The media and HIV/AIDS hyperbole refuted UNAIDS & India-an embarrassing discrepancy unveiled For years UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) has proclaimed India as having vast numbers of HIV/AIDS patients, indeed, last year UNAIDS stated the number of HIV cases in India was the highest in the world at 5.7 million. Now, in a study funded by Bill Gates, the actual number is revealed at approximately 3.35 million. The UNAIDS estimate of 5.7 million is 71 percent too high. For the full story, click on the ERROR logo. District of Columbia The Mayor of the District of Columbia, Adrian Fenty (see here in his office) pledged to "put an end to the crisis" of HIV/AIDS in the district" and said "This [HIV/AIDS] is the No. 1 public health priority of this government."  What is killing his voters and what should be his highest priority? In the DC 2004 report, deaths from heart disease, cancer, hypertension totaled 1,302, 1,132, 327 respectively compared to only 224 for HIV/AIDS. 2007 AIDS death statistics are expected to be even lower. Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Reporting on American Indians and Alaskan Natives By stating the following: 1) HIV/AIDS is a growing problem for American Indians and Alaskan natives, 2) their rate of AIDS diagnosis has been higher than whites for five years, and 3) that those groups ranked third in reporting to the CDC's Reporting System, one might think there are large numbers infected. What is the actual number for the 33 states that report? 198 or less than 1 percent. Who is getting HIV/AIDS in the USA? Click either chart below to see the entire CDC report that includes answers to this and other such questions.    (Note that "High-risk heterosexual contact is defined by the CDC as "contact with a person known to have, or to be at high risk for, HIV infection. Cause in all persons with HIV/AIDS The UNAIDS solution: circumcise all heterosexuals Although the chart above clearly shows that heterosexual men in America rarely get HIV/AIDS, the United Nations AIDS organization, UNAIDS, says that all heterosexuals should get circumcised in an approach similar to the CDC recommending that all pregnant women be tested for HIV. We disagree with both recommendations. Full story on the UNAIDS announcement here Minnesota's HIV Director & Media Report, "HIV numbers in Hispanics jumping dramatically-doubling" Doubling from 1,000 to 2,000? No, the number went from 23 to 44. The MN HIV dept. also referred to the increase in HIV cases in young men as "dramatic" in having doubled to 35....in 4 years, an increase of 4 per year. When cancer in MN kills 8,823 and 15 other illnesses kill 20,590 compared to 56 from HIV/AIDS in 2006 is such hyperbole as reported by the Twin Cities newspaper, the Kaiser Foundation  and others appropriate? To view our letter to the reporter asking for a more positive approach to HIV/AIDS reporting, click on the state. Dr. Fauci's Pronouncements Dr. Anthony Fauci is in charge of all US AIDS funding and research and he regularly issues announcements of HIV/AIDS "Awareness Days." The most recent one was directed at Asian and Pacific Islanders. Does the number of infections in that ethnic group warrant such attention. To see the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Asian and Pacific Islanders and, indeed, in all ethnic groups with a gender breakout as presented by the Centers for Disease Control, click on the CDC logo. A walk down memory lane to the eighties...  Oprah Winfrey: "AIDS  has both sexes running scared. Research studies now project that one in every five--listen to me--one in five heterosexuals could be dead from AIDS at the end of the next three years...It is no longer just a gay disease, believe me."  Surgeon General C. Everett Koop: "[AIDS is] the biggest threat to health this nation has ever faced....among heterosexuals there are going to be 20 times as many cases."  Cover of TIME Magazine: "Now No One is Safe from AIDS."  The infamous phrase "If I can get AIDS, anyone can" is born. Uttered by a Baptist preacher's son in a multimillion dollar CDC ad campaign to convince America that all were at risk. What was not disclosed in the ad is that he was actively involved in high-risk sex behaviors. Indeed, anyone CAN get AIDS, but NOT EVERYONE IS AT RISK.

FAIR asks CDC Director to reassess AIDS death totals

The 98 percent decline in California's newly infected HIV/AIDS patients from just under 10,000 (1992) to 182 (as of 4/30/07) is indicative of how deaths from this disease have been plummeting throughout the USA, yet the CDC has continued to report overall HIV/AIDS deaths in the USA at from 16,316 to 17,453 for more than five years. We wrote to the CDC's Director, Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, and notified her that we contacted the Departments of Health in all 50 states and DC to learn of a 11,860 HIV/AIDS death total, and asked her to initiate a review of CDC HIV/AIDS death statistics so that they more accurately reflect the states' totals. Click on Director Gerberding to read our letter.

FAIR Submits testimony to House & Senate Appropriations Subcommittees for budget hearings on NIH funding

Our President & CEO, Dr. Darling, joined with our 28-member Board of Directors in communicating to the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees' hearings on the 2008 NIH budget. Click here to read our letter to the Senators and here for the letter to the House members in which we make sound presentations for redistribution of a portion of HIV bio-medical research funding to non-AIDS illnesses.

