First-of-its-Kind Education Program Developed to Teach High School Students About the Science of HIV And AIDS, Announced Abbott and NSTA

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WASHINGTON, March 26, 1997 -- The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), in partnership with Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), a leader in AIDS research and product development, today announced the launch of the new education program, The Science of HIV. This innovative high school science curriculum package teaches students about the science behind HIV and AIDS.

"It's critical that we teach students about the science of HIV, and America's science classrooms are the perfect place to start," said Gerald Wheeler, NSTA executive director.

A recent tracking report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that new AIDS cases among 13- to 25-year-olds infected through sex and drug needles rose 20 percent between 1990 and 1995.

"The research community has made encouraging progress in treating AIDS, but the only 100 percent effective treatment we have is prevention," said James Gallarda, Ph.D., a senior research biochemist for Abbott Laboratories who was actively involved in the program's development.

"By teaching the science of HIV and AIDS, we hope to give students a better understanding of how this disease is prevented and treated," said Gallarda. "Abbott believes strongly that education is the missing link in stopping the spread of AIDS."

The Science of HIV, developed for students in grades 9 through 12, includes the following components:

A 184-page teacher's guide with lab activities, readings and discussions on:

• cell biology;
• general virus and HIV structure;
• immune system function and HIV infection; and
• the latest drug therapeutics and infection prevention.

A 30-minute video featuring:

• animated segments illustrating complex scientific concepts;
• young adults with HIV who share their stories; and
• behind-the-scenes interviews with researchers and clinicians at work.

Interactive, hands-on student activities, including:

• an experiment that demonstrates how quickly the HIV virus spreads;
• an experiment where students transfer a virus from an infected bean plant to a healthy one; and
• an experiment to demonstrate how the immune system reacts to a virus.

Teaching about HIV/AIDS

Science teachers agree that The Science of HIV curriculum is critically needed. Carole Daniel, a biology teacher at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington, D.C., was one of the first teachers to use the curriculum as part of a pilot program. "Most of my students thought that HIV wouldn't affect them," said Daniel.

"But, after we did an experiment from the curriculum simulating how HIV is transmitted, they realized just how non-discriminating and fast-spreading HIV really is," said Daniel.

"They learned that they're not immune to it."

New Survey Shows Students Very Concerned about HIV and AIDS

HIV and AIDS rank high among concerns of today's high school students, according to a new survey conducted by Impulse Research for the National Science Teachers Association. While students expressed most concern over doing well in school and about general health, HIV and AIDS ranked near the top with more than half (52 percent) of the 2,800 students surveyed saying they are very concerned about it. HIV and AIDS ranked higher than other problems such as violence (30 percent), destruction of the environment (28 percent), and drug or alcohol addiction (25 percent).

The survey also allowed students to write in specific questions about HIV/AIDS. More than 80 percent of the questions asked by students are addressed by The Science of HIV. These include: What kind of research is being done to find a cure? How long can the virus stay in the body without being detected? Where did HIV/AIDS originate? How does it spread?

The Science of HIV teacher's guide and video were developed with funding from Abbott Laboratories, which has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to researching and marketing products that diagnose and screen for HIV, treat the conditions caused by AIDS, and prevent the HIV virus from replicating inside the body. Abbott also contributed $1 million to fund the first permanent exhibit on the science of AIDS at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Published by the National Science Teachers Association, The Science of HIV reflects the combined knowledge of a panel of experts including educators, scientists, staff of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other members of the health care community.

The Science of HIV video will air on Discovery Channel's "Assignment Discovery" in the fall of 1997. Cost of the curriculum package is $39.95, plus postage and handling. Teachers can order a copy by contacting NSTA at 800-722-NSTA. Or, write to NSTA, 1840 Wilson Bo levard, Arlington, VA 2201.

CONTACT: Cindy Workosky of National Science Teachers Association, 703-312-9248; or John Thomas of Abbott Laboratories, 847-938-2655