Statement by the President

Statement By The President

http://1ibrary.whitehouse.gov/Retrieve.cgi?dbtype=text&id=7884&query=aids+vaccine

I

White House Press Release

Statement By The President
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release February 27, 1997
Statement By The President
I was greatly encouraged by today's report from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention on the historic reduction in
the number of Americans dying of Aids, further evidence that this
terrible epidemic is beginning to yield to our sustained national
public health investment in Aids research, prevention and care.
In these last four years, we have steadily increased our
national commitment to fighting Hiv and Aids. We have increased
funding for the programs by more than 50 percent, developed the
first-ever National Aids Strategy, accelerated approval of
successful new Aids drugs by the Food and Drug Administration,
strengthened and focused the Office of Aids Research at the
National Institutes of Health, and created a White House Office
of National Aids Policy.
We have made good progress, but it is also clear that the
Aids epidemic is not over. We must continue to press ahead if we
are to meet our ultimate goal -- the end to this epidemic, a cure
for those who are living with Hiv, and a vaccine to protect
everyone from this virus.
That is why I am so pleased that the Department of Health
and Human Services is today releasing another $202 million in
funds under the Ryan White Comprehensive Aids Resources Emergency 0
Act to provide high-quality treatment to people living in 49 U.S.
cities. Funds for the Care Act have increased 158 percent over _
the last four years and the number of cities receiving this
assistance has grown from 26 to 49. While we will continue to
care for those who are already sick, we must also sustain our
commitment to prevention. The only way that we can assure that a
person will not die of Aids is to make sure they don?t become

1 of 2

6/23/97 11:02 AM