Which Candidate Would Better Handle the HIV/AIDS Epidemic?

While both candidates for president have made statements that they want to combat HIV/AIDS, a comparison of the voting records, public statements and other actions shows John McCain has very few specifics to address the crisis and has a history of supporting legislation that damages and impedes the process of addressing the HIV epidemic in America.

First, here are what Barack Obama and McCain, respectively, have said about the HIV/AIDS crisis in general statements:

"We are all sick because of AIDS -- and we are all tested by this crisis. It is a test not only of our willingness to respond, but of our ability to look past the artificial divisions and debates that have often shaped that response. When you to go places like Africa and you see this problem up close, you realize that it's not a question of either treatment or prevention -- or even what kind of prevention -- it is all of the above. It is not an issue of either science or values -- it is both. Yes, there must be more money spent on this disease. But there must also be a change in hearts and minds, in cultures and attitudes. Neither philanthropist nor scientist, neither government nor church, can solve this problem on their own -- AIDS must be an all-hands-on-deck effort." -- Obama; Lake Forest, Calif.; World AIDS Day 2006; Dec. 1, 2006.

"The spread of HIV/AIDS, and the efforts of the international community to combat it, will be remembered by history as one of the defining issues of our time. The ethical implications of not doing everything in our power to slow the spread of this disease are severe. The most basic morality requires that we commit ourselves to combating HIV/AIDS everywhere." -- McCain in a 2003 speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

McCain's plan to combat HIV/AIDS is not available on his Web site.

National Strategy on HIV/AIDS in America

Currently the United States requires that all foreign countries receiving HIV funding provide a comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy that outlines specific outcome-based measures for the success or failure of funded programming and prevention of transmission of HIV in the grant country. However, the United States itself, 27 years after the cases of this epidemic were identified, still does not have a national strategy on HIV/AIDS in America.

McCain has never addressed the issue of whether or not he would support a comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy for America.

Obama has stated that in the first year of his administration he will develop a comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy for America that will specifically encompass every department of the federal government.

Needle Exchange Programs

In 1989, marking the "war on drugs," Congress and President George H.W. Bush created a law preventing the funding of needle exchange programs. However, studies have shown time and again that providing clean needles does not increase drug abuse, and more importantly they prevent the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and other diseases among intravenous drug users. Some of the studies even indicated that needle exchange programs funnel drug users into treatment and out of the addiction cycle.

Congress has authorized the president to lift the needle exchange ban if the Department of Health and Human Services certifies that needle exchange programs do not contribute to drug abuse. The DHHS made that certification in 1998, but no president has used his congressionally authorized power to lift the ban.

McCain has never stated whether or not he would use the congressional power afforded presidents in 1998 to lift the ban on needle exchange programs to address the spread of HIV/AIDS in the intravenous drug using population in America.

Obama has stated he would lift the ban on needle exchange programs, and he has made it part of his HIV/AIDS platform on his Web site.