Members of the Council, ladies and
gentlemen, my name is Damon Dozier and I serve as Congressional Liaison at the
National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC).
I am here today to share with you our views regarding the availability
of rapid HIV testing over-the-counter.
For perspective, let me
briefly outline for you what the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) is and
from what perspective we come before you today.
Established in 1987, NMAC
is the premier national organization dedicated to developing leadership within
communities of color to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS. NMAC
advocates for increasing federal resources to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic
among people of color, and sponsors regional policy and advocacy skills
training and technical assistance sessions for minority communities.
To effectively advocate these issues, NMAC
holds policy briefings on Capitol Hill; produces policy briefs and newsletters;
and works in coalition with other national AIDS groups to promote the interests
of people of color. The overall goal of the Government Relations and Public
Policy Division (GRPP) of NMAC is to ensure that the voices and perspectives of
people of color affected by, and living with, HIV/AIDS are heard and listened
to when important legislation and policies are being considered.
GRPP
carries out its work by sponsoring the following programs, and providing the
resources and activities listed below:
To fulfill its mission, NMAC has
instituted initiatives and trainings to develop leadership in communities of
color to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS. They also have recognized that to
successfully advocate and implement such programs, partnerships would have to
be put in place to increase their outreach. Through the Government Relations
and Public Policy Division, NMAC has successfully established a series of
networks, trainings and policy.
NMAC In Action works to inform and promote sound
national HIV/AIDS, health and social policies that are responsive to the needs
of communities of color. Through this
advocacy vehicle, NMAC ensures that the needs and concerns of those most
affected by HIVAIDS are heard on Capitol Hill and in the White House.
The above briefly touches
on areas of our work. Now I would like
to point out the perspective that brings us here today. It is staggering, but real:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), between 1.039 and 1.185 million
people are HIV positive in the United States, the highest number in
history. They also estimate that 25% of people who are infected are
unaware of their status.
Although
African-Americans are 12 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 40
percent of all AIDS cases since the start of the epidemic and, in 2003,
represented half of all new HIV diagnoses. Almost two-thirds of new HIV
infections in teens occur among African-Americans aged 13 to 19. HIV was the
leading cause of death for African-American women aged 25 to 34 in 2001. In the
United States, HIV rates among African-American women are 19 times higher than
those of white women and 5 times higher than those of Hispanic women believed
to be susceptible to this disease.
This staggering statistic
is unacceptable. Think of your
children, nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, friends,
because this single data point is exactly that; people and their families who
are faced with the real possibility of contracting this disease unless we do
more to empower them with all the tools at our disposal.
Your consideration of
this issue is not just about data, statistics, and sound bites; it is about
lives affected simply because people don’t know and don’t have access.
The FDA Issues Summary
document says it best:
ü “The test is
simple to use compared to other types of HIV tests and earlier versions of
rapid HIV tests, suggesting that untrained persons will be able to perform the
test properly.”
ü “Home-use
tests are used at home by untrained persons without the help of a healthcare
professional. Most home-use tests, such as tests for blood glucose,
cholesterol, and pregnancy, are available OTC without a prescription.”
ü
“The test provides highly accurate results for the detection of antibody
to HIV within 20 minutes.”
On the matter before you, NMAC encourages
your immediate action to call for the FDA to approve and make available this
powerful new option in the fight against the continuing spread of this
disease. BPAC has our support and
commitment to assist in any way as the process goes forward.
I would please ask that a copy of my
remarks be inserted into the record.
Thank you for your time.