Dr. A. Brad Truax

History of Dr. A. Brad Truax Awards
The Dr. A. Brad Truax Award was created to honor the memory of Dr. Truax and his contributions to the HIV/AIDS effort in San Diego. The Dr. A. Brad Truax Award, Outstanding Service Truax Awards, and Community Service Awards are given annually to recognize the outstanding contributions made by individuals involved in the struggle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our community.
Brad Truax was one of the first physicians in San Diego to treat people with AIDS. He became an advocate for laws to protect people with HIV/AIDS from discrimination and also became aware of his own AIDS diagnosis. Under his leadership in the 1980s, the Regional Task Force on AIDS began to coordinate a community-wide response in the fight against the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. This task of community planning, which Dr. Truax and the Task Force began, was ultimately taken up by the former HIV Health Services Planning Council, organized in 1990, and the former HIV Care Coalition, organized in 1991, both to address care services provided through the Ryan White CARE Act, and the former HIV Prevention Community Planning Board, established in 1995. These planning efforts continue today through the integrated San Diego County HIV Planning Group which merged in 2016.
Dr. Truax was also an active member of the San Diego Physicians for Human Rights, which coordinated the first organized community campaign to raise funding for HIV/AIDS services and successfully competed to bring the first State money for HIV prevention to San Diego in 1983. Brad Truax exemplified community service even while he was sick with the ravages of the virus. He died from AIDS-related complications in 1988 at the age of 42. His memorial service was attended by hundreds of people. His legacy lives on today in the San Diego County HIV Planning Group, as well as San Diego County’s continuum of HIV prevention, care, treatment and support services for people vulnerable to and living with HIV.
The 33rd Annual Dr. A. Brad Truax Awards Ceremony
Recording of the 33rd Annual Dr. A. Brad Truax Award Ceremony (Virtual)
Previous Truax Award Recipients
2022 Kenneth Riley, MD 2021 Ruben Quezada 2020 Jim Dunn 2019 Jeannette Aldous, MD 2018 Jay Blount 2017 Joseph Burke 2016 Dan Uhler 2015 Douglas Richman, MD 2014 Mikie Lochner 2013 Virginia (Vicky) Sanchez 2012 Teresa Oyos 2011 Elizabeth Brosnan Johnson | 2010 Tim Smith
2009
Davey Smith, MD
2008 Sergio Rivera Flores 2007 Terry Cunningham 2006 Rosana Scolari 2005 Ted Gibbings 2004 Terry Albritton 2003 Mary Caffery 2002 Fernando Sanudo 2001 Tom & Carolyn Owen-Towle 2000 Alberto Cortés | 1999 Ron Gagne 1998 Mark Mischan 1997 Irene Milton 1996 Rick Osbourne 1995 Carole Norman 1994 Bill Thompson 1993 Rick Siordian 1992 Dean Chiasson, MD 1991 Dan O’Shea 1990 Ed Fletcher 1989 Chris Mathews, MD |
Previous Service Award Recipients
HIV Education, Prevention, and/or Counseling and Testing | HIV Care, Treatment, and/or Support Services | HIV Planning, Advocacy, and/or Policy Development |
2022 Lisa Asmus 2021 Nicholas Lagunas | 2022 Jerry Turner 2021 Tammelita Cotlon-Pineda | 2022 Rhea Van Brocklin 2021 Jeremiah Ruiz |
Email Us: HPG.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov |