arndt@lymph.DEC (10/02/84)
Not only is AIDS a health crisis, but it is also a drain of crisis proportions
on our national health system.
Dr. John Dwyer of Yale-New Haven Hospital calls it "the disease of the
century in every respect" - including financial.
Roger McFarland, head of the Gay Men's Health Crisis committee in NYC,
says, "AIDS is a human tragedy and a financial nightmare that no one is
facing up to."
George Seage, epidemiologist for the city of Boston says, "We have an
epidemic not only of AIDS cases but of AIDS costs. We're talking about
an incredible cost epidemic that's going to put a strain on the medical
system."
[Of course this is just data that fits my view, right?? We all know, as
some on the net have pointed out, that data is only a propaganda tool
especially when it doesn't "fit".]
The above quotes are from today's Boston Globe.
The article also points out the call for regional centers to deal with
AIDS patients as our hospitals are being swamped. AIDS victims require
much extra care (separate food handling, laundry, etc.) and the costs are
such (100K + per) that it is a strain on current funding (Soc. Sec., Medicaid,
CDC research funding, etc.). One Billion $ this year and two Billion projected
for 1985! Care costs that is.
Congress and Margret Heckler are baulking at providing more funding!! Not
because they hate homosexuals, but because there is just not enough money
to go around. As I pointed out before, research $ are being taken now from
other projects at CDC (such as the current epidemic of rabies moving up the
East Coast) to fund AIDS research. But research funding is only a small part
of the money needed for the AIDS epidemic! Hospital support costs are the
major ones as stated above.
Some sad, sad facts. Boston is now in the early stages of it's AIDS epidemic!
(Do you know who your SO has been with during the last four years??)
Typically there has been 18 months between diagnosis and death in AIDS cases.
What kinds of public pressure are going to surface when the cost to society of
this homosexually vectored disease become more apparent?
Anyone on the net care to make a guess? Opps! I forgot. No one will
answer because of my past postings!
Again, health and child abuse issues ARE impacting the perspective the public
has of the homosexual community and it's drive for "rights". Too bad I have
made it impossible to speak to these issues on motss. On top of that I have
driven netters away and silenced any other topics. The power of the Lymph
node! Sure!
Regards,
Ken Arndtbch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron Howes) (10/03/84)
I'm sorry Ken, your statement that AIDS is 'homosexually vectored' is
somewhat imprecise. AIDS is transmitted through the intermingling of
blood supply as might happen with transfusion. I suspect we had all
better hope that the current level of research on AIDS is funded or else
hope to blazes that we never have a serious accident or have to have
major surgery. YOUR assertions notwithstanding, AIDS is a potentially
serious problem to the entire population; straight, gay or even abstinent.
Frighten me? You bet. Your smug assurance of your own safety frightens
me more, however.
Byron Howes
--
Byron C. Howes
{decvax|akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!bch