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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - October 2014
2014 Omololu Falobi Award For Excellence In HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy Presented Posthumously to Nigerian Advocate Oyelakin Taiwo Oladayo
October 31, 2014 - Cape Town, South Africa - Oyelakin Taiwo Oladayo, a passionate advocate for the rights of young people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, has posthumously received the fifth Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence
in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy. The award was accepted on behalf of his family by fellow Nigerian advocate Olayide Akanni during the closing plenary of the HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) conference.
Immune cells proposed as HIV hideout don't last in primate model
Oct. 31, 2014 - Where does HIV hide? Antiretroviral drugs can usually control the virus, but can't completely eliminate it. So any strategy to eradicate HIV from the body has to take
into account not only the main group of immune cells the virus targets, called CD4 or helper T cells, but other infected cells as well.
HIV/AIDS activists protest US Ebola response in New York City
10/31/14 - NEW YORK CITY - HIV/AIDS activists came out in force to take a stance on political responses to Ebola on Thursday. They marched up the east side of Manhattan to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's offices in order to express fears that policies like
mandatory quarantines and travel bans could exacerbate the current health crisis. The protesters numbered about 100, according to one organizer.
Read more...
Maria Mejia
OCTOBER 30, 2014 - Bethany Miller - Taboo Issue Topic: HIV
Maria Mejia is a powerhouse, even when she’s fragile. The deepest valleys that she has trekked are what make the mountains she is climbing so important. She’s a Sherpa, climbing them not just for herself, but for every person who’s ever heard the words “You’re HIV positive.”
Read more...
Acting Up Against Ebola
October 30, 2014 - As AIDS activists begin to engage with the ebola outbreak, we need to get our message right. I think we should target dumb quarantines, not all quarantines. Especially, we should target dumb quarantines motivated by politics.
Model by NIH Grantees Explains Why HIV Prevention Dosing Differs by Sex
Oct. 30, 2014 - Approach could potentially be part of future HIV cure strategy
A mathematical model developed by NIH grantees predicts that women must take the antiretroviral medication Truvada daily to prevent HIV infection via vaginal sex, whereas just two doses per week can protect
men from HIV infection via anal sex. This finding helps explain why two large clinical trials testing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, in women failed to show efficacy. Participants in the VOICE and FEM-PrEP trials of Truvada
and tenofovir (another antiretroviral) for HIV prevention were counseled to take one of the medications daily. However, because they actually took the antiretroviral only about 29 percent of the time in VOICE and about
36 percent of the time in FEM-PrEP, the PrEP strategy did not work.
Ontario researchers call for more STI testing, particularly among gay and bisexual men
30 October 2014 - Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs)-such as herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papilloma virus (HPV)-can cause inflammation and/or sores on, around or inside the wet delicate tissue lining the anus, mouth/throat, penis and vagina. In some cases, the inflammation and/or sores may be painless, so affected people may not notice them and so not seek care.
The inflammation caused by STIs may make some people more susceptible to HIV infection.
AIDS New Brunswick starts new sexual health testing clinic
Oct 29, 2014 - UNB's Faculty of Nursing is a partner in the biweekly sexual health testing clinic in Fredericton
AIDS New Brunswick will begin offering a biweekly clinic in Fredericton to test for sexually transmitted infections in an attempt to remove what the organization calls a "barrier" to sexual health care in the province.
Read more...
Research for Prevention conference opens with real hope for an HIV vaccine
29 October 2014 - "There's only one Berlin patient still. But by this time next year he will at least be joined by 40-50 Portland monkeys." This was vaccine researcher Louis Picker, summarising in quotable form why the outlook for the development of an effective HIV vaccine is brighter than it has been for years, in a satellite session in advance of the HIV Research for Prevention conference (R4P) in Cape Town, South Africa, which opens fully today.
