Petrelis Files

Dear Friends:
Some of the organizations and people behind the infamous alarmism and hype in July 2000 about alleged sub-Saharan levels of new HIV transmissions in San Francisco, which didn't prove true, are now hosting a community forum about the hype coming from NYC the past two weeks.
The sponsors of tonight's meeting have also done their fair share of scare-mongering about the drug-resistant strain of staph, syphilis surges, barebacking HIV poz men, meth use among gays, etc., creating a dense climate of hype, fear and confusion.
While it pleases me such a forum is happening in SF tonight, I think the sponsors, especially the health department, need to think about additional forums on how the department and its community-based partners owe the community answers about the lingering questions raised regarding the hype the department developed on many health issues for gay men in the past six years.
It isn't just the NYC health officials and community organizations who know how to create hype so thick SF needs to put on a forum about how to wade through it. --MPetrelis@aol.com
^^^


http://www.sfgaycenter.org/calendar1.php?id_calendar=11284

02/22/05
SF GLBT Community Center
1800 Market Street

5:00-5:30 refreshments
5:30-7:00 presentations and discussions

Rare Drug Resistant Strain of HIV: Wading Through the Hype
A Community Meeting about the multi-drug resistant HIV strain reported in New York City last week.

HIV medical researchers and community leaders
will discuss what we really need to know about this report and the implications for San Francisco.

Hosted by the LGBT Center, Magnet, and the SFDPH-HIV Prevention Section.

further info: For more information call Mike Pendo @ 415.554.9126 or visit www.SFHIV.org.