Director, has also taken steps to strengthen the management of AIDS activities. He created the position of Deputy Director (AIDS), with full authority and responsibility for all of CDC's AIDS activities, and appointed to that position Dr. Dowdle who is with me here today. Also, we initiated the Federal Coordinating Committee on AIDS Information, Education and Risk Reduction which brings together Federal officials to coordinate the Federal Government's AIDS information/education efforts. I serve as Chairman of that Committee. At my direction, CDC is coordinating the development of the "Information/ Education Plan to Prevent and Control AIDS in the United States." This is a comprehensive PHS Plan for informing and educating the American people about AIDS. The Plan specifies the audiences to be addressed, the basic elements of AIDS information and education, and the outline of strategies by which this education can be accomplished. The Plan draws upon the knowledge and experience PHS has gained since AIDS was first recognized, and it incorporates the contributions of many experts in the PHS agencies: Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institutes of Health, and the Office of the Surgeon General. Successful implementation of this Plan depends upon action and collaborative efforts among State, county, and municipal governments; professional and service organizations; the private sector; and the Federal government. 1983 through 1986, PHS spent $40 million to inform and educate the public in groups at high risk of acquiring infection; in fiscal year 1987, we are From planning to spend more than $79.5 million; and in fiscal year 1988 more than However, it is expected that funds appropriated by Congress $103.9 million. in any given year for information/education will be multiplied many fold by the efforts and resources of other public agencies and the public sector. This combined cooperative effort, in the long term, will have a much greater impact on changing public behavior than the efforts of the Federal Government, alone. Under the Plan, our efforts are targeted to certain populations. the general public. In order to control transmission of AIDS virus, everyone must be aware of behavior that puts them at risk of infection. learn how the virus is and is not spread. The first is They must Schools, A second special population is school and college-aged youth. colleges, and family institutions provide an effective channel for appropriately instructing the young people of our Nation about AIDS before, and as, they reach the ages when they might practice behaviors that put them at risk of infection. A third target population is those persons at increased risk or who are infected. Our highest priority is informing and educating those groups at increased risk of acquiring or transmitting the AIDS virus because of certain behaviors or circumstances, such as homosexual and bisexual men, IV drug abusers, hemophiliacs, female sex partners of those at risk (of special concern because of potential pregnancy), and prostitutes and their clients. The fourth target population is our Nation's health workers. Members of this group have direct responsibility for patient care; for counseling AIDS patients, persons with laboratory evidence of infection, or other concerned persons; and for providing leadership in informing and educating the public. Now I will highlight the activities that are being directed toward each of these populations. THE PUBLIC programs operate. An informed public provides the basis upon which other information/education Individuals need further information on the steps that can be taken to protect their health. Special efforts are needed to provide information through a variety of channels-television, radio, press, advertisements, and personal appearances. The program must be closely coordinated and sustained over a long period of time in order to adequately inform the public. Now that we have taken steps to protect our blood supply, we will be concentrating on preventing the sexual transmission of AIDS virus-primary Federal responsibility for this aspect rests with CDC, and with preventing the transmission of AIDS among IV drug abusers-the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) has this responsibility. The Food and Drug Administration has worked with blood banks and plasma centers on programs: (1) to inform persons at increased risk for AIDS that they should refrain from donation; and (2) to test all blood and blood product donations for the presence of AIDS antibody to reduce the risk of transmitting AIDS virus through the transfusion of blood or plasma. Preventing Sexually Transmitted AIDS Information/education efforts to prevent the sexual transmission of AIDS will This fiscal year we are planning to encompass a number of major activities. conduct a major national public information campaign. This mass media campaign will reach the public through television, radio, and the various print media at the national and local levels. It will provide the broad . backdrop for intense State and community efforts that will be carried out across the country. We will be contracting with a national communications agency to assist in the planning and design of this multimedia campaign. We are continuing on other fronts to get information to people who need it. In September 1986, we contracted with the American Social Health Association to take over the operation of the national AIDS Hotline. Service has been expanded to a full 24 hours of daily operations. The Hotline offers a taped message and referral to an operator for further information. calls steadily increased with taped messages. The number of We are continuing to distribute PHS-developed public service announcements as well as publications and other materials prepared in collaboration with the American Red Cross and other organizations. To date, we have distributed about 325,000 copies of the Surgeon General's Report on AIDS, and other private organizations have reproduced thousands of copies for distribution. CDC, which has taken over most of these activities has sent camera-ready copies of the report to all AIDS program coordinators. This fiscal year we will be establishing a national AIDS information clearinghouse system designed to facilitate access to information needed by the public at large and by State and local AIDS program personnel engaged in developing or conducting AIDS prevention and control programs. The clearinghouse will develop and maintain inventories of available AIDS information and assist State and local AIDS program personnel in obtaining, developing, and using information about AIDS. It will identify and assist in filling information gaps through the development or identification of needed information for such groups as minorities which require specialized emphasis and culturally sensitive materials. Lastly, it will provide a mechanism for the distribution of PHS information materials. We expect to award a contract for this project in August 1987. We plan to bring together major public and private sector organizations that are currently actively involved in the fight against AIDS or which could make significant contributions to our Nation's effort to stem the epidemic. Our goal is to provide a continuing forum for the exchange of information and the coordination and stimulation of voluntary information/education programs. AIDS/IV Drug Abuse Working at the community level, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is utilizing mass media and special print media to inform the general public and special target audiences. Market research has been conducted to determine the best means of reaching the target audience of intravenous drug abusers, their sex partners, and other close associates, such as family members, with mass |