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Dick Donato: Reaction to My HIV Disclosure Has Been 'Overwhelmingly Positive'
10/29/2014 - When Big Brother winner Dick Donato decided to go public with his HIV-positive status earlier this month, he wasn't sure what to expect.
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Renowned epidemiologist Robert Remis' HIV/AIDS work was 'life-saving'
October 29, 2014 - Robert Remis loved to talk, to discuss, to debate, to pontificate. At conferences, he was always the first to the mic, with a biting comment or probing question, and at restaurants or the family dinner table, he would always be the last to leave, never wanting the conversation to end.
What he liked to talk about was any hot-button issue, political or scientific. But, more than anything else, he liked to discuss his passion, HIV-AIDS, whether he was at work, at home or socializing.
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SF to spend $300K improving access to anti-HIV drug
October 29, 2014 - While San Francisco's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS have significantly reduced new infections in recent years and helped those infected carry on with productive lives, there are still hundreds of new infections reported per year.
Read more...
Women who took part in VOICE speak up about why they didn't use HIV prevention products
CAPE TOWN, October 29, 2014 - Sub-study of VOICE sheds light on trial's results and women's poor adherence to products being tested
Many of the women at first acted surprised. Some insisted the blood tests were wrong. But most conveyed to researchers why they had not used the study products assigned to them as participants in VOICE,
a large HIV prevention trial that, as a likely consequence, did not find any of the three products that were tested to be effective.
Can social media help stop the spread of HIV?
October 29, 2014 - In addition to providing other potential benefits to public health, all of those tweets and Facebook posts could help curb the spread of HIV.
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Second European PrEP study is closed early due to high effectiveness
29 October 2014 - All participants receiving placebo in IPERGAY trial to be offered PrEP
In an extraordinary development, a second European scientific trial of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has had its randomised phase closed early due to high effectiveness, just two weeks after the UK PROUD trial did exactly the same thing.
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HIV vaccine trial passes first hurdle in South Africa
October 28, 2014 - 'Encouraging' results lay groundwork for more trials in 2015
The first in a series of clinical trials designed to build on the promise of an HIV vaccine that showed modest protection when tested in Thailand has passed a key hurdle, according to a new study. It paves the way for larger HIV vaccine trials to move forward in South Africa.
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HIV R4P: Recognizing Tutu
October 28, 2014 - "HIV research progress will only succeed where human rights are respected," conference co-chair Dr. Helen Rees said again today. It is a fact that has
driven much of what brought people from around the world together here, and that has been repeated already multiple times - in the context of treatment and pre-exposure prophylactic use of antiretroviral medicine, in the context of vaginal and rectal microbicides,
Read more...
Canadian Research Well Represented at HIV Prevention Conference
October 27, 2014 - Winnipeg - International conference in Cape Town attracts world-class research from Canada
A robust contingent of Canadian researchers will present their work this week at the HIV
Research for Prevention (HIV R4P) Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
The conference to be held from Oct. 28 to 31 is expected to attract up to 1,500 global leaders in HIV prevention, research, programs and policy. HIV R4P is the world's first and only scientific meeting
dedicated exclusively to biomedical HIV prevention research.
BC Gay Men's Health Summit to address health info explosion
Oct 27, 2014 - Keeping up with the daily deluge of developments on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media can be a job in itself. But staying on top of the
latest data in the health field can be quite the challenge for health-industry professionals, let alone the average gay or bisexual male.
(RED) Revolution
Uploaded on Oct 27, 2014 - The power of two brackets in the fight against AIDS. The difference between cribs and caskets.
Don't Forget About AIDS
OCT. 27, 2014 - ATLANTA - Elton John on the Unfinished Fight Against AIDS
I came out publicly in 1976, just before the beginning of the AIDS crisis. The gay community I inhabited in those years never dreamed of marriage equality - we simply wanted to live, and to stop the terrible epidemic that kept killing
our loved ones. We've come a long way. But as we celebrate these victories, we must also come together and redouble our efforts to end H.I.V. Only then will we truly have won freedom and equality.
