“Médico de Familia’ Joins Forces with Latino Commission on AIDS

“The national Spanish-language health monthly “Médico de Familia” (www.medicodefamilia.org) announced today that it will be partnering with the pioneering HIV/AIDS advocacy and public health organization Latino Commission on AIDS to distribute information to Spanish-speakers in the U.S. about prevention and treatment options for the disease that every year kills some 3 million people worldwide.

“There is a huge language gap in this country that prevents Spanish speakers from having access to the facts about diseases such as HIV/AIDS that plague our community,” said Johnny Cobos, CEO of Parlante Inc., publisher of “Médico de Familia” magazine, which is publishing a three-part series on AIDS starting in July. “We need to do all we can to make people aware that this is a 100% preventable disease.”

As part of the partnership, the Latino Commission on AIDS will provide critical insight about prevention and treatment issues that affect health outcomes for Latinos and participate as the official “think tank” and advisor to the magazine on editorial content for the special series. The organization will also provide bonus distribution of the magazine through its promotional events and health conferences.

“There are so many myths in the Latino community about HIV/AIDS,” said the Commission’s president, Dennis deLeon. “It’s encouraging that there is a free, high-quality resource in Spanish such as “Médico de Familia” magazine, that is out there dispelling misconceptions and offering crucial information to a segment of the population that is gravely underserved with health information.”

About “Médico de Familia”
“Médico de Familia” (www.medicodefamilia.org) is a unique health monthly written by Hispanic physicians in plainspoken Spanish for U.S. Hispanic consumers. The publication fills a void in the Hispanic consumer print market, using the insight and experience of member doctors of the Interamerican College of Physicians and Surgeons (ICPS) as the origin for much of the magazine’s editorial content. More than 60,000 magazines are distributed through ICPS-affiliate doctors’ offices, clinics and health fairs in high-density Hispanic zip codes ”” the MDs’ enthusiasm for the ICPS as an educational and lobbying group drives the perception of the magazine as an important source for information and reference. In September, the magazine’s audited national circulation will increase to 100,000 monthly copies to satisfy patient demand.

About the Latino Commission on AIDS
Established in 1990, the Commission is dedicated to resolving the HIV crisis in the Latino community, where social stigma, poverty, language barriers, immigration status fears, and access to care deter testing and increase the infection rate. Over 200,000 Latinos in the U.S. and Puerto Rico are living with HIV/AIDS. The fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S., Latinos constitute 14% of the U.S. population but account for over 20% of the AIDS cases. The Commission’s public health model encompasses four core and complementary services provided to Latino communities: health education, HIV prevention, capacity building, and advocacy. All services are offered in Spanish by a culturally diverse bilingual staff of health, education and business professionals. “

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