1917 Clinic - 1917 Clinic 1988 Birmingham, AL

For over 25 years, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 1917 Clinic has provided comprehensive core medical and social services to adult HIV infected patients. Medical specialty, dental and mental health services are also available onsite.
The 1917 Clinic was opened as a result of the hard work of UAB infectious disease expert, Dr. Michael S. Saag. Saag was a pioneer in clinical trials for antiretroviral drugs now commonly used in HIV treatment and in understanding the importance of viral-load testing in treatment plan. Saag understood the need for a comprehensive and community centered treatment and research center which gave way to the start of the 1917 clinic on January 28, 1988. It received its name from the building where it was located at 1917 5th Ave South.

The current director is Dr. James L. Raper who worked with Saag in the mid-1990s and has continued with the clinic since.

The 1917 Clinic receives Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act funding to provide access to comprehensive health care for low-income, uninsured and under-insured HIV infected adults regardless of any pre-existing or non-HIV related conditions. Patients who are HIV infected are not denied service based on inability to pay copays, sliding scale fees or other payments. Patients who have bills that are in collections are not denied services. Serving more than 1,969 patients annually, this academically based clinic is the largest HIV health care unit in Alabama.

The work of the Invisible Histories Project is made possible by our amazing partners, our financial supporters, and individuals like you. Special thanks go out to The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their continued support for the preservation of LGBTQ Deep South history and this project and AIDS Alabama for being the home of the IHP office in Birmingham.