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Can statin treatment cut cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected patients?
27-Oct-2014 - Mass. General-led study will test preventive effects and investigate underlying mechanisms
A nationwide study based at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) will investigate, for the first time, whether treatment with a statin drug can reduce the elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The 6-year trial will enroll 6,500 participants at up to 100 sites primarily in North America. Steven Grinspoon, MD, and Udo Hoffmann MD, MPH, are leading the study at MGH as principal investigators of the Clinical and Data Coordinating Centers, respectively.
Thailand reaffirms its commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030
27 October 2014 - Thailand remains committed to working with other partners to end the AIDS epidemic in the region. Speaking to UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé on 27 October in Bangkok, Thailand, Prime Minister Prayut
Chan-o-cha emphasized that Thailand will maintain its efforts in the HIV response and will share its experience with neighbouring countries and the world. He also stressed that Thailand's commitment to the three zeroes-zero new HIV-infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths-is absolutely unwavering.
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AIDS Activists Oppose Cuomo on Ebola Quarantines
October 27, 2014 - Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Ebola quarantine policy is drawing strong opposition from people who work closely with him on another infectious disease: AIDS.
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Why Can't an HIV Vaccine Be Rushed Like Ebola's?
October 27, 2014 - Why Isn't There an AIDS Vaccine Yet?
While HIV researchers have made advances towards a vaccine, Sharon Hillier of the University of Pittsburgh, who is co-chairing a conference of more than 1,300 HIV researchers in Cape Town this week, called the
virus "crafty" in its latency. Unlike Ebola, it can live inside the body for a long period of time without a person showing symptoms and will never leave.
Read more...
New York's Ebola response should be informed by lessons learned fighting HIV. It isn't
October 27, 2014 - Unscientific Ebola policies cause the same kind of fear, stigma and indifference as the early response to the Aids crisis
The HIV crisis of the 1980s made it unquestionably clear that fear and stigma should have no role in determining the government's response to any disease. Sadly, after the first few cases of Ebola in the United States, it's become
evident that few of our politicians learned this lesson from history.
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International AIDS Conference returns to Durban in 2016
Monday, 27 October 2014 (Johannesburg, South Africa)- South African Deputy President Mr Cyril Ramaphosa announced the return of the International AIDS Conference to Durban today at an event celebrating the role of private sector companies in the response to HIV globally. Mr Ramaphosa said the Conference's return was a sign of how far South Africa had come in the 16 years since the event was last held in the country.
Uganda's new burden of HIV/Aids
October 27, 2014 - Government policies and spending key to achieving an HIV-free generation
The debate about a prospective HIV-free generation given the advent of WHO Option B+ attracts attention. Further probing of the idea may expose it as a distant utopia. To have an HIV-free generation, our communities must come to a convergence
on reducing new infections.
Read more...
Kaiser Family Foundation Launches Redesigned Kaiser Health News Website
October 27, 2014 - Menlo Park, CA - The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) today announced the redesign of kaiserhealthnews.org, the
nation's leading in-depth source for news coverage on health-care policy and politics. Launched in 2009, Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service and an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
SA gets ready for 2016 Aids conference
27 October 2014 - Pretoria - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended efforts from all role players in the fight against HIV/Aids, saying this has resulted in important gains being made towards reducing the spread and impact of the epidemic.
Briefing reporters on the 2016 International Aids Conference in Johannesburg on Monday, the Deputy President said the world could bring the HIV/Aids epidemic to an end through sustained collaboration between various sectors of society.
'Positive' author debunks myths common myths about HIV
October 27, 2014 - Paige Rawl is the author of "Positive" a memoir documenting her life since she was diagnosed HIV-positive when she was in middle school. "Positive" is the latest pick for TODAY's Book Club.
