Mediaplanet and POZ Editors Join Together to Recognize World AIDS Day and Publish Surviving the Virus

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Dec 01, 2010, 12:52 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of World AIDS Day 2010, the editors and publishers of Mediaplanet and POZ join together to ask readers, "Are you tuned into the truth about your sexual health?" Today, more people are living with HIV/AIDS than ever before – including an estimated 1.2 million in the United States and 33 million people worldwide. Surviving the Virus, a guide to preventing, treating and living with HIV/AIDS, is available today within USA Today in select markets and on Mediaplanet.com.

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"By awakening the American public to the very real and present danger HIV/AIDS presents to people today, this special World AIDS Day supplement will hopefully serve as a powerful tool for personal and public health," said Regan Hofmann, Editor-in-Chief of POZ. "POZ regularly empowers, educates and inspires people with HIV/AIDS to take control of their health in order to live long, healthy lives. POZ hopes this supplement, produced in partnership with Mediaplanet, will lead people to know the truth about, get tested for and, if necessary, seek care and treatment for HIV/AIDS--three things that stop the spread of the disease and save lives."

At a time when so many of today's hit prime-time TV shows promote sexual promiscuity – especially in teens and young adults – much of mainstream media is missing out on a chance to teach audiences about some of the very serious life threatening repercussions of unsafe sex such as HIV and AIDS. Real-world consequences of risky sexual behavior are frequently glossed over in the fantasy world of pop culture.

Through Surviving the Virus, Mediaplanet and POZ, with the help of Merck & Co., Inc., Positive Charge, BioScrip, Trojan Brand Condoms, aim to raise awareness about these issues and inspire readers to understand their risks, get tested, and engage in an open dialogue with family and friends.

Mediaplanet is the leading independent publisher of focused reports distributed within top newspaper partners and online sites around the world. For more information, see www.mediaplanet.com.

POZ is America's leading magazine and website for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. For more information, see www.poz.com.