NEW YORK, NY, August 1, 2005—The August issue of POZ, America’s leading AIDS magazine, shows off our bold new redesign, which compliments our recently relaunched and expanded website (www.poz.com). The massive makeover by veteran designer Roger Black and Randall Leers, who POZ recently hired from O, the Oprah magazine, provides a dramatic, emotional immediacy to the magazine’s visuals and promotes our mission to help HIVers connect to the best info, experts-and, above all, each other-to take charge of their health.

In this issue, POZ senior editor David Evans investigates the current state of HIV prevention in America, asserting that the recent supervirus false alarm clearly signals the need for HIVers to “bite the bullet” and take charge of HIV prevention before powerful right-wing moralizers destroy it-and take HIVers down with it. He also unveils cutting-edge research suggesting that as few as 5% of positive people are fueling HIV infections, and that the bulk of current prevention programs miss this critical core group entirely. He urges all HIVers to fight for effective new prevention that speaks to this hard-to-reach group and fits the realities of life with HIV. “Failing to reach-and reach out to-the most despised and irresponsible among us will lead to retribution against all HIVers,” writes Evans.

TREATING OUTSIDE THE BOX
POZ examines dogma-defying doctors who don’t pile on more meds for HIVers with drug-resistant virus. Instead, these maverick thinkers customize their patients’ regimens with unconventional doses and strategies-one calls it “dialing in and out”- to exploit HIV’s mutations, suppress overly active immune systems and simplify their patients’ combos while improving their health.

A PROFILE IN LEATHER
POZ chats with Kwame “Blackkat” Banks, the first black HIVer to win American Leatherman-a title given to the community minded (in leather). Banks delves into his HIV prevention campaign, his unconventional family and his taste in leather fashions. “My friends tease me; they’re like, ’You’re like Venessa Williams!’ ” says Banks.

THE NEW POZ MENTOR PROGRAM
In a new website service, POZ matches an HIV rookie with a particular need with an HIV veteran with that particular knowledge. In our new tie-in in the magazine this month, the topic is getting diagnosed and then getting on with living-without fixating on dying. “I focus on the things I can control and learn how to stay healthy,” advises activist Michelle Lopez. For more on the POZ Mentor program, visit  www.poz.com.

OTHER NEW ITEMS:
Doctor’s Diary on patients who don’t want empowerment, Ask the Sexpert on mixed status love, the debate on the AIDS vaccine, a crystal-meth success story and much more…

POZ can provide hard copies and PDFs of the issue and interviews with writers and editors upon request. For a full update on AIDS headlines and relevant links, check out POZ.com’s new twice-weekly News & Views at www.poz.com.

Launched in 1994, POZ is an award-winning national magazine with a monthly readership of 100,000. POZ offers clear, innovative and often surprising reflections of the complexities of life with HIV. POZ is published by Smart + Strong.