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MEDIA ADVISORY/10.27 Press Conference: HIV/AIDS Leaders Urge True Rescinding of Cuomo Ebola Policy
October 26, 2014 - Press Conference Calling for True Rescinding of Cuomo Mandatory Ebola Quarantine to Align Policy with Science-Based Public Health Recs
Noon (EST), Monday, October 27, 2014
Monday, October 27, at noon (EST), leaders of the AIDS community and other public health experts will hold a press conference in front of Bellevue Hospital Center, 462 First Avenue, Manhattan. We
will call on NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo to rescind the recently announced policy of mandatory quarantine of persons who have been in close proximity to people with Ebola virus disease (EVD).
DOH exec: 'Bare' MSM seen steering HIV cases upwards
October 26, 2014 - THE steady increase of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases among men-having-sex-with-men (MSM) can be attributed to their continued failure to use condom, especially when having anal sex.
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Exploring the mystery and controversy of cinematic icon Rock Hudson
26 October 2014 - A new Australian play depicts the mystery and controversy surrounding the final years of cinematic icon Rock Hudson, and the aftermath of his death from AIDS, writes Garrett Bithell.
One of America's most popular film stars throughout the 50s and 60s, Rock Hudson died of AIDS in 1985, making world headlines as the first celebrity to publicly succumb to the disease.
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Sir Elton John has criticised parts of the gay community for failing to join the fight against HIV.
25th October 2014 - According to a copy of his speech released to the Washington Post, the veteran singer will use the opportunity to lambaste gay people who don't regularly get tested for HIV.
Read more...
Think Again About HIV
October 25 2014 - GMFA launch new HIV prevention campaign for young gay men.
Earlier this year, GMFA launched 'Think Again', a campaign using print, posters, online and social media, aimed at getting young gay men thinking, talking and taking action about HIV and sexual safety.
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Neto's Tucson: Counselor knows about life with HIV
October 25 2014 - Bowlby knows. For 22 years the Brazilian native has been HIV-positive. She's married, has a daughter and two grandchildren, all of whom are HIV-negative.
"It's possible to have a life," said Bowlby, 59.
Read more...
Elton John AIDS Foundation Awards Major Grant to Human Rights Campaign Foundation
October 25th, 2014 - At tonight's 18 th Annual Human Rights Campaign (HRC) National Dinner, Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish announced that the Elton John AIDS Foundation
has awarded a $300,000 grant to HRC's Foundation to increase awareness of HIV prevention, treatment and care among LGBT people-with a specific focus on young gay and bisexual men and transgender women.
A Day With HIV 2014
October 24, 2014 - At tonight's 18 th Annual Human Rights Campaign (HRC) National Dinner, Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish announced that the Elton John AIDS Foundation
has awarded a $300,000 grant to HRC's Foundation to increase awareness of HIV prevention, treatment and care among LGBT people-with a specific focus on young gay and bisexual men and transgender women.
35 Activists, Doctors, and Organizations Speak Out in Support of PrEP
October 24 2014 - Hear why some of the leading HIV activists, organizations, and beyond support PrEP as a tool to end HIV.
As a counterbalance to these influential voices, The Advocate has reached out to and compiled quotes from prominent individuals, including doctors, activists, leaders of health organizations, and other well-known proponents of PrEP, which has been shown to reduce
the risk of HIV infection by up to 99 percent if taken daily as directed.
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UN unveils $62M anti-HIV/AIDs initiative for Guyana
October 24 2014 - The United Nations (UN) launched a joint programme for HIV/ AIDS that puts emphasis on sex workers and homosexuals.
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Elton John and David Furnish put LGBT community on notice in fight against HIV/AIDS
October 24 2014 - John and Furnish will announce at the dinner a $300,000 grant to the HRC to assist in its HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy around the root causes of the epidemic's spread. "Our grant . . . is the beginning of a new initiative to refocus and reenergize
the LGBT fight against AIDS," Furnish told me in an email. And in his prepared remarks he will decry the lack of compassion for those who contract HIV/AIDS, which only serves to help spread the disease.
Read more...
