Local News in Brief : Explicit AIDS Lessons Urged

The California AIDS Leadership Committee on Wednesday adopted a policy calling for use of explicit language in AIDS education material even if some people may find it offensive.

“The social and economic benefits of preventing HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS) is of paramount importance and should take precedence over the risk of offending some persons by the frankness . . .” the committee said.

The group, meeting at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport, also said it may be necessary for health officials to use explicit pictures or illustrations of sexual or drug-using practices. But it said that efforts should be made to offend the least number of people possible while still being effective.

After an “intense hearing” with AIDS-policy critic Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton), the committee voted to reconfirm its opposition “at this time” to mandatory testing for HIV.

Dannemeyer, backer of Proposition 102, which would require the reporting of the names of all of those who test positive, contended that it is “absurd” that current state law requires mandatory reporting of curable venereal diseases but not HIV.

The 33-member California AIDS Leadership Committee was appointed by Dr. Kenneth W. Kizer, director of the state Health Department, after Gov. George Deukmejian designated Kizer’s department as the state’s lead agency in the fight against AIDS.