AEGiS-AP: Top Health Official Rebute Bias Charge In Combating AIDS

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1983. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Top Health Official Rebute Bias Charge In Combating AIDS

Associated Press - August 3, 1983

Reagan Administration officials today denied that prejudice against homosexuals was slowing the fight against the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. They also outlined steps the Government had taken to combat the disease.

"It is a charge I consider insulting to a lot of dedicated physicians and scientists trying to solve the problem," said Dr. Edward N. Brandt, the Assistant Secretary of Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. He added that the charge of prejudice was "without foundation" and said, "If there are any instances, I would like to know about them."

Dr. Brandt, who testified to the Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee of the House Government Operations Committee, also said his department would continue to redirect money to the fight against AIDS because the disease was the nation's top emergency health priority. Homosexual Groups Protest

AIDS is a disease of the immune system that investigators say has struck mostly homosexuals, intravenous drug users, Haitians and hemophiliacs.

Earlier, representatives of homosexual groups asserted that what they considered the lack of a national strategy for dealing with the AIDS epidemic existed in part because of discrimination against homosexuals and the other groups.

Virginia M. Apuzzo, executive director of the National Gay Task Force, said Monday, "The Government's slow response on AIDS is directly related to who is affected by this disease as much as what the disease is."

"As long as a comprehensive plan is not forthcoming," she added, "the public will legitimately wonder and worry how seriously the Administration is taking this issue."

In response, Dr. Brandt said the Federal Government did have a national strategy. He enumerated some of its parts, such as setting up a national AIDS hot line.

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