reasons to support ppp
  1. Because the drug-related spread of AIDS is a problem of massive proportions.

    Since the onset of the AIDS epidemic, injection drug use has directly or indirectly accounted for 36% of all AIDS cases in the United States. In Philadelphia, 41% of AIDS cases among men and 52% of AIDS cases among women are the result of shared needles or of sex with an infected injection drug user. Moreover, Pennsylvania has the seventh highest injection-related AIDS rate in the nation.

    The most vulnerable members of societyare disproportionately affected by the drug-related spread of AIDS. Particularly vulnerable are women of color. Although African-American women make up only 12% of women in the US, they account for 50% of IDU-related AIDS cases among women. Similarly, Latina women account for 25% of IDU-related AIDS cases among women, but only 10% of all women.

  2. Because PPP is helping to alleviate this problem.

    PPP reduces the spread of HIV and Hepatitis by taking used syringes off the streets and distributing sterile syringes to injection drug users. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala determined that syringe exchange effectively prevents the transmission of HIV without increasing drug use. PPP also provides harm reduction education and tools to help drug users and sex workers protect themselves and their sexual partners from HIV and other blood-borne diseases.

  3. Because injection drug users, sex workers and transgendered people face immense barriers to accessing health care and social services.

    A study of PPP's participants revealed that over 50% of those surveyed did not have a primary care doctor and more than 25% had not received health care of any kind in the past year. Among those with self-reported conditions, 37% of HIV-positive patients were not on medication and 25% had not seen a doctor in a year. Sixty-six percent (66%) of those with diabetes were not on medication, as was the case with nearly 50% of those with Hepatitis, 40% of those with heart disease and 50% of those with lung problems.

    PPP provides a wide range of services designed specifically for these underserved populations, including primary medical care, reproductive health services, legal advocacy, HIV testing and counseling and support groups. We link drug users, sex workers and trans people to comprehensive medical care, drug treatment, social services, public benefits, housing and job training.

  4. Because PPP gets results.

    In 2003, we collected 890,686 used syringes and disposed them at a medical waste facility. We made 1,072 referrals to drug treatment, medical care and social services; performed 308 HIV tests; cared for 634 patients in our medical clinics; and helped over 300 people in support groups.