For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Justin Burke - 213.201.1525EMAIL:jburke@apla.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2000

Los Angeles -- In AIDS Project Los Angeles’ prevention efforts, oral sex has always been considered a risky behavior. Studies over the years have told us that oral sex is low risk, but low risk does not mean NO RISK.

The Centers for Disease Control study found oral sex has significantly contributed to HIV transmission and that at least 7.8% of recently infected gay men in the San Francisco study were exposed through oral sex. In Los Angeles County, close to 75% of all new infections are among men who have sex with men. It is also important to remember that women are at risk for HIV infection through this sexual behavior as well.

This kind of information is important because it helps people make informed and responsible decisions when negotiating sex. And it reminds people that the AIDS epidemic is not over. Confidence in new drug therapies has diminished the concern about contracting and transmitting HIV. The reality is that locally, there are still about 2,000 new infections each year. The CDC estimates that nationally there will be 40,000 Americans newly infected with HIV this year.

People have grown weary of traditional prevention tactics. We must reinvigorate and expand our prevention efforts to reach at-risk populations and reflect current trends in the epidemic.