Dr. Helene Gayle Nominated As Chair Of The Presidential Advisory Council On HIV/AIDS – On Monday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius revealed plans to appoint Dr. Helene Gayle as head of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Sebelius described Dr. Gayle as “an internationally acclaimed leader with a long history of working to end the epidemic.” The announcement was made at the 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference held in Atlanta. For more information, please read the press release available on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site.

The White House Office Of National AIDS Policy Launches New Web Site – On Tuesday, Jeffrey Crowley, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy announced the organization’s new Web site. The new site bridges policy makers and the public. It provides updates on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) policies and allows visitors to submit comments regarding the NHAS and other related issues. Please check out the new Office of National AIDS Policy Web site.

CDC Mortality Statistics Report A Ten Percent Decrease In Deaths Caused By HIV/AIDS – Statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 19 indicated a total of 11,061 deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2007, a ten percent decrease from the mortality rate in 2006 and the largest one-year decline since 1998. The report, “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2007,” also shows that HIV remains the sixth leading cause of death among 25 to 44 year-olds. For more information, please see the CDC press release or read the full report.