j u s t o u t ▼ ju n o 3 , 1 0 0 4 ▼ O
WE DELIVER
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AIDS czar's
resignation
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Services
Many AIDS organizations feel Kristine Gebbie is not exerting
the leadership and independence necessary to effectively
challenge the epidemic
▼
Call Jon Jacob for a quote
239-0975
by Bob R oehr
ASAP president Shepherd Smith cited a meet
he National Association of People with
ing May 13 at the Food and Drug Administration
AIDS called for the resignation of
concerning approval for Orasure, a new method
Kristine Gebbie as the national AIDS
of testing for HIV. He called Gebbie’s represen
policy coordinator in a statement re
tative at the meeting “very uninformed,” and said
leased May 11. Gebbie said, in an
interview with the Associated Press, that the
she aide
has “took a middle-of-the-road position rather
than giving strong support to those suffering most
no intention of stepping down.
in this epidemic.”
“Gebbie has proven incapable of creating a
The American Foundation for AIDS Research
significant role for the Office of National AIDS
was “not prepared to comment at this time,”
Policy. A concrete strategy to address the mul
according to media relations director Mary Ann
tiple challenges of the HIV epidemic has not been
Caprino. She said any change in policy would
forthcoming,” read the NAPWA statement. “In
likely take weeks to evolve.
the face of this devastating epidemic, the lack of
The National Interfaith AIDS Network is still
urgency that Gebbie brings to this office is unac
formulating its position. Executive director Rev.
ceptable.”
Kenneth South sent a letter to Gebbie two weeks
It continued, “President Clinton must take the
ago,
concerning the draft Action Agenda, that
lead in building both a national consensus and a
was highly critical of “the role and effectiveness”
political framework that will enable us to end the
of
the ONAP.
HIV epidemic. We believe the president must
“We do not have an official position yet,” said
move quickly to invigorate the Office of National
Maij
Plum, who handles health issues for the
AIDS Policy and provide the following: visionary
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She said
leadership; coordination and strategy; resources.”
the group had met with
A ccording
to the
NAPWA and ACT UP
NAPWA statem ent two
on
May 16 to discuss con
things are vitally important.
cerns and has talked with
One is that the office be re
other
AIDS organiza
structured “in such a way
tions. Plum characterized
that it has power,” the other
the
group’s review as “an
is that a leadership profile be
ongoing ev alu atio n ”
drawn up of the necessary
rather than a definite ti me-
characteristics for Gebbie’s
table for making a deci
potential successor.
sion.
NAPWA reflected the
Gregory Adams, a
concerns of many others
spokesman
for the Na
when its criticism of both
tional Minority AIDS
the structure of the office
Council
said, “We feel
and Gebbie were announced
that at this point, the prob
last year. An effort has been
lem may very well be with
made to work with Gebbie,
the office itself rather than
but, nine months into her
with
Kristine
Gebbie.
Unfortunately,
there is no
tenure, organization leaders say they see too few
real way of knowing.”
results.
“I don’t know whether asking for [Gebbie’s]
It is still unclear how this will play out. Many of
resignation is helpful at this point. It took Bill
the AIDS and sexual minority organizations con
Clinton
close to a year [from the time of his
tacted voiced reservations about Gebbie and called
election] to fill the position,” said Gregory King,
for increased activity and leadership on her part.
spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign
ACT UP applauded the statement. It has op
Fund.
posed Gebbie from the day her name was an
Dan Brass, executive director of the AIDS
nounced, citing her record as secretary of health in
Action Council, seemed to be walking a tight
Washington state on issues such as mandatory
rope.
He was clearly frustrated with Gebbie, feel
reporting of the names of those who test positive
ing that neither the structure of the office nor the
for HIV and the rationing of health care.
person filling it were up to the challenge of HIV.
Gay and Lesbian Americans came out in sup
Brass used the example of Surgeon General
port of the NAPWA position. “Kristine Gebbie
Joycelyn
Elders to demonstrate the type of lead
isn’t the main problem,” said spokeswoman
ership and independence he felt was needed.
Michey Wheatley. “The problem is, President
Brass said that Gebbie “should be in there
Clinton has not lived up to the promises he made
fighting right now” for those appropriations, but
during the campaign.”
she is absent. “We certainly consider it her role.
The conservative group Americans for a Sound
And I think people living with AIDS consider it
HIV/AIDS Policy joined in support of the N APW A
her
role. I would hope that the White House
position in a statement issued May 17.
considers that to be her role, also. And that is what
It read in part: “As the epidemic continues to
we are trying to get clarification on right now,”
spread into more American communities, we
Brass said.
need a bold, innovative, national strategy to limit
He added, “I would not want to be unduly
the suffering that will be caused by this devastat
diverted
into dealing with this Kristine Gebbie
ing epidemic. This has not been forthcoming
issue while AIDS funding is going down the
from the Office of National AIDS Policy, under
tubes.”
its current leadership.”
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