Dr. David Lee

Advances in treatments and changes at agencies mark another year of HIV treatment and care

DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com

Over the past 40 years, 35 million people around the world have died of AIDS related illnesses; today 38 million people live with the virus. World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988 on Dec. 1 to fight stigma, remember friends lost to the virus and honor those living with it.

This year, observances in DFW include AIDS Outreach Center’s annual “Red Ribbon Gala: Boots & Bling” and Resource Center’s “Red Ribbon.”

The numbers, the history
The most recent statistics for HIV diagnoses in the U.S. are for 2021. In Dallas County, 20,268 people were living with HIV in 2021, including 820 people newly diagnosed that year. Across Texas, 100,700 people are living with HIV, and in the U.S., 1.2 million people live with the virus.

The red ribbon became a symbol of support and compassion for people living with HIV in 1991 when 12 artists put together a project for Visual AIDS, a New York arts organization.

By the mid-90s, drugs that controlled the virus were successfully being tested and, by 2000, were on the market and making a dramatic difference. People were living longer with HIV; their immune systems were remaining intact, and they weren’t developing the opportunistic infections that were the cause of death for most people with AIDS.

Within a few years, less toxic and more effective medications were developed and by 2010, doctors noticed that people who were on these drugs tested undetectable for HIV.

While HIV was still in their system, with those for whom the virus levels who were undetectable, the virus was also untransmittable.

As an HIV prevention method, PrEP — Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, HIV meds given to people who test negative to prevent transmission — is now taken by many who are most at risk for exposure to the virus.

And in the last year, injectable HIV medications have come on the market. Rather than taking a daily pill, those with HIV can get a monthly injection. Tests are underway to decrease the frequency of injections to every other month or even quarterly.

Events

World AIDS Day was once marked with dramatic events. In the early 1990s, Dallas’ activist organization G*U*T*S chalked body outlines on the plaza outside Dallas City Hall and wrote the names of friends who died of the disease across the outlines. While the event was completely peaceful, it scared the hell out of the Dallas City Council at the time.

Steven Pace

This year, Resource Center is marking World AIDS Day with its Red Ribbon Candlelight Vigil and Tree Lighting on Thursday, Nov. 30, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the community center, 5750 Cedar Springs Road.

The event is to show support for those living with HIV and to remember those we have lost.

Emcee DR Mann Hanson will provide music along with performances by The Women’s Chorus of Dallas and the Turtle Creek Chorale. Resource Center CEO Cece Cox will speak. The center’s mobile testing unit will be on hand.

AIDS Outreach Center in Fort Worth holds its Red Ribbon Gala, dubbed “Boots and Bling,” on World AIDS Day “by celebrating and showing support to those individuals living with HIV and recognizing the strides that AOC has made in the community in its fight against HIV.”

The gala takes place at The 4 Eleven event venue, 411 S. Main St. in Fort Worth, from 6:30 p.m.-midnight. In addition to food and cocktails, the evening includes a remembrance entitled In Memoriam and music by The Inspiration Band.

The event is sold out.

Dallas County Health and Human Services marks World AIDS Day at 10 a.m. at its building at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway “as funded subrecipients share their efforts toward advancing linkage to care. Poster presentations will be shared across 12 different organizations and departments within Dallas County.”

Agency changes

Two local AIDS agencies made major announcements recently about leaders retiring.

Steven Pace, president and CEO of AIN, will retire at the end of the year. Since the retirement of Don Maison at AIDS Services Dallas, Pace has been the longest-serving head of an AIDS agency anywhere in the U.S.

Pace has worked in HIV/AIDS service organizations for more than 42 years and has headed AIN, formerly known as AIDS Interfaith Network, for more than 27 years.

Under his leadership, AIN expanded from a small agency linking the religious community to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS to become a provider of case management, medical transportation and meals. AIN’s Daire Center provides socialization and stabilization as well as nutritional support and respite in a warm, welcoming and safe environment. And AIN helps other service providers by offering linguistic services.

For the last six years, AIN has been an AIDS Healthcare Foundation affiliate, providing medical care to its clients on premises.

“Serving people and communities and providing leadership to inspire others to serve is my personal and professional mission,” Pace said. “Supporting people with HIV has been an honor and a privilege for me. Reflecting on my time at AIN, I am filled with immense gratitude for the opportunities to provide both leadership and service through this amazing organization.”

On Dec. 7, the public is welcome to come and honor Pace’s service at a reception from 4-7 p.m. at the Daire Center, 2600 Stemmons Freeway.

And Uptown Physicians Group, a division of Prism Health North Texas, announced medical director Dr. David Lee will be retiring as of Jan 18.

Uptown Physicians focuses its care on the LGBTQ community with a specialty in HIV and AIDS care, STI testing and treatment, PrEP as well as general medical care.

Lee completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where he continued to serve as a member of the medical staff. He specialized in general Internal Medicine and HIV Medicine and is credentialed by the American Academy of HIV Medicine as an HIV Specialist. He was also named a Dallas Voice Readers Voice Award Winner for seven consecutive years.

Upon retirement, Lee plans to treat “underserved patients in countries with limited resources.” His practice will be absorbed by Dr. Taylor Schmidt, but patients may transfer to any of the other UPG physicians.