California school, national association to combat STDs

Officials from the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research have announced a partnership with the University California Berkeley School of Public Health in order to slow the spreading of multiple sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). By combining resources with the school, the forum will have the chance to work with faculty and researchers who are currently studying developments in HIV/AIDS testing.

Both the school and the organization have been working for years on efforts to publicize the importance of STD prevention and treatment opportunities for those who have tested positive for STDs those kinds of diseases. Both institutions are looking to improve access to care for people with STDs, especially in low-income communities where high-risk populations may live.

The partnership between the two institutions has been established at a crucial point when advancements in STD care are proceeding at a fast pace. The most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that in 2003, more than 1 million Americans had HIV, and approximately one-fourth of these individuals were unaware they had contracted the disease.

Veronica Miller, executive director of the forum, stated that "the school has expressed full support for our research, policy and educational missions concerning HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis, which bring an extra dimension to the school's own research and educational mission."