XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.fan.barbra.streisand, alt.fan.j-garofalo   
   XPost: alt.fan.julia-roberts   
   From: hpgoldfinger@N0SPAM.C0M   
      
   Liberals determined to keep HIV/AIDS epidemic going.   
      
      
   Wednesday September 24, 06:50 PM   
      
   Anal sex may lead to rise in AIDS   
      
   High levels of unprotected anal sex by men could result in a swarm of   
   new AIDS and Hepatitis C cases, an Australian report has warned.   
      
   A review of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C strategies identified general   
   complacency within the broad community, which believed HIV was under   
   control.   
      
   The report said this complacency extended to the political arena,   
   health departments and the non-HIV clinical community.   
      
   It identified significant challenges still faced by authorities in   
   stemming the number of new infections.   
      
   They included unacceptably high levels of unprotected anal intercourse   
   and of gonorrhoea among men having sex with men, and the declining   
   leadership role of the federal government.   
      
   The report's recommendations for a strong focus on harm minimisation   
   and needle and syringe programs do not reconcile with the government's   
   tough on drugs policy and lack of support for safe injecting rooms, it   
   said.   
      
   Although there were consistent declines in the number of new HIV   
   diagnoses in Australia from 1990 to 2000, there were 774 new cases   
   diagnosed in 2001, an increase of 4.6 per cent on the previous year.   
      
   The review panel said there seemed to be an erosion of political   
   support and some community support for harm reduction approaches.   
      
   "The review panel recommends that new approaches to harm reduction,   
   such as the use of supervised injecting facilities, syringes with   
   retractable needles and medically prescribed heroin be rigorously   
   evaluated," the report said.   
      
   But federal Health Minister Kay Patterson said the government remained   
   committed to its tough on drugs strategy, which did not include heroin   
   injecting rooms or heroin trials.   
      
   The report warned that without a massive re-evaluation of current   
   efforts, there could be a significant rise in the number of HIV and   
   hepatitis C infections.   
      
   "The review received many submissions asserting that government   
   reticence in relation to the reform of drug law and drug policy is the   
   most significant factor affecting the transmission of hepatitis C,"   
   the report said.   
      
   "The review is concerned by the growing evidence of the move away from   
   harm reduction towards a zero tolerance approach to illicit drug use."   
      
   Senator Patterson said the government would find new ways to deliver   
   safe sex messages, increase awareness of sexually transmitted diseases   
   and get GPs more involved in the management of hepatitis C.   
      
   But prevention was the key and that can only be done by a change in   
   behavior among men who have sex with men   
      
   "It is important that people at risk of infection understand that   
   although treatments are more effective and can prolong life of   
   HIV-positive people, these treatments are very arduous and have   
   significant side effects and there is still no vaccine or cure," she   
   said.   
      
   			***   
      
   Homosexual promiscuity and the resultant spread of deadly disease is a   
   clear and present danger to world health. -Edward  J. Hammond, PhD   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)