A German men's magazine called Vangardist is raising awareness for HIV and AIDS by printing 3,000 copies of its latest issue with HIV-infected ink.
According to MSN, the blood was donated by three men living with the virus as a way to get people talking about the global epidemic. Each copy is wrapped in plastic, which carries a note that reads, "Break the seal and help break the stigma." The Spring issue features stories about "HIV heroes."
Jason Romeyko is the Executive Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, the advertising agency who helped create the cover and tells CBS News that there's been an 80% increase in HIV in the last 10 years.
"With this unique project, we want to create a response in a heartbeat by transforming the media into the very root of the stigma itself - by printing every word, line, picture and page of the magazine with blood from HIV+ people. By holding the issue, readers are immediately breaking the taboo."
CBS News explains the process of printing the controversial issue:
The three donors' blood samples were taken to a lab at the University of Innsbruck where they were pasteurized, a heat process that assures the virus is neutralized and incapable of transmission. From there, the blood was mixed into an ink solution for use in the printing press. But the magazine ran into some trouble finding a printer willing to do the job.
It finally turned to a small print shop that had produced its very first issue, and the owner agreed to do it himself, not wanting to make his employees take part.
The agency also wants to put people's fears to rest, saying that the magazine carries no risk of infection and the cover itself is "100% safe" to hold.
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