HHS Secretary Names HIV/AIDS Presidential Advisory Council Co-Chairs, New Members
As expected, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Friday named Dr. Louis Sullivan, a former HHS Secretary, and Dr. Thomas Coburn, a former U.S. representative from Oklahoma, as co-chairs of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, according to an HHS press release. Thompson also named 23 new council members, chosen for their expertise in HIV/AIDS and their "diverse personal and professional backgrounds," who may serve terms of up to four years and will join the nine members who are already serving terms on the council. "Under the leadership of Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Coburn, these new council members will be an invaluable resource for the administration as we continue the nation's battle against HIV and AIDS," Thompson said, adding, "HHS has long supported a vigorous response to this terrible disease through extensive research, prevention initiatives and expanding access to quality care and treatment. The expertise that the new members bring will help our efforts grow even stronger." The council, established in 1995 and renewed by President Bush in July 2001, provides HIV/AIDS program and policy recommendations to the president and the HHS secretary (HHS release, 3/1). The names of the 23 new members can be viewed online.
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