1991
January 18: CDC reports the possible transmission of HIV to a patient through a dental procedure performed by an HIV-positive dentist, who is ultimately identified as Florida dentist David Acer, who died of AIDS-related illness on September 3, 1990. This report provokes much public debate about the safety of common dental and medical procedures.
April: The Health Resources and Services Administration begins distributing its first grants under the new Ryan White CARE ACT. In Fiscal Year (FY)1991, HRSA disburses over $220 million for HIV emergency relief, care, and early intervention.
June 2: The Visual AIDS Artists Caucus launches the Red Ribbon Project at the 45th annual Tony Awards. The red ribbon creates a visual symbol to demonstrate compassion for people living with AIDS and their caregivers. The red ribbon becomes the international symbol of AIDS awareness.
July 12: CDC recommends restrictions on the practice of HIV-positive healthcare workers. Congress goes on to enact a law requiring states to adopt the CDC restrictions or to develop and adopt their own.
August 14: The U.S. Congress passes the Terry Beirn Community-Based Clinical Trials Program Act [PDF, 56 KB] to establish a network of community-based clinical trials for HIV treatment. Beirn, an executive and lobbyist at amfAR, played key roles in the passage of the HOPE Act and the Ryan White CARE Act. He died of AIDS-related illness on July 16, 1990, at age 39.
September 26: Kimberly Bergalis, the first of Florida dentist David Acer’s patients to be diagnosed with HIV, testifies at a congressional hearing in support of legislation calling for mandatory HIV testing for healthcare workers who do invasive medical procedures and prohibiting those who test positive from practicing. After pushback from the medical and HIV communities, who note the very low risk and the enormous costs, the legislation fails.
September 30: ACT UP demonstrators rally in front of the White House to protest the lack of federal action in the response to HIV/AIDS. They chain themselves together and smear handprints in fake blood on the brick fenceposts.
November 7: American basketball star Earvin “Magic” Johnson announces that he is HIV-positive.
November 24: Freddie Mercury, lead singer/ songwriter of the rock band Queen, dies of AIDS-related illness at age 45, just 24 hours after he issues a statement acknowledging that he is HIV-positive.
December 8: Kimberly Bergalis dies of AIDS-related illness at age 23.