To view a letter from people living in China with Hepatitis B and the discrimination that they face everyday click Here

Purchasing Pharmaceutical Medications

For Information about the Latest possible pandemic Click below H1N1

Avian Influenza or The Bird Flu including the latest information on the H1B1 virus

Comment: From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/3rduspstf/hepcscr/hepcirec.htm ) The USPSTF believe that "There is no direct evidence on benefits of screening for HCV infection in the general adult population."  Basically, they are introducing a blatant health access disparity by only recommending screening targeted populations in high risk behaviors i.e. IVDU. Please consider the CDC recently reported that as many as 10% of the total number of people employed in all areas of medicine and dentistry are now infected with some type of blood borne virus (800,000+), Additionally people employed within the Military have been exposed to blood borne viruses as well as people employed within the law enforcement field are all at risk.  Nothing is being done to address this issue broadly because the US government does not believe that these people have a sufficient high risk or that it is as cost effective to address this issue.  More than 2% of the US total population is now infected with some type of blood borne virus.  The prevalent rate for infection in rural areas within the US exceeds that of Washington, DC and San Francisco.  People in the rural areas of the US are at a higher risk primarily because they believe that these diseases are something that occurs only in the major metropolitan centers of the US, and that they are not informed adequately of the risks through public awareness campaigns.  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is accepting a leaning that puts identifying the incidence of disease in respect to costs savings above the needs for positive health outcomes and the human factor in terms of long range impact on society's wellness." If you would like to sent a message to USPSTF concerning their focus go here https://info.ahrq.gov/cgi-bin/ahrq.cfg/php/enduser/site_fdbck.php and express your view

We, the owners of this site, believe the impact of infectious diseases especially HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C will have a profound affect on all of us. For those people who are positive, they know the stigma or the discrimination, the difficulty in obtaining health coverage, finding employment or being terminated from a job because of his/her health status, because of the lack of awareness and knowledge about these diseases. Truly, what is happening to those infected people today, those actions will be felt by all of us-now and in the future.  Everyone is connected together-just like with the Spanish Flu-it killed thousands around the world in less than 5 weeks-a virus does not care about International Boarders, gender, social status, wealth, or race, a viruses sole purpose is to live, it lives by infecting people, all people.  The death of one individual will have little impact on society as a whole, but when a large percentage of that society is infected with the same virus, the effect of that infestation is immense.  Currently there are about 68 million live births annually, worldwide; at the same time, there are between 40 to 55 million people infected with HIV/AIDS (with a longevity of 10 years without treatment), there are roughly 300 million people infected with hepatitis, worldwide-depending on the genotype-a longevity of 1 to 30 years.  Soon, possibly now, the death rate of humans worldwide is going to equal the birth rate and will increase with time, because there are other viruses that also cause death.  We may be looking at an end or at least a LARGE reduction of people worldwide.  The climate is changing, the world is becoming smaller-change is occurring, unless we realize that we are in this ship of life together and must work together. 

Willie Nelson on Hepatitis C Click Here

A Song of Stigma from Jony Jerusalem (One of the most outspoken AIDS activists in Israel. He has documented his battle with the illness on Web sites and through Internet forums and has lectured in schools.)

We, believe /know that infectious diseases are going to have a devastating effect on civilized society. Everyone is going to feel the impact and experience the changes that are altering the way society is structured. The link buttons on the left side will direct the reader to articles, research reports, business reports, and governmental reports that show the changes occurring, today. Education is about the desire to learn what is occurring with the use of this information.

The film is called "Vida Positiva" and is an outline of the situation including reasons for HIV spread, national combat strategies, projects run by NGOs, ways of treating the disease and personal stories of HIV positive people and their relatives. 

Spread the word. Global education action on HIV/AIDS in Mozambique
The film is available at: http://mlume.com/vida

"Let society deny the existence of these diseases-because the government does not want to cause a panic; let religious zealots preach that by accepting my religious doctrine-that you will be protected against infection; let businesses only accept the short-term goal of profits-when the long-term outcome of these diseases will be the downfall of these same institutions.  The death of one individual may be a tragedy for his/her immediate family, the deaths of millions will have serious consequences for society.    My own wife became infected in the work environment, denied any type of compensation or concern by society (her behavior was the cause of her disease and she/(us) must bear the consequences of her action-she chose to become infected-she worked in a high-risk occupation).  We have lost employment opportunities, friends, and health benefits because of this disease.  All of this without any recourse because of her choice.  We can live in a world of denial-that it will only happen to someone else; when in fact, as the rate of infections increases, the likelihood will be that you too will join this select group of outcasts.  The choice of society is either to pay-now or pay-later.  Therefore, let us educate our citizens with factual information-it is far cheaper to educate than it is to treat.  The choice is yours."     James A Wright, 2001

Several decades ago, a major psychological theory was presented to the world.  It was called: "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs."

Maslow’s concept was that each individual has specific needs or desires that must be met before he can continue on with the next need.  Body/physiological needs are the very basic needs such as air, water, food, sleep, sex, etc. When these are not satisfied we may feel sickness, irritation, pain, discomfort, etc. These feelings motivate us to alleviate them as soon as possible: air to breathe, water to relieve thirst, food to stop starvation, etc.  Security/safety needs have to do with establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic world. These needs are mostly psychological in nature. We need the security of a home and family. Many in our society cry out for law and order because they do not feel safe enough to go for a walk in their neighborhood.  One of the main functions of governments is to protect its citizens from threats.  Many people, particularly those in the inner cities, unfortunately, are stuck at this level. In addition, safety needs sometimes motivate people to be religious. Religions comfort us with the promise of a safe secure place after we die and leave the insecurity of this world.  Infectious diseases strike at this safety issue.  Because of fear of infection, people do not generally associate with someone who is ill.  Many times those with a disease are ostracized from a community—leprosy was such a disease.  Laws are created to protect society from those infected or thought to be different.

