--- [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) # HIV Prevention Drug Backed by LA County ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2015/049v.png)WELLNESS-[According to the CDC](http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/ataglance.html) there are more than 1.2 million Americans living with HIV and 1 in 7 of those are not aware that they are infected. There are about 50,000 new cases a year with homosexual African American men contracting the virus at a rate disproportionally higher than any other group. [According to Aids Lifecycle](http://www.aidslifecycle.org/about/hivstats.html), California ranks second in the country with New York being the only other state having more cases of HIV and AIDS. In Los Angels alone there are 60,000 people currently living with HIV and 1,850 new cases are reported in LA County each year, which is down from 6000 at its peak. For the past 30 years Los Angeles has experienced the second largest HIV epidemic in the Unites States. In July of 2012 the [FDA approved the first drug](http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm312210.htm) of its kind to be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent the spread of HIV. The drug has a brand name of Truvada and it is made up of tenofovir and emtricitabine. The CDC reports that when PrEP is taken as prescribed and with strict adherence it is 92% affective, and there have been international studies done putting that number closer to 96%. Normally when infected with HIV, the virus replicates rapidly in the body, but PrEP prevents this process from ever taking place. There have been some naysayers on the topic of PrEP use including the outspoken Michael Weinstein, president of the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) who was quoted as saying “If something comes along that’s better than condoms, I’m all for it, but Truvada is not that. Let’s be honest: It’s a party drug.” Mr. Weinstein’s remarks have been met with a backlash with some calling for his resignation from the AHF, which he cofounded in 1986. In spite of Weinstein’s remarks, last week the **Los Angeles County** Board of Supervisors approved a [motion penned by Sheila Kuehl](http://file.lacounty.gov/bos/supdocs/94489.pdf). The motion moves to “develop and implement a plan for a robust, comprehensive program to deliver Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Los Angeles County,” to help prevent HIV transmission. The goal of the LA Supervisor Board is to eliminate new cases of HIV in LA County. The Supervisors realize that PrEP can be costly, up to $1000 a month, and that many people in our community can’t afford the medication and don’t have access to health insurance that would cover it. These high risk uninsured individuals often include African American and Latin men and woman along with the transgendered community of Los Angeles. In 2014 the LA commission on HIV recommended that the board approve expanded access to PrEP. The department of public health’s di vision created a plan using a network of private and public clinics to educate and distribute PrEP throughout Los Angeles County. Last week the drug finally started to be apportioned in Los Angeles and most agree that this is an important step in the eradication of HIV and AIDS. *(*[***Christian Cristiano is an acupuncturist***](http://www.acupuncturebychristian.com/) *in LA, TV host of* [***Wellness for Realists***](http://bit.ly/WellnessForRealists) *and writes on wellness regularly for CityWatch. Christian can be reached at* [***323.935.3420***](http://www.proexperformance.com/#%21acupuncture/c9d0)*. twitter:* [***@CristianoWFR***](https://twitter.com/CristianoWFR)*)* *-cw* CityWatch Vol 13 Issue 49 Pub: Jun 17, 2015 Written by Christian Cristiano. June 17 2015 [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2015/049v.png)WELLNESS-[According to the CDC](http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/ataglance.html) there are more than 1.2 million Americans living with HIV and 1 in 7 of those are not aware that they are infected. There are about 50,000 new cases a year with homosexual African American men contracting the virus at a rate disproportionally higher than any other group. [According to Aids Lifecycle](http://www.aidslifecycle.org/about/hivstats.html), California ranks second in the country with New York being the only other state having more cases of HIV and AIDS. In Los Angels alone there are 60,000 people currently living with HIV and 1,850 new cases are reported in LA County each year, which is down from 6000 at its peak. For the past 30 years Los Angeles has experienced the second largest HIV epidemic in the Unites States. In July of 2012 the [FDA approved the first drug](http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm312210.htm) of its kind to be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent the spread of HIV. The drug has a brand name of Truvada and it is made up of tenofovir and emtricitabine. The CDC reports that when PrEP is taken as prescribed and with strict adherence it is 92% affective, and there have been international studies done putting that number closer to 96%. Normally when infected with HIV, the virus replicates rapidly in the body, but PrEP prevents this process from ever taking place. There have been some naysayers on the topic of PrEP use including the outspoken Michael Weinstein, president of the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) who was quoted as saying “If something comes along that’s better than condoms, I’m all for it, but Truvada is not that. Let’s be honest: It’s a party drug.” Mr. Weinstein’s remarks have been met with a backlash with some calling for his resignation from the AHF, which he cofounded in 1986. In spite of Weinstein’s remarks, last week the **Los Angeles County** Board of Supervisors approved a [motion penned by Sheila Kuehl](http://file.lacounty.gov/bos/supdocs/94489.pdf). The motion moves to “develop and implement a plan for a robust, comprehensive program to deliver Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Los Angeles County,” to help prevent HIV transmission. The goal of the LA Supervisor Board is to eliminate new cases of HIV in LA County. The Supervisors realize that PrEP can be costly, up to $1000 a month, and that many people in our community can’t afford the medication and don’t have access to health insurance that would cover it. These high risk uninsured individuals often include African American and Latin men and woman along with the transgendered community of Los Angeles. In 2014 the LA commission on HIV recommended that the board approve expanded access to PrEP. The department of public health’s di vision created a plan using a network of private and public clinics to educate and distribute PrEP throughout Los Angeles County. Last week the drug finally started to be apportioned in Los Angeles and most agree that this is an important step in the eradication of HIV and AIDS. *(*[***Christian Cristiano is an acupuncturist***](http://www.acupuncturebychristian.com/) *in LA, TV host of* [***Wellness for Realists***](http://bit.ly/WellnessForRealists) *and writes on wellness regularly for CityWatch. Christian can be reached at* [***323.935.3420***](http://www.proexperformance.com/#%21acupuncture/c9d0)*. twitter:* [***@CristianoWFR***](https://twitter.com/CristianoWFR)*)* *-cw* CityWatch Vol 13 Issue 49 Pub: Jun 17, 2015 [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Name [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/54/064j-54f0ecbd.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) ### [Be Prepared to Protect Our Democracy in November From a Trumpian Plot](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) BE AWARE - Back in the days when conservatives were so hungry for media platforms that they’d come on progressive shows… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ab/063e-ab3b1ba1.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) ### [Nithya Raman Loses the Homelessness Gavel — Her Record Explains Why](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) THE BOTTOM LINE - Raman wants Los Angeles voters to promote her to mayor. Before handing her the keys to City Hall, v… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/75/064a-75d5dbb3.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) ### [Your Boss Owns Your Workday—Not Your Brain](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) THE NEURAL WORKPLACE - California must protect workers before workplace surveillance crosses the final frontier: the hu… --- ## [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/034e.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16) ### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18755:tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people&catid=16) ### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17690:anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/033j.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2016/1404d.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)