Even Costco is discussing if people should
get paid for donating organs

At Yale University's School of Medicine Amy Friedman, MD is a surgeon specializing in organ transplantation. Read her powerful arguments for allowing payment of financial donation benefits to donors and donor families to reverse America's organ donor crisis here, and be sure to pay special attention to her last comment. Once at the site, click on it to make it larger for easier viewing. FAIR supports such donation benefits as seen in this template letter.

Magic Johnson discusses great HIV/AIDS drugs

With direct talk followed by his infectious smile and laugh, Magic Johnson was recently on the TV show Access Hollywood where he discussed the great drugs available to HIV/AIDS patients. His healthy, vibrant appearance is living proof of the great success in AIDS research as expressed by the Director of HIV/AIDS funding. To listen to Magic discuss this and see his great smile, just click his picture.

 

New York State Health Commissioner: "Stop the Epidemic"
Was he speaking of HIV/AIDS?

No, the New York State Health Commissioner was talking about hepatitis C (HCV). His press release admits HCV states that HCV is much more prevalent than HIV/AIDS, and Senator Kennedy's hepatitis C bill states that hepatitis C...."is the leading cause of death in HIV patients." Our thanks to a FAIR member in Louisiana for bringing this news to our attention. Click the NY State logo for the Commissioner's full Press Release.

Increasing % of cardiovascular disease due to diabetes

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills 930,000 compared to 16,000 for HIV/AIDS according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The NIH announced that an increasing portion of CVD is due to diabetes, which kills more Americans than AIDS and breast cancer combined. So why is our government spending $40 and $50 on each CVD patient and diabetic versus $3,052 on each HIV/AIDS patient?

FAIR Joins effort for overall increase in research $$

In a major effort organized by the Coalition for Health Funding and supported by the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, FAIR joined with hundreds of national organizations in urging Congress to increase bio-medical research funding with our jointly signed letter. 182 members of the House responded by signing a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee and, in addition, 48 Senators also joined this effort with their signatures.

No Hepatitis C Symptoms--do you have
to take the difficult treatment?

As confirmed at the Stanford School of Medicine, a new test helps identify which patients with chronic hepatitis C may progress to cirrhosis. If you have chronic HCV and are without symptoms, this test may help you determine if the difficult treatment is even necessary. Click here for the full story. We are grateful that this important article was provided to us by FAIR Board member, Dave Courtney.

Results of new AIDS drug: "Fit as a fiddle"

Dr. Charles Farthing, Chief of medicine at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles, said of the new drug, ""I was almost staggered," and added that one patient, who had failed to respond to five other drug regimens, is now "fit as a fiddle." Full story here.

Sharon Stone raises another $9 million for AIDS research

For years Sharon Stone has been utilizing multiple radio ads weekly to urge every US citizen to send more money to the organization she represents amfAR (American Federation for AIDS Research). In addition, she pilgrimages to the Cannes Festival to raise millions more--$9 million, in fact, this year--auctioning off yacht vacations and other luxuries with the help of George Clooney. For the full story from the Associated Press as reported at Yahoo News, click on Sharon.
 

And Dr. Fauci now wants to spend billions on AIDS vaccine

Dr. Anthony Fauci has admitted that the advances in AIDS research are "breathtaking" and that the result is that AIDS patients "look and feel well, ....are leading very productive, very gratifying lives." Now Dr. Fauci's goal is to spend his billions of dollars on finding an AIDS vaccine (listen to him here). Is that appropriate when thousands of other illnesses, many killing thousands more than HIV/AIDS, do not have such effective medicines? We think not and if if a vaccine is developed, what will it be? It will be a preventive measure. We already have the keys to solving the AIDS "crisis": prevention and the drugs that already exist.

Bill Gates gives another $10 million
for HIV/AIDS vaccine research

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently awarded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation a $9.7 million grant for research to find a vaccine to prevent HIV in children. Gates has previously given hundreds of millions for HIV vaccine research and $7 billion overall for HIV/AIDS globally. How many children were diagnosed in the USA with HIV in the latest reporting period? Answer =  50. How many died? Answer = 7. How many infants  die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? 2,500. NIH research on SIDS? $75 million, on pediatric AIDS? $274 million.

HIV on trial in Australia--does the virus exist?

A criminal hearing in Adelaide, Australia has become the focus of international attention as fundamental claims by orthodox AIDS researchers — including the infamous Dr Robert Gallo himself on the stand — have come under vigorous cross-examination that demands scientific evidence that the virus even exists. Full story here.
 

The HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Parade Continues

In May 2006 there were 1,742 HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials, in August, 1,865, in March 2,628 and now 3,076. Find out how many for your disease by clicking here. For example, there are a total of only 2,427 clinical trials for Diabetes, 361 for Alzheimer's Disease, 4011 for COPD, 434 for hepatitis C and 17 for our Focus Disease of the Month: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.

