Clinton’s Own Panel Attacks His Commitment to AIDS Fight

President Clinton’s own AIDS advisory panel Tuesday unanimously declared that it has “no confidence” in the White House’s commitment to ending the spread of the disease, largely because of the reluctance of administration officials to endorse controversial needle exchange programs for intravenous drug users.

The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS has been consistently critical of the administration in the past. But its new statement, released by the panel at a news conference here, represented its harshest attack yet.

“Tragically, we must conclude that it is a lack of political will, not scientific evidence, that is creating this failure to act” on the needle exchange program, the council said in a letter to Clinton. “This political treatment of a public health issue is killing people; and it must cease.”

Despite studies that have shown that giving addicts clean needles can make a big difference in preventing HIV transmission, the federal government has refused to fund such programs, which are opposed by many conservatives. Federal funding of needle exchange programs was banned by Congress in 1988, but Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala has the authority to lift the ban. Thus far, she has chosen not to do so.

“Our patience is exhausted,” said Dr. Scott Hitt, the council’s chairman and a Los Angeles physician who treats AIDS patients. “The time for study and delay is over; the science is indisputable.”

Opponents of giving addicts clean needles are concerned that such programs might further promote the use of illegal drugs.

Shalala has publicly acknowledged that needle exchange programs are effective in stemming the spread of HIV. But she is awaiting the results of studies by drug abuse experts on its expected effect on drug use.

“We have not yet concluded that needle exchange programs do not encourage drug use,” said Melissa Skolfield, an HHS spokeswoman.

Another agency spokeswoman, Laurie Boeder, said the results of the studies will not be available for several months. She added that there is no timetable for announcing a decision.

Clinton is not the first president to face criticism from a federal AIDS panel. Members of former President Reagan’s AIDS commission blasted what they viewed as his failure to act aggressively to stem the epidemic in its early stages in this country.

The current attack, however, occurs in a different climate. AIDS deaths have decreased among certain groups in recent years, in part because of additional treatment funds and advances in the development of potent new drugs that have extended the lives of many with the disease.

Nevertheless, council members pointed out that new infections are not decreasing, especially among minorities. Moreover, nearly half of new reported infections are occurring among those who use needles to inject drugs.

“We will not stop new infections until we stop the spread of HIV that results from injecting drug use,” said Ronald Johnson, a member of the council and a spokesman for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York.

Terje Anderson, a panel member and executive director of the Southern Colorado AIDS Project--himself a recovering heroin addict--declared: “As someone who knows firsthand the damage that drugs did in my life, I want to make clear that I am emphatically anti-drug and pro-treatment.”