In a forum called the “Compassion Forum,” intended to explore the issues of faith and compassion and how a “president’s faith can affect us all” and hosted by Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both called for increased attention to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Hartford Courant reports (courant.com, 4/14). CNN broadcast the forum on April 13 and published a transcript of the event online at cnn.com.
When asked about federal policies for providing lifesaving antiretroviral medications to people living with HIV in developing countries, Senator Clinton replied, “I believe that our government must do so much more to get generic drugs and low-cost drugs to people suffering.” She later added, “I commend President Bush for his PEPFAR [President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief] initiative. It was a very bold and important commitment, but it didn’t go far enough in opening up the door to generics and getting the costs down. And as president, I will do that.”
Senator Obama also commended PEPFAR, and claimed that abstinence education should play a role in HIV prevention. However, he also argued for more comprehensive programs in recipient countries.
“My view is…that we should use whatever the best approaches are, the scientifically sound approaches are, to reduce this devastating disease around the world,” Obama said. “And part of that, I think, should be a strong education component, and I think abstinence education is important… I also think that treatment is important… I also think that we have to do more to make antiviral drugs available to people who are in extreme poverty.”
To read the full transcript of the forum, click here.
WHAT TO DO NOW?