2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the AIDS Walk—let’s all walk to continue to make a difference.

While the past 25 years have given way to significant progress in our collective struggle to fight HIV and discrimination associated with it, there is so much more that needs to be done to fight stigma and the ignorance that fuels the growing number of new HIV infections.

Younger people continue to be infected at alarming rates in spite of the fact that young people historically have been the catalysts of most social movements.
The Hispanic AIDS Forum, as it too celebrates its 25th anniversary, will walk to raise much needed funds to help re-purpose its HIV prevention services with a goal of reversing HIV infection trends amongst young people. We have seen gains already with young men testing for HIV and accepting sexual health counseling and referrals at much higher rates than ever.

I hope that you will support our efforts by sponsoring our Team or any of its members. Join us and help fulfill the potential of our young people in stopping HIV in its tracks, so that a not-so-distant Walk may be “The HIV Freedom Walk”.

Thank you for your support.

Heri Sánchez Soto

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced its decision to cover facial injections for Medicare beneficiaries who experience symptoms of depression due to the stigmatizing appearance of severely hollowed cheeks resulting from the drug treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Today’s decision is effective immediately.

Facial lipodystrophy (LDS) is a localized loss of fat from the face, causing an excessively thin appearance in the cheeks. In some cases, facial LDS may be a side effect of certain kinds of medications (antiretroviral therapies) that individuals receive as part of an HIV infection treatment regimen.

The facial LDS can leave people living with HIV looking gaunt and seriously ill, which may stigmatize them as part of their HIV-infection status. Individuals who take these medications and experience facial LDS side effects may suffer psychological effects related to a negative self-image. These effects may lead people living with HIV to discontinue their antiretroviral therapies. The new decision allows for treatment of individuals who experience symptoms of depression due to the appearance changes from facial LDS.

The injections included in today’s coverage decision are “fillers” that have been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to be injected under the skin in the face to help fill out its appearance specifically for treatment of facial LDS. Data show that these injections can improve patient self-image, relieve symptoms of depression, and may lead to improved compliance with anti-HIV treatment.

“Today’s decision marks an important milestone in Medicare’s coverage for HIV-infection therapies,” said Barry M. Straube, M.D., CMS Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Agency’s Office of Clinical Standards & Quality. “Helping people living with HIV improve their self-image and comply with anti-HIV treatment can lead to better quality of life and, ultimately, improve the quality of care that beneficiaries receive.”