Draft:Mark Milano

Mark Milano

Milano being arrested for civil disobedience at a protest.

Mark Milano was one of the world’s longest-surviving HIV patients, acquiring the virus as early as 1981, being diagnosed in 1982 and passing in 2026. He was also a long-time AIDS activist, helping save millions of lives by organizing and participating in protests to change American legislation, his work in AIDS education for various health organizations, and media interviews, lectures on AIDS research, prevention and treatments, work with grassroots organizations and bringing attention to causes by being arrested 23 times.

HIV Diagnosis

When Milano became ill in 1982 from something Milano contracted in1981, doctors (then not familiar with HIV), did not immediately diagnose his condition. At one point, he was given steroids to treat sarcoidosis, almost killing him, but possibly causing a mutation of his virus that might have helped create his 45-year longevity.

45-Year Survival and Death

Despite his compromised immune system, Milano survived bouts of lung cancer, anal cancer and kidney cancer during his life.

He received a kidney transplant from his brother Phillip in 2025, which multiple doctors initially would not perform due to their belief the transplant would be rejected, due to Milano’s compromised immune system. Milano had the procedure, had no complications from the transplant and no longer needed dialysis.

In late 2025, Milano’s cancer came back and spread through his body. After his initial chemotherapy treatment, Milano succumbed to his illness on January 23, 2026.

Al Gore Protest

When Al Gore announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States at a large, outdoor rally, a single whistle blew, quickly followed by others. When the media later asked what the whistles were, they found that protestors wanted to bring attention to the fact that Gore, as the current vice president of the U.S. was representing the U.S. in trade actions attempting to ban generic versions of American-made AIDS medication from being manufactured and sold in other countries, specifically Africa.

Milano blew the first whistle at the Gore protest, and due to increasing negative media coverage, the Clinton administration, and U.S. drug manufacturers, dropped their opposition to generic AIDS drugs being made available outside the U.S., saving millions of lives since 2000.

Grass Roots Activism

Milano was a member of ACT UP New York, Health Gap, a founding member of the groups Rise and Resist and The Reclaim Pride Coalition, AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (where he was newsletter editor), and AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition, among other groups.

He participated in hundreds of acts of civil disobedience, relating to health, homelessness, COVID-19 policy and other issues. When he protested the George W. Bush administration’s efforts to block a plan for debt relief to help the world’s poorest nations fight AID at a 2004 Republican Youth Convention, Milano was arrested after being badly beaten by young Republicans.

In January 2017, Milano and other Rise and Resist members staged a "cough-in" protest at the Jean-Georges restaurant inside Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City. Protesters, coughing loudly to represent the potential health impact of repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), disrupted the dining area.

In 2001, he helped disrupt a $500-a-plate George W. Bush fundraiser, protesting Bush administration AIDS policies.

Other activities included:

• “Zapping” (interrupting) White House Chief of Staff Andy Card during the Republican National Convention in 2004
• Disrupting Donald Trump's inaugural address in 2017
• Protesting the Pope over the Catholic Church's stance on sexual orientation
• Organizing a protest outside the Chinese consulate to demand the release of AIDS activist, Dr. Wan Yanhai

At his memorial, organizers passed out t-shirts with a picture of Milano being arrested and, “23 Arrests. No Convictions” printed across the front.

As a treatment educator, Milano helped people access to knowledge about HIV science and treatment, building a movement of patient empowerment.

Discrimination Lawsuit

Milano won a landmark HIV-discrimination lawsuit in 2017 after he was denied treatment by a doctor who had a policy of not performing procedures on HIV patients.

Milano scheduled a cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Emmanuel Asare of Springfield Medical Aesthetic to address an issue that developed after he began taking an anti-viral medication for his HIV condition. When Asare found out that Milano was HIV positive, he refused to discuss further offering Milano the procedure, citing his clinic’s blanket policy of not providing any type of surgery to HIV patients.

Milano intervened as a co-defendant in an ADA lawsuit brought against Asare by two others who Asare had refused to treat, with the case being taken up the U.S. Justice Department representing two of the defendants on the basis of an ADA violation. Milano sued under the New York City Human Rights Law.

Milano and the other defendants won the case, and all three received settlements of $125,000 each.

Asare, who earned his medical degree from a school in Ukraine, is now selling a “miracle superfruit,” according to his LinkedIn page.

Annual Memorial Award

Health GAP (Global Access Project), an international, US-based activist organization dedicated to ensuring, expanding and protecting access to life-saving HIV treatment and prevention for all people, announced at Mark Milano’s May 3, 2026 memorial, that it would establish an annual award in Milano’s name to honor courage in the fight for health justice.

The award stems from plans previously made with Mark Milano to celebrate his life and work, which included an intended "Global Health Justice" award, following his death.

The award will be given annually to recognize individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to HIV/AIDS activism and health justice.