Mt. Sinai Hospital Initially Refuses Emergency HIV Prevention Treatment

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MT. Sinai Hospital initially refuses emergency HIV prevention treatment
AIDS activists target hospital with street protest.

NEW YORK – AIDS activists will protest outside Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan on Wednesday, July 17 at Noon. Over the July 4th weekend, personnel at Mt. Sinai’s emergency room refused to treat a man after possible exposure to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. He needed PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis), a treatment shown to be very good at stopping the virus, if treatment starts quickly.

Since 2005, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) have called for the immediate initiation of a 28-day course of anti-AIDS drugs for people who might have been exposed to HIV during sex. An important tool for HIV prevention, PEP had already been standard treatment for medical workers who might have been exposed to HIV-infected blood or tissue.

Emergency room personnel at Mt. Sinai incorrectly informed the man that there was no such treatment. The man contacted ACT UP/New York who intervened on his behalf with Mt. Sinai.  Precious time was lost – approximately two hours – before the hospital treated him.

ACT UP will demand that Mt. Sinai’s administration educate the Medical Center and Medical School community about PEP for non-occupational exposure to HIV and train personnel on how to administer it. The activists will also demand that the hospital begin providing a full course of PEP for eligible patients.

Over the past few months, ACT UP has learned of several similar emergencies in which New York City hospitals and clinics have denied or delayed treatment with PEP for many hours. ACT UP is demanding that the New York State Department of Health enforce its guidelines for non-occupational PEP and conduct aggressive campaigns to inform New York’s medical practitioners and institutions about PEP and how it should be used.

Because of a rise in new HIV infections among gay men and transgender women, ACT UP recently declared an HIV prevention emergency. You’ll find materials from this bold campaign at https://actupny.com/aids-activists-kick-off-racy-fuck-smarter-campaign/

What: Protest at Mt. Sinai Hospital for failure to treat a patient for possible exposure to HIV
Where: Mt. Sinai Medical Center – Madison Ave. between 100th and 101st St.
When: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 -- 12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM
Who: Members of ACT UP, New Yorkers concerned with HIV prevention.

About ACT UP

Founded in 1987, ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. ACT UP currently meets every Monday night at 7PM ET via Zoom. Notes: you will be asked to contribute your first & last name and email address to access online meetings, and KN-95 masks are required for ACT UP NY in person meetings/actions/gatherings. All individuals are welcome!

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