On Friday in Hollywood California, Santa Monica Blvd was blocked by a group of protesters demonstrating against the possibly fatal budget cuts being proposed by the Schwarzenegger Administration. The cuts are sweeping. The plan is to eliminate more than $160 million in HIV services which will also would jeopardize another $150 million in federal matching funds the state receives for HIV care.

The golden state faces a massive $24 billion state budget deficit -- with cash expected to run out by July -- California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is cutting funds draconically and that includes programs that keep HIV-positive people alive.

The results of such actions will be far reaching.

"This is the worst possible time to take support away from the most vulnerable Californians," said Judith Auerbach, Ph.D., vice president for science and public policy at the The San Francisco AIDS Foundation. "Balancing the budget on the backs of those at greatest risk threatens to reverse all progress made against the HIV epidemic over the past two decades."



"California's slash and burn approach to eliminating funding for the care and treatment of those afflicted by this public health epidemic is totally wrong-headed. As a result of its actions, the state could actually end up killing many poor Californians living with HIV/AIDS," said The AIDS Healthcare FoundationF President Michael Weinstein. "The state is destroying a crucial public health safety net by decimating over $400 million in AIDS treatment, care and support services. And in the end, the state will still be responsible for the care of many of these patients who will end up seeking far more costly care in overloaded emergency units throughout the state. These cuts would be catastrophic if they are implemented."

The fervent protest and subsequent march was staged in front of the Hollywood Forever cemetery. Many of the demonstrators who were HIV positive stated that they were weary and did not relish fighting for health care all over again. Many of the people in the crowd expressed the idea that this change in funding will result in their eventual deaths..........

Robert Stuart Lowden

Los Angeles

Sources

San Francisco AIDS Foundation. San Francisco AIDS Foundation Assails Governor's Plan to Severely Cut HIV Services. Press release. May 22, 2009.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation. California's AIDS Funding Cuts would be 'Catastrophic,' says AHF. Press release. May 22, 2009.

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

error

HIV Positive Mom with her Daughter

Clark Baker pushes hard against the aids industry again. This time he gathers suggestive evidence that ARV’s are thinly disguised addictive drugs that cause a sense of happiness and energy when taken as directed but extreme withdrawals lasting for months to years when stopped.

The evidence is by no means conclusive, but it does open a serious direction for inquiry and study.

Here brief glimpse at some of the more interesting parts of Baker’s new report. These quotes do not contain Baker's emphasis, nor citations--of which there are dozens even in the small bits I am posting here. So please read his report and check his references for yourself.


“Although patients like Karri Stokely attributed her four-month post-drug illness to “the shock of no longer being on toxic drugs,” I didn’t accept it. Toxins don’t ordinarily make someone sicker when stopped – addictive drugs do that. If someone takes regular doses of arsenic for six months, there is no evidence that their sudden abstinence would cause anything but a recovery. Conversely, addicts (and those who know them) understand the distress that comes with abstinence…”

“After listening to Karri’s story and comparing notes with other reports, I noted similarities between Karri’s symptoms and known withdrawal syndromes, including those of antidepressants. I also found reports that HIV drugs were being crushed and smoked by addicts in Africa:”


“I knew how better known addictive drugs worked and quickly dismissed the idea that an anti-bacterial drug could be addictive – until I stumbled upon Iproniazid…..Iproniazid and similar compounds slowed the breakdown of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine “via inhibition of the mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase.” These neurochemicals affect the same receptors as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, cannabis, and other more commonly known addictive drugs. These antibacterial agents have since become known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which are now used as antidepressants (SSRIs) under the names of Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, and Effexor. Iproniazid withdrawal symptoms were similar to those Karri described.”

“…numerous clinical studies show a direct connection between the stress of withdrawal (cocaine and heroin) and decreases in immune function for up to two years. Those reports show a direct correlation between addiction, withdrawal, and the human immune system (white blood cells, T-cells, and viral loads) regardless of whether HIV is present or not.”

“…it now appears that abstinence from so-called “ARVs” like Sustiva results not in an increased risk of AIDS but, instead, precipitates the onset of a painful and violent withdrawal syndrome not dissimilar to withdrawal from cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and alcohol. Unfortunately for patients like Karri, AIDS clinicians typically mischaracterize the withdrawal syndrome as a manifestation of AIDS that will soon kill them.”

“Karri’s cocktail contained two drugs – a deadly poison (AZT) that kills and a highly addictive drug that makes patients feel cheerful, more optimistic, and more physically active.”

“Intentional or not, by marketing this class of drugs (MAOIs and SSRIs) as “AIDS medications,” the pharmaceutical industry has built into its HIV cocktails a mechanism that punishes HIV patients when they interrupt their drug use.”