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AIDS lobbyists have their day

Continued from page 1

tion to the protease inhibitor funding.

"The only question that really got asked was a question from the chair of the subcommittee, Joan Lawrence [R-80 of Delaware and Morrow Counties], who asked if it was enough money, basically," Corlett said.

The group met with a number of representatives, including Barbara Boyd, D-9 of Cleveland Hts., who sits on the subcommittee. They also met with two members of the House Finance Committee, Rep. Mike Wise, R-15 of Broadview Hts., and Rep. C.J. Prentiss, D-8 of Cleveland.

"We just basically made the arguments that we've been making over the past several months," Corlett said. "That it's [the protease inhibitor funding] medically appropriate, that it's equitable, and that it's consistent with how the state deals with other illnesses."

The lobbyists also argued that the AIDS drug funding "makes sense financially, that it saves money by reducing the number and the length of hospital visitations,” Corlett said.

As part of a drug therapy with AZT and 3TC, protease inhibitors have proven to greatly reduce the amount of HIV in the blood. Studies have shown that the combination drug therapy improves the health of people with HIV and prolongs lives.

Many of the same lobbyists joining together in Columbus had worked to make sure the funds would be included in the governor's budget in the first place. They had gained support and letters of encouragement from civic leaders such as Cleveland Mayor Michael White, Cleveland Bishop Anthony Pilla, the Cleveland City Council, and Lakewood Mayor Madeline Cain.

AIDS activists had only learned for certain that the governor had included the requested funds when he released his offi. cial budget proposal on February 3.

Corlett remarked, “The fact that we had already made it into the governor's budget made it much easier."

The House subcommittee will hear testimony from OAC's Rapp before making its funding recommendations to the full Finance Committee by March 4.

as a

Rapp said, "I will be speaking not only a member of the board of the OAC, but as a person directly affected by this whole issue and very anxiously awaiting their decision because I need access to protease inhibitors."

A participant in ADAP, Rapp does not have private health insurance and does not qualify for Medicaid.

The protease inhibitor therapy can cost over $12,000 per year.

The House intends to vote on the entire budget in mid-March, at which time it would proceed to the Senate.

Members of the North Coast HIV/AIDS Coalition have already been in touch with a number of state senators regarding the ADAP funds. They have reported a posi tive response, particularly from Sen. Grace Drake, R-22 of Solon. Coalition members said Drake had sent a letter to Dr. Somani in support of the funding even before the governor's budget was released.

The Statehouse lobby day was the culmination of a months-long strategy of developing contacts and building coalitions, Corlett said.

He added that the day had particular significance for the first-time lobbyists who participated. He said, "It had to be empowering for them to see what an impact their visit, their personal testimony, their personal conversations can have on the process."

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