Janssen Therapeutics LINCC™ Program Continues its Commitment to Underserved Populations with Charitable Contributions to 16 HIV/AIDS Organizations Across the U.S.

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Janssen Therapeutics

Apr 24, 2013, 08:06 ET

TITUSVILLE, N.J., April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP, today announced the 16 organizations that will receive a charitable contribution from its Linking In-Need Communities to Care (LINCC™) Initiative. The LINCC™ Initiative is part of the Janssen Therapeutics commitment to improving access to care in underserved communities for those whose lives are impacted by HIV/AIDS.

The recipients for the 2012-2013 cycle each received charitable contributions of up to $30,000 in support of programs to address personal, societal and structural barriers to care for individuals diagnosed and living with HIV/AIDS. Since the LINCC™ Initiative began in 2010, Janssen Therapeutics has contributed nearly $1.6 million to 44 community-based HIV/AIDS organizations in rural and urban areas of unmet need.

During the past three years, LINCC™ funding has focused on the country's most at-risk populations for HIV infection according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1: women of color and African-American men who have sex with men. Activities supported through the LINCC™ Initiative cycle for 2012-2013 will also reach historically marginalized communities, such as incarcerated persons living with HIV/AIDS and the transgender community.

"The HIV epidemic is not going away and it often hits those in greatest need of care the hardest," said Carine Brouillon, President of Janssen Therapeutics. "We're proud that for the third year in row, the LINCC™ Initiative carries on our commitment to help improve access to care and health outcomes, while also addressing healthcare disparities among the HIV community."

This year's 16 recipients comprise a diverse range of organizations that serve HIV/AIDS communities across the United States including:

About HIV in the U.S.
Early access to HIV care and treatment may improve health outcomes and reduce the likelihood of viral transmission. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 25 percent of the 1.1 million Americans living with HIV are virally suppressed. Ensuring that people living with HIV have access to and remain in care and stay on treatment will increase the proportion of individuals who achieve and maintain viral suppression, which is critical to improve health and realize the full potential prevention benefits of treatment.2

About the LINCC™ Initiative
Programs funded through the LINCC™ Initiative focus on improving access to care, optimizing health outcomes and reducing HIV-related health disparities, particularly in underserved communities. U.S.-based 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organizations focusing on HIV/AIDS were eligible to submit proposals to the LINCC™ Initiative. Submissions were assessed on their potential to address access to HIV care, and to link diagnosed patients to medical and supportive care. The LINCC™ Initiative extends the Janssen Therapeutics tradition of funding endeavors that address areas of significant unmet need in the HIV/AIDS community, while at the same time providing private sector funding to community-based organizations that are working to fulfill the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. To learn more, visit http://www.janssentherapeutics-grants.com.

About Janssen Therapeutics
At Janssen, we are dedicated to addressing and solving some of the most important unmet medical needs of our time in HIV and other infectious diseases. Driven by our commitment to patients, we develop innovative products, services and healthcare solutions to help people throughout the world. Headquartered in Titusville, New Jersey, Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP, is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Visit www.JanssenTherapeutics.com for more information and follow us on Twitter at @JanssenUS.

1.     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Incidence Estimate 2007-2010. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/reports/index.htm#supplemental. HIV Supplemental Report 2012. Accessed March 26, 2013.

2.     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fact Sheet: HIV in the United States–The Stages of Care. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/2012/Stages-of-CareFactSheet-508.pdf. Published July 2012. Accessed January 31, 2013.

SOURCE Janssen Therapeutics