AIDS is one of those subjects that often spark vocal debate. Dare we say it, however, but the AIDS “crisis” needn’t be. AIDS, it should be noted is 100% preventable. If people acted responsibility, both here and abroad, AIDS could be easily brought under control. To hear AIDS advocates, however, one would In reality, AIDS kills on average 14000 people per year in America. This accounts for ½ of 1% of all the deaths in the US in a given year. By contrast Cancer kills over half a million people every single year, accounting for 23% of all US deaths. Yet AIDS research amounts to $3 billion per year and Cancer research $6 billion. For those with limited math skills, the proportion of aids to Cancer funding, clearly favors AIDS. Much has been made of the fact that AIDS numbers in America exceed 1 million, which is apparently the highest number since the 1980s, when much less was known about the HIV virus. The US population in December 1989, was just over 248 million people. By contrast the US Census bureau estimates the current US population at 296.3 million people. Using such statistics, we can deduce that 1 out of every 248 people in America had AIDS in the late 1980s. And by today’s estimates 1 out of every 296 Americans have AIDS. In other words .4% of the US population was living with AIDS in the 1980s versus .3% today. As you can obviously see, the numbers have fallen, but MTV foolishly reports these numbers as reaching epic proportions. This is further evidence of an agenda with many members of the press. The fact that our population today is nearly 300 million compared with 250 million in 1990, is largely ignored. Earlier, this year a report from the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) added a new dimension to the equation. As noted by the ACSH, the number of people living with AIDS is a good thing, because it means the number dieing as a proportion of those living with the disease is in decline. In other words, more and more people with AIDS are living longer, and more productive lives, thanks to advances in treatment. Treatment that can be largely attributed to the huge amount invested by the US in AIDS research. What’s disheartening about this study is that 250,000 of those living with AIDS today have no idea. Many of these people are continuing to live their lives and possibly spreading the disease. This isn’t a failure of research and a lack of commitment by those seeking a cure. This is a sign of ignorance and laziness, America’s biggest enemy. People living reckless and loose lives are the primary cause for the steady progress of this disease. If people weren’t taking such cavalier attitudes toward sex and promiscuity then AIDS could be more easily contained.
Terje Anderson, of the National Association of People with AIDS, stated earlier this year that: "One million people are more than enough, and our country has got to respond." Exactly how are we supposed to respond? The Bush administration has increased AIDS funding every year. Currently the US is spending $3 billion on AIDS research every year, for a virus, which has infected less than ½ of 1% of the US population. By contrast Heart disease is the biggest killer of Americans, followed by Cancer. AIDS isn’t even in the top 10. In fact Diabetes kills more than AIDS, as well as Alzheimer’s and a little known ailment called Septicemia (blood poisoning). How much money do you suppose is spent on eradicating Diabetes, the 6th biggest killer in America? Less than $800 million, that’s how much, yet diabetes is the 6th largest killer in America and these critics argue the US isn’t doing enough? Based on the numbers one could argue, the US is doing too much for AIDS.
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.566/news_detail.asp
http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/1990s/nat-total.txt
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1504124/20050614/index.jhtml?headlines=true
http://www.cancer.org/downloads/PRO/Cancer%20Statistics%202004.ppt
http://plan.cancer.gov/foldouts.shtml