Alarming New HIV Predictions Released By CDC
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The US Centers for Disease Control recently released alarming predictions on the number of HIV infections.
One in two Black men and one in every four Latino men who sleep with men are projected to contract HIV during their life time, according to the CDC. The numbers are one in every eleven when it comes to white gay and bisexial men.
"We have the ability to keep those statistics from becoming a reality," says Robb Reichard -- Executive Director of the AIDS Fund.
He says local AIDS organizations are working hard via social media and outreach to raise awareness among those at highest risk about methods of preventing HIV, like pre-exposure prophylaxis-- or PrEP-- a daily med he says is 90-percent effective and covered by most health insurance companies:
"It's not the magic bullet that is going to end this epidemic. It is a tool that we can use to make sure that those who are at greatest risk can reduce the risk."
The CDC estimates 400,000 engage behavior where PREP would be useful, but only 30,000 take the med.