HAART's Critque

Is HIV/AIDS still a crisis? Some would contend yes it is, but not in America because there are people who have lived full healthy lives despite their status. To me although I find it a complete falsehood. In class it is often referred to as a "gay disease" which I at first took offense to, but in actually one has to fact the grim fact that HIV is indeed a gay male centered disaster. The talk turned to the treatment for HIV, HAART. The way in which HARRT works still brings many ambiguities to the front of the line.



I as a pathologist made it my life goal when I was younger to find the cure for HIV/AIDS and cancer so I could find a way to distribute it reasonably to the masses. It is this deep root that holds my ultimate contempt for HAART although. In most cases the HAART treatment is only available to rather privileged people. A single month of HAART is around the $4000 mark which speaks of just how much privilege one would have to have to receive such treatment. Just to think of a hypothetical case, lets say John finds out that he has HIV when he is nineteen years old. For him to stay healthy to live one of the blissfully advertised "full lives" so maybe to eighty years old, it would cost him out of pocket $1,920,000. That is an insanely large sum of money on just that treatment alone, assuming that it works correctly all of the time and he does not have any other major illnesses.

For example's sake we can also assume that John is a fairly privileged middle class white male who is going to college to make something of his life. At nineteen years what person would have the type of money to pay for these treatments? Assuming his family background which a typical demographic of the majority, would his parents have the money for these treatments? Possibly with much sacrifice, and then how much and/or how long would his parents health insurance cover him?

The basis I am trying to argue is that even for the average privileged white family it would be more than a burden for then to try to carry. Now to think of all of the minorities and immigrants and poor people who would not even stand a chance at getting the FIRST treatment nevertheless a continuation of them, where does that leave them? This treatment though great and a much needed advancement is in my opinion dangled in the faces of those who cannot afford it and furthers whatever stress, depression etc; they may be having while dealing with the disease.

Of course everyone could quote the cliche phrase "Life is not fair" but honestly this in a way seemingly goes past not being fair almost into a state of abuse. Being an Black male myself I see everyday the inability of these treatments to my people brings to our community. Liking men in the Black community, actually most minorities is already seen as "being white" and less of a man, but then add on the added stigma of being a walking deathtrap it just makes it much harder. Though it is a dangerous lifestyle, it is this sort of stigma that encouraged the "Down Low" phenomenon, spreading HIV faster.

For those who can afford HAART, through health insurance or otherwise, getting down to an extremely low or undetectable viral load what does that do for their mentality? Many studies show that many of those with undetectable viral loads feel that they can go back to old habits of unsafe sex because they are relatively cured and if it does flair back up they have HAART to keep it down. When I first heard of people thinking and acting is such a manner I became immediately overwhelmed with disgust. In class we talked about those individuals needing to "watch themselves" and be more careful because they could mess themselves up, but what about OTHERS?! That is one of my biggest problems with HAART and those who adopt such mindsets because it is just the epitome of selfish and irresponsible behavior. Sure you may be find to the "cocktail" but how dare you put others at risk who could not be so lucky as yourself to be able to afford such treatments. It reminds me of the "circuit parties" and the many with the lesions "ruining it for everyone" that kind of behavior actually does ruin it for everyone, or at least those who they encounter.

At the end of the day I guess it all boils down to ignorance. Even though HAART is only available to the relatively privileged, I found it shocking that in my search for information and HAART education the resources were extremely limited. HAART may actually make vast improvement with a few changes. If the price was reduced even cutting it half would probably double the amount of people who could afford it. Also if there were more pushes for HAART education, not just to those who receive the treatment, but also to just the public, and all those who are interested the word could spread about what really happens with HAART and produce the dialog and action necessary to reduce its major flaws. "HAART is where you home is..." yea maybe if your home is the United States Treasury.