AIDS Strategy Targets Gay, Bi Men

The White House released its strategy on HIV/AIDS Tuesday morning, focusing on lowering infection rates by 25% in the next five years, according to officials. The new strategy will direct more resources toward African-Americans and gay and bisexual men. The policy will also focus on Latinos and substance abusers. The 60-page report notes the number of new infections in the United States has been static, but the number of people living with HIV is growing. “We must reorient our efforts by giving much more attention and resources” to those four groups, who are the “populations at highest risk,” the report reads. At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Domestic Policy Council director Melody Barnes and Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke about the new policy. The two rattled off numerous statistics, one of the most disturbing from Sebilius -- that nearly half of gay, African-American men are HIV-positive. President Obama will speak more on the new policy at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. You can read the full report and find more information on the policy.