Senator Wiener’s Statement on World AIDS Day

December 1, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) released the following statement on World AIDS Day:

“The HIV pandemic is not even close to over, as millions around the world continue to become infected — all too often lacking access to life-saving medication — and as so many continue to die. On this World AIDS Day, we must recommit to ensuring that people around the world have access to life-saving drugs to prevent infection and to help those who are infected live healthy lives.

“It was terrifying to come of age as a gay man in the late 1980s: I watched so many in my community get sick, and eventually die. That’s why the fight against HIV/AIDS has always been personal for me. As the world continues to mount a global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s critical that we recommit and strengthen the work to end HIV/AIDS all over the world.

“HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacts gay men, transgender people, sex workers, intravenous drug users, and people of color. San Francisco has historically led on HIV/AIDS, and the public health response here has had impacts throughout the world. In 2020, 131 San Franciscans were diagnosed with HIV. While that is incredible progress, we need to get that number to zero. And we need to get it to zero everywhere.

“I’ve passed numerous laws to help us end new HIV infections. These laws include SB 239, which decriminalized HIV in California, and SB 159, which made the preventative drugs PrEP and PEP available without a prescription. Additionally, I’ve helped secure state funding to end the epidemics of HIV and other STIs, and am currently authoring legislation to open safe consumption sites in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles, which will help those who inject drugs lower their risk of contracting HIV.

“We have much more work to do in San Francisco, in the state, and all over the world to eradicate HIV/AIDS. But I believe we can and will get there.”