South African 'Mentor Mothers' improve perinatal health outcomes
October 23, 2014 - UCLA study shows that community-based interventions lead to better health outcomes in both mothers and children
The incidence of HIV infection in South Africa tops that of any nation in the world, with some 6 million of the country's nearly 50 million residents infected. Sadly, young women - and
particularly young pregnant women - suffer some of the highest rates of HIV infection. More than one-fourth of pregnant South African women are infected with the virus; in some communities, the infection rates are even higher.
Anderson Cooper Informs Pat Robertson's Followers That You Cannot, In Fact, Get AIDS From A Towel
October 23 2014 - "Just to be clear, if, like Pat Robertson, you somehow missed all the evidence, all the research, the depth and breadth of all the knowledge garnered about HIV and AIDS over the past three decades, you cannot get HIV if you share towels," Cooper said.
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China bars AIDS activist from traveling despite talk of ending discrimination
October 23 2014 - BEIJING - A Chinese AIDS activist said Thursday that she has been forced to cancel a trip to attend a U.N. conference on discrimination against women after authorities seized her passport.
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A new dent in HIV-1's armor
October 23, 2014 - LA JOLLA - Salk scientists identify a promising target for HIV/AIDS treatment
Like a slumbering dragon, HIV can lay dormant in a person's cells for years, evading medical treatments only to wake up and strike at a later time, quickly replicating itself and destroying the immune system.
Scientists at the Salk Institute have uncovered a new protein that participates in active HIV replication, as detailed in the latest issue of Genes & Development . The new protein, called Ssu72, is part of a switch used to awaken HIV-1 (the most common type of HIV) from its slumber.
The Effects of
HIV on the Body
October 22 2014 - Once the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) enters your body, it launches a direct attack on your immune system. It gradually weakens your natural defenses against
disease and infection and can affect every part of your body. Find out how.
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Long-term HIV infection and health-related quality of life
21 October 2014 - Historically, scientists have done much work trying to understand ART's impact on HIV and the immune system. However, as ART users are living longer,
research needs to be done on what scientists call health-related quality of life (HRQoL). According to scientists who study HRQoL, this term includes issues such as "physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning."
Preventing and Treating HIV-Associated Bone Disease
October 21, 2014 - Given the elevated risk of osteoporosis in people living with HIV -- especially in men over 50 and postmenopausal women -- "clinicians need to be aware of optimal screening and management of bone disease," according to Todd T. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, who gave a review of the subject at IDWeek 2014 in Philadelphia.
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No to treating our way out of the epidemic, say South African experts
21 October 2014 - No, we cannot treat our way out of the HIV epidemic, was the resounding sentiment of a panel of expert clinicians and the audience, at a debate held at the 2014 Southern African HIV Clinicians Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, last month.
Read more...
GRAPHIC ARMORT LAUNCHES THE WORLD'S FIRST CONDOMS TO FEATURE CUSTOM PRINT ON THE LATEX
LOS ANGELES, October 21, 2014 - Design competition has garnered entries from over 30 countries vying to design the world's first Tattoo CondomsT.
In an effort to change the way people look at condoms by changing the way condoms look, Graphic ArmorT (http://www.GraphicArmor.com) is offering FDA-approved condoms that, for the first time, feature custom printed images, words, slogans and "tattoos" printed
directly onto the latex. The company's Tattoo Condom Design Contest has invited designers, tattoo artists, and those who see the human body as a potential canvas to enter a competition to design the world's first Tattoo CondomsT. Today Graphic Armor announced early results from the
contest demonstrating the power of this new technology, with over 13,000 votes cast for 140 entries from over 30 countries, including Iran, China, Brazil, Latvia and South Africa. It's a whole new way to let your flag fly!
Analysis: Opportunities Under the ACA for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Women With HIV
October 21, 2014 - An estimated 36 percent of women in the U.S. report having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), also called domestic violence, but among HIV positive women 55 percent report such experiences.
