Press Release: Elton John AIDS Foundation to support HIV/AIDS advocacy in NC

The Elton John AIDS Foundation will grant $50,000 to the North Carolina AIDS Action Network to support advocacy for policies that advance HIV testing, access to care, and reduction of HIV-related health disparities for key populations.

“We’re grateful for the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s investment in the fight for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk in our state,” said Claire Hermann, communications program coordinator at the Network 

“This grant will allow us to mobilize a wider community of people for smart HIV/AIDS policies, combat HIV-related stigma, and strengthen the advocacy capacity of the communities most affected by HIV/AIDS in our state,” Hermann said.

An estimated 35,000 people are living with HIV in North Carolina. Communities of color; youth; rural communities; and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected.

The North Carolina AIDS Action Network is the only statewide advocacy organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, and those at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS in North Carolina.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the world’s leading nonprofits working to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS through innovative HIV prevention programs, efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and direct treatment and care services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

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Press Release: NC Advocates Applaud Re-Expanded AIDS Drug Program

PRESS RELEASE                                               CONTACT: Claire Hermann

January 11, 2013                                                                        (919) 533-9677, claire@ncaan.org

The North Carolina AIDS Action Network applauds the state AIDS Drug Assistance Program’s announcement this week that it will re-expand coverage to include medications for heart disease, Hepatitis C, mental illness, and other conditions that commonly accompany HIV.

The news comes on top of last fall’s announcement that the state would officially reopen the program to all qualified applicants without a waiting list.

“This is good news,” said Claire Hermann, Communications Program Coordinator at the Network. “It will make it easier for thousands of North Carolinians living with HIV/AIDS to access medications that are essential for their health and well-being.”

More than 6,000 low-income North Carolinians receive medications through North Carolina’s HIV and AIDS drug assistance programs. Access to care through programs such as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program is critical to saving lives and reducing medical costs.

The list of medications covered through the program was cut back in 2010, making getting the proper medications difficult for many who relied on the program.

For instance, patients who received drugs through hospital charity programs often had to pick their drugs up in person every 30 days, a financially and physically challenging situation for patients who may live more than 100 miles from their nearest provider.

When the re-expanded formulary goes into effect on January 15, 2013, clients will be able to receive many of those same medications by mail through the program.

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