AIDS: Fact Sheet - 9/8/92 September 8, 1992 PRESIDENT BUSH'S EFFORTS TO FIGHT AIDS Summary o The President has become personally involved in the fight against AIDS, pushing regulatory reforms that have accelerated approval of potentially life-saving experimental drugs, including AZT, DDI, and DDC. o President Bush has dramatically expanded the level of federal support for AIDS research, treatment and education. Since the President took office in 1988, a total of almost $14 billion has been appropriated to AIDS-related research, treatment, and prevention. o The President has regularly met with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of AIDS Research at NIH, and other Public Health Officials in order to be updated on Federal research efforts on AIDS as well as to underscore his support for their work on developing potential AIDS treatments and vaccine. o In addition to their expression of the need to treat those now infected with the AIDS virus with compassion and understanding, the President and Mrs. Bush have emphasized the need to promote among our citizens, and particularly to teach children, personal responsibility including abstinence to avoid infection. o In 1987, the Centers for Disease Control and developed "America Responds to AIDS," a multi-faceted ad campaign specifically addressing this issue. As a result an estimated $90 million of air time has been donated to the campaign. American have seen over 75,000 television public service ads, re-enforcing the message that anyone can get AIDS. Promoting AIDS education: o The President's FY93 budget asks for $621 million for AIDS prevention, a large share of which is for educational activities. Page 2 Providing money for research and treatment: o The federal government now spends more for AIDS research than for any other disease except cancer -- $1.2 billion will be spent in FY93 alone, a 39% increase since the President took office. Making potentially lifesaving drugs available to AIDS patients: o The President has been personally involved in the fight to make potentially life-saving drugs available to AIDS patients. He has streamlined the review process for AZT and other drugs to speed the availability of these promising new treatments. One of the first results of this new process was the rapid approval of the drug DDI, which helps those who cannot tolerate or show no improvement with AZT. In addition, seven other drugs have received FDA approval for the treatment of AIDS- related illnesses. Over 50 drugs to slow the progress of HIV or minimize its complications, and seven potential vaccines, are currently in NIH-sponsored clinical trials. Supporting testing with appropriate guarantees of confidentiality: o The President respects the privacy of all Americans and therefore believes that records pertaining to the AIDS virus should be kept confidential. Supporting laws barring discrimination against people suffering from AIDS: o The President worked for passage of, and then signed, the Americans with Disabilities Act which will provide legal protection to HIV-infected Americans against discrimination in public employment. # # #