Nonprofit Advocates Take Opposing Sides on HIV Drug Truvada
21 October 2014 - Nonprofits can be effective advocates for their causes in tandem with government agencies, but it's not always unanimous. The fact that groups dedicated to serving the same constituency and cause can sometimes differ on the best approach is testimony to
the diversity of ideas and approaches in the nonprofit sector. Here's a case in point.
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Step up the battle against HIV/AIDS, urges first lady
2014-10-21 - There were 810,000 people with HIV/AIDS living in China at the end of last year, according to the latest update issued on Monday by the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention. But only 490,000 of these sufferers have been detected to date and the remainder are unaware of their status.
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ViiV Healthcare Expands Program to Reduce HIV Disparities in Southern U.S.
Research Triangle Park, NC - October 20, 2014 - Positive Action Southern Initiative Commitment Continues with New Grants Awarded to Seven Organizations, Bringing Total Funding for Grassroots Projects to More than 2.8 Million to Date
ViiV Healthcare today announced seven Positive Action Southern Initiative grant awardees in Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi for programs focused on reducing disparities in HIV/AIDS linkages to care and treatment among at-risk populations in their communities.
Study Follows HIV-infected Women into Their 'Golden' Years
October 20, 2014 - How well do individuals diagnosed decades ago with HIV manage their disease as they age?
Researchers Lakshmi Goparaju, PhD, and Mary Young, MD, of Georgetown's Infectious Diseases Division, are studying women's experiences with HIV as they age.
Read more...
New Resources: Criminalization of HIV non-disclosure
October 18, 2014 - Access our new suite of multimedia resources on the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure.
Fracture Risk Higher With HIV/HCV Versus HIV Alone or No Infection
18 October 2014 - Risk of osteoporosis or fracture is higher with HIV/HCV coinfection than with HIV alone or with neither HIV nor HCV, according to results of a meta-analysis. Traditional bone risk factors
also emerged as significant predictors of osteoporosis or fracture in this 15-study review.
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Fear is a plague, education the cure
October 18, 2014 - When AIDS hit America, leaders panicked and people died. Ebola must be different.
The first sign of an epidemic is the spread of illness. The second is the spread of hysteria - which not only punishes victims, but impedes treatment and public education. Public health experts know this terrible cycle, and yet
it's being repeated before our eyes.
Read more...
Julia Roberts and Danny Moder given humanitarian award
October 18, 2014 - Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder were honored with a humanitarian award in Los Angeles on Friday.
The couple, married since 2002, was handed the prize by bosses at the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) at their annual Respect Awards at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Roberts and Moder were recognized for their work on The Normal Heart,
a 2014 TV movie which depicts the rise in the HIV/AIDs crisis in the 1980s.
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UBC gets $11.6M boost for 16 Canada Research Chairs
October 17, 2014 - The University of British Columbia has received $11.6 million for 16 new and renewed federally funded Canada Research Chairs.
With 13 new appointments, and three renewals, UBC now has 186 Canada Research Chairs, the second-highest number in the country. Newly appointed researchers are helping improve stress-tolerant crops, solar electricity and tuberculosis treatments,
and making big discoveries about the origins of planets and of life on Earth.
HIV prevention pill is at hand, but will it be left untaken?
17 October - Trials of PrEP show not everyone can or will use it all the time, and there are concerns those taking it will take more sexual risks
Although sexual health campaigners are delighted at the news that the Proud trial is being expedited, the arrival of drugs to prevent HIV does not spell the end of Aids.
Read more...
Hodgkin, Lung, Liver, Anal Cancer Rates Higher With HIV in France
17 October 2014 - Rates of Hodgkin lymphoma and lung, liver, and anal cancers were 3 to 79 times higher with HIV infection than in the general population of France in a study spanning 1997 through 2009. Gaining CD4 cells with antiretroviral therapy (ART)
appeared to limit the excess risk of lung cancer but not Hodgkin lymphoma or liver cancer.
