3816

Contact: Thomas Brandt
202-254-5125

Press Release
June 25, 1992

The National Commission on AIDS today said that President
Bush and the Department of Health and Human Services have “failed
to meet fully their responsibilities in leading the national response to
the monumental human suffering and economic loss from the
HIV/AIDS epidemic."

The Commission,: which is an independent, bipartisan body
appointed by Congress and the White House,
last night after leaving a 90 minute meeting with the Secretary of
HHS, Louis M. Sullivan, M. D., and a number of other high ranking
HHS and Public Health Service Officials.

On September 25, 1991, the Commission released a
comprehensive report, America Living With AIDS, that included 30

recommendations for immediate action. The report communicated the

made this assessment

findings from two years of study, numerous site visits and hearings
across the country, plus testimony from hundreds of public health and
health care workers and persons living with AIDS.

Despite a review of the report’s recommendations ordered by
Dr. Sullivan, and a December 3, 1991 meeting with Dr. Sullivan and
President Bush where the President specifically referred to the report |

-more-

 
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’ and asked for suggestions on what more could be done to stop AIDS in America,
the Commission yesterday "reluctantly concluded that the Administration is not
prepared to undertake any significant new actions against the HIV/AIDS epidemic,
and that current efforts fall tragically short of what is needed.”

June E. Osborn, M.D., Chairman of the Commission, said, “It is hard to
attack a whole Administration when there are so many health professionals and
researchers who have been working flat out. Nevertheless, the’sad fact is this is an
epidemic of historic proportions which has not been met by appropriately historic
measures.”

David E. Rogers, M.D., Vice Chairman of the Commission, said, "We need
very forceful leadership and we need clear articulation that we have a crisis. We're
not getting either. From all that flows the need for a genuine national plan to
combat this epidemic, better care, drug treatment programs, research and
prevention efforts untainted by politics. Little of that is coming, and sadly the
problem starts at the top.”

The Commission’s statement describing the meeting late yesterday and the
events that lead up to it is attached. |
| The statement provides more detail on the Administration’s failure at
leadership against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, failure to advance a genuine national
plan, failure to develop a national prevention strategy, failure to fully fund
emergency health care measures (Ryan White CARE Act), failure on HIV-
immigration and travel related issues, and failure to realistically deal with the “twin
epidemics” of HIV and substance abuse. | |

Also enclosed is a May 15, 1992 letter from Secretary Sullivan to the

Commission that includes a "Summary of Departmental Responses to National

Commission Recommendations" that were in America Living With AIDS. The

Commission is making that document public for the first time today.
Over the next several months the Commission will be releasing reports on
issues of HIV transmission in the health care workplace, the housing crisis and the

HIV/AIDS epidemic, tuberculosis, and communities of color.

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