Diseases have changed society throughout history, The Black Death during the Middle Ages where at least 25% of the total population of Europe died with The Plague.  European society was shaken to its core, governments collapsed; Jews were thought to be the carriers of the disease since they did not succumb to the illness like others. (Jews believed in daily hygiene.)  And they were discriminated against and feared by others because they were considered so different from the normal culture.

Today, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis are seen by many people as the latest “leprosy.” The disease of the ungodly, OR a disease of a persons poor choices in life; and because of that belief, they should pay for their own mistakes.  Many Faith-based groups use the fear of either disease as a marketing tool in order to bring in more converts to their specific organization as an attempt to provide a comfort factor from infestation.  “Believe with us, and you won’t become infected, follow our rules and you will be safe.”

"Reagan could have chosen to end the homophobic rhetoric that flowed from so many in his administration. Dr. C. Everett Koop, Reagan's surgeon general, has said that because of "intradepartmental politics" he was cut out of all AIDS discussions for the first five years of the Reagan administration. The reason, he explained, was "because transmission of AIDS was understood to be primarily in the homosexual population and in those who abused intravenous drugs." The president's advisers, Koop said, "took the stand, 'They are only getting what they justly deserve.' "  Reagan's AIDS Legacy Silence equals death

Advocacy results when knowledgeable people voice their concerns about the future. Change then occurs. One of the unique challenges that HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis reveals is how much society is intertwined within a country or a country within the world community.  What happens in Southern Africa will impact those living in North America.  As this cartoon shows, by saving money for one agency, another pays. 

The concerns about our future can only come about by becoming involved and by believing that your voice can make a difference. As shown by this recent letter/petition to the President of the United States concerning the restrictions that will preclude programs from using the best practices to prevent HIV/AIDS among sex workers and trafficked individuals and promote the fundamental human rights of all persons.

Change will occur because of infectious diseases-whether people become involved in these issues or not. Time is running out and time is not our friend. The domino effect throughout a society when large portions of its citizens are stricken by illness is substantial. Changes are occurring today, because of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis. With Education, and Advocacy, positive change occurs. By voicing your concerns -change occurs.

This is by no means a medical site. Any information pertaining to HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis regarding treatment, medications, alternative medicines etc, are for informational purposes only. For health care questions we ask that you please contact your physician.

We are also not a political site even though there are many issues regarding social changes, legislation which are deeply intertwined with political leanings and the influence of special interest groups. There are no good or bad sides of an issue, just the strong desire to show all points of view and how they affect us all.

Accurate information is and always will be the first line of defense against HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis. Education cannot be stressed enough. It must be available before any change can happen.  Education about the causes and effects of infectious diseases is far cheaper than the cost of medical treatment.

The contents of this site are a data reserve of research reports, governmental reports and business reports on the various issues of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis (primarily Hepatitis C). There are no opinions offer by the owners (except on this page)-the wealth of information presented here is the corner stone of this site: from the Financial Issues (Economic concerns)-how AIDS and Hepatitis are changing the social and economic fabric of society; Stigma-the first obstacle of any newly emergent disease, to providing math models that can be used to predict the course and costs of infectious diseases. Each main folder contains 100's of reports. The information provided here is the most up-to-date source of information about these diseases and the implications that they are having on all of us, now and in the future.  Many only investigate the medical costs of these diseases, but there is a far greater cost to society that these diseases create. 

Our Story

These two tables show this interdependence that all of us share.

Economic Impact of Infectious diseases (Primarily HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Hepatitis): A Vicious cycle

The Impact of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C on Traditional Coping Mechanisms within a family

from "AN INTRODUCTION TO HIV/AIDS" -The World Bank

The magnitude of a society’s social safety nets will be the critical point on the effects of these diseases: less of these nets - the greater the impact on society, more of those resources  - less the influence the diseases will have within that culture.  

"When you have written to The President, Congress, Your Senator and nothing comes of it,

YOU TAKE IT TO THE STREETS."

"Conditions in society which are not defined as a problem and for which alternatives are never proposed, never become policy issues. Government does nothing and conditions remain the same." T.R.Dye, Policy Analyst

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

This is not a political site; however, people who are positive represent a significant voting block. Political parties are very aware of this fact. If those people who have felt the sting from these diseases would unify in their concerns-change would occur.

This site represents the efforts of a group of volunteers who have donated their time and efforts to make this information available to you.

We have made a difference and so can you.

Become involved.

Click on a topic for an extensive list of articles (currently there are over 5,000 different report and research information available):

Alternative Treatments, Financial (Socio-economic), Health Insurance, Hepatitis,

HIV/AIDS, Institutional Issues (Mental & Corrections),

International, Legal, Math Models, Medical, New Material, Our Sponsors, Occupational (Exposure in Work Place),

  Our Board, State Governments, Religion and infectious diseases, Stigma/discrimination and infectious diseases

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, health, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.