“What Does a Real STD Prevention Agenda Look Like?” AHF’s New National Advocacy Ad Offers 10-Point Plan

AHF unveils a new advocacy campaign summarizing its STD prevention
agenda, appearing in publications across the nation starting this week.
AHF’s 10-point plan outlines suggested policy objectives in regard to
access to STD information, education, and prevention methods.

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AIDS
Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization,
has launched a new national
ad campaign that outlines the group’s proposed 10-Point Plan for
preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. AHF’s prevention
strategy includes sex education, universal access to condoms, routine
HIV and STD screening and other responsible sexual health policies.

“The rates of HIV and other STDs in this country have reached levels
that are totally unacceptable,” said Michael Weinstein, President
of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “A major policy shift needs to occur if
we are to safeguard and encourage the sexual health of individuals in
the United States. The 10-point plan that AHF is offering through this
national ad campaign provides a practical framework for addressing and
containing this growing epidemic.”

Beginning this week, AHF’s advocacy ad will appear in publications
throughout the nation, including South Florida Gay News (March 23),
Florida Agenda (March 24), Metro Weekly (March 24), Bay Area Reporter
(March 24), Gay City News (NYC, March 24), Washington Blade (March 25),
Outword Magazine (Sacramento, March 31) and Frontiers LA (March
31).

AHF’s 10-point STD Prevention Agenda is as
follows:

1. Universal sex education in the schools – Kids need accurate
   non-judgmental information at age-appropriate levels to make the best
   choices.
2. Well-funded, high-quality, ongoing sexual health ad campaigns with
   special emphasis on the most at-risk communities.
3. Widespread availability of affordable condoms – make condoms
   easily available in schools, bars and nightclubs, hotels, restrooms,
   and other places that intersect sexually active people.
4. Remove barriers to advertising condoms in mainstream print and
   electronic media during all hours of the day or night.
5. Fund people of color-run organizations to develop and implement
   culturally appropriate prevention programs that speak to their
   communities.
6. Make screening for HIV and STDs a routine part of primary medical care
   and hospital stays.
7. Increased funding for STD-specific services.
8. Integrate safer sex information into all mobile hook-up apps.
9. Enforce laws requiring condoms in porn.
10. Mobilize opinion leaders/influencers at every level of society (peers,
    clergy, entertainers, athletes, etc.) to promote healthier sexual
    choices.

For more information or to leave comments of feedback on the STD
Prevention Agenda 10-Point Plan, please visit www.ahf.org.

AHF’s STD prevention strategy comes in response to the alarming
increase in STD rates, especially among young people and members of
the LGBT community. According to a recent study
by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
half of gay and bisexual black men and a quarter of gay and bisexual
Latino men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetimes. Young people
age 15-24 in the U.S. account for half
of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections that occur each
year. AHF maintains that its 10-point plan, if implemented effectively,
would significantly curb the STD epidemic in the United States.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS
healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care
and/or services to over 605,000 individuals in 38 countries worldwide in
the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. For
more information, visit www.aidshealth.org,
find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth
and follow us on Twitter: @AIDSHealthcare

Contacts

AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Ged Kenslea, AHF Communications
+1.323.308.1833
or mobile 323.791.5526
ged.kenslea@aidshealth.org
or
Jacqueline
Burbank,
Manager of Sales & Marketing
+1.323.208.1505
mobile
Jacqueline.burbank@aidshealth.org