Read more...
Limited support for key populations undermines Ugandan HIV control
KAMPALA, 16 October 2014 (IRIN) - Uganda's HIV/AIDS control efforts have been undermined by a lack of consensus and clarity over which people constitute Key Populations (KPs) to be targeted in various prevention, care and treatment efforts, say experts.
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High effectiveness seen in English PrEP trial
16 October 2014 - All participants in PROUD study to be offered PrEP early
The Steering Committee* of the PROUD trial of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in gay men in England announced today that participants currently on the deferred arm of the study, who have not yet started PrEP, will be recalled to their clinics and offered the
opportunity to begin PrEP ahead of schedule. This is because the effectiveness seen in the trial has exceeded the threshold set for trial continuation.
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HIV 'Breakthrough' Drug Reduces Risk of Infection by up to 92%: What is Truvada?
Oct 16, 2014 - A daily tablet that offers up to a 90% reduction in the risk of contracting HIV could be available in the near future, in what is being hailed as the most significant breakthrough against the virus in a generation.
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Living Life to the Fullest With HIV at 61 and Beyond
0/16/2014 - In 1991 I was told that I was HIV+ and I had two years to live. Twenty three years later I'm 61, living alone (my partner of 25 years passed six years ago), lonely and not living in the neighborhood I once lived in. What keeps me going?
I'm a Peer Educator, activist and occasionally work as a consultant. My down time is spent with my three daughters, a few childhood friends and my brother and his family on Long Island.
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A Missing Link production to benefit Camp Wendake
16 October 2014 - For nearly two decades Camp Wendake has provided a safe and welcoming camping experience for persons living with HIV/AIDS and those who support them.
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People living with HIV unite to respond to the HIV epidemic in the Indian Ocean islands
16 October 2014 - Two of the major networks of people living with HIV in the Indian Ocean region have merged. The decision, which is aimed at strengthening civil society participation in the AIDS response in the Indian Ocean islands, was
announced during the 13th Indian Ocean Colloquium on HIV and Hepatitis, which concluded on 10 October in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, Réunion.
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Tell No Lies: Essays on Global AIDS Effort Pull No Punches in Challenging "End of AIDS" Rhetoric
October 16, 2014 - The International HIV/AIDS Alliance's new report, AIDS Today: Tell No Lies and Claim No Easy Victories, offers a series of provocative essays that, according to lead author Sisonke Msimang,
resist the temptation to "pull together a neat, chronological story about how the war against AIDS has been won."
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Q&A: Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
15 October 2014 - Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier were jointly awarded the 2008 Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of HIV in 1983. Three decades on, Barré-Sinoussi
is director of the Retroviral Infections unit at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Here, she tells Iria Gomez-Touriño about the latest strategies to combat the virus.
Read more...
Magic Johnson's Story
October 15, 2014 - Legendary Laker Comes to S.B. as Part of Arts & Lectures.
Bill Bertka spoke prophetically on November 7, 1991, the day the sports world shook over Earvin "Magic" Johnson's announcement that he had contracted the HIV virus. Bertka was an assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers
during a decade of greatness that had been orchestrated by Johnson on the basketball court.
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Cuomo wants to see drop in AIDS cases by 2020
October 14, 2014 - "HIV/AIDS has plagued families across this State for too long, and together we are going to put an end to this epidemic," Cuomo said. "This disease can impact people
from all walks of life, and the sooner society realizes that,
the sooner we can end the stigma that keeps too many people from getting tested and treated."
Read more...
Pushing Canadian HIV/AIDS research further
October 14, 2014 - A one-of-a-kind national HIV/AIDS study, led by Simon Fraser University health scientist Robert Hogg, is getting new funding to expand its mandate.
Over the next five years, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) will inject $2.7 million into the Canadian Observational Cohort (CANOC). It is the country's only longitudinal study of more than 10,000 HIV-positive
individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Canada.