More Fraud in the HIV industry

Here In our last Newsletter we brought to your attention a $1 billion HIV/AIDS fraud scheme. This month we report on Ten Florida medical clinic owners indicted for allegedly defrauding Medicare by improperly billing the program for millions of dollars of unnecessary HIV/AIDS treatments and medical equipment.

FAIR Profiles States: Idaho & Illinois

What are the top ten causes of death for the citizens of Idaho and Illinois as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)? Is HIV/AIDS one of them? If not, how do the top ten compare with HIV? For the top ten causes of death, click on their map. For HIV/AIDS deaths in all states, click here.

 

FAIR Members' Soapbox Alerts continue

This month to those suffering from orphan (rare) diseases. To easily send an alert today to President Bush, VP Cheney, your Senators and Representatives in support of fairer funding for orphan illnesses, click the Soapbox logo!

Focus Disease:  Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
(PBC)

•  PBC is a slowly progressing disease of the bile ducts inside the liver. In PBC, the bile ducts in the liver become inflamed, which causes scaring that eventually blocks and destroys the bile ducts. Bile, which is needed for digestion of fat in the intestines, is produced in the liver and leaves it through these ducts. When the ducts are damaged, bile builds up in the liver and damages liver tissue.
   

•  PBC: There is no cure. The cause of PBC is unknown, but because of the presence of autoantibodies (an antibody acting against the tissues that created it), it is generally thought to be an autoimmune disease whereby the body starts attacking itself (the bile ducts).
   

• PBC is not caused by any action on the part of the patient such as drinking alcohol or harmful behaviors.
   

•  PBC causes great suffering: Symptoms can include jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes from excess bile in the blood), cholesterol deposits in the skin, fluid accumulation or edema, darkening of the skin, and tear and salivary glands may not function properly, causing dry eyes and mouth. Arthritis and thyroid problems may be present, and osteoporosis, severe bleeding from veins in the esophagus or gut, and confusion (encephalopathy) from buildup of toxins in the brain not filtered by the liver. The bones can become soft and fragile, leading to increased risk of fractures. Itching, frequently severe, and fatigue are common symptoms. Itching is caused by bile entering the bloodstream. The development of cirrhosis (severe scarring of the liver) is the end result of PBC.
   

• PBC discriminates: Women get the disease 10 times more often than men. It usually begins between the ages of 30 and 60.
   

• PBC treatment is directed at managing symptoms and slowing down liver damage. Transplantation is now a standard form of treatment for advanced disease. Liver transplantation is highly successful in patients with end-stage liver disease resulting from PBC. By working closely with a Hepatologist (liver specialist), there is good reason to expect a favorable long-term outlook.
   

• Fairness? The NIH is spending only $?????? million dollars on PBC in research in 2005 versus $2.9 Billion for HIV/AIDS. We say ?????? because the amount is so low, it is not reported by the NIH here. That's not FAIR!
   

• Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is a perfect example of how The FAIR Foundation Secondary Allocation factors will insure increased funding. The Secondary Allocation Factors insure diseases that cause great suffering but have low mortality rates will also receive significantly increased funding.
   

• PBCers USA & Worldwide Internet Support Groups: Excellent groups providing a wonderful source of support and education for those who suffer from PBC and other autoimmune liver diseases include the following: PBCers USA, The PBC Foundation UK, Canadian Liver Foundation (presented in English and French), PBCers Group Europe (text in English and other languages).

Statistics from Jackson Gastroenterology, National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House; Howard J. Worman, MD. Photo from Jackson Gastroenterology.

The FAIR Foundation is growing fast, but we need more members to change Congress and the NIH. Please help us by forwarding this Newsletter on to your associates and friends. With strength in numbers, we WILL achieve fair and equitable NIH distributions for Primary Biliary Cirrhosis and ALL non-AIDS diseases. Member sign-up information is confidential.  

 donate...

Help us help all who need fair and equitable research allocations for their disease of interest and to achieve new organ-donor policies to reverse the organ-donor crisis in America. Indeed, we are the only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to fairness in research funding and we respectfully ask for your help in funding our effort. Remember, we have no paid employees. Indeed; we are all volunteers so every dollar of your donation will go to continuing our educating Congress and the NIH on the need for change to insure fair funding for your disease of interest. Thank you in advance for your generosity!  

Please make your donation on our secure website or mail a check made out to the FAIR Foundation and mailed to FAIR at 78-629 Bougainvillea Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211.

The FAIR Foundation, 78629 Bougainvillea Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211   E-mail: fair@dc.rr.com

FAIR Mission Statement: The FAIR Foundation is dedicated to fair and equitable distribution of research funds by the government for all diseases, including the 16 that kill a million more Americans than AIDS. A disease’s mortality rate shall be given emphasis in determining allocations and other secondary factors shall be utilized to insure diseases that cause great suffering but have low mortality rates will also receive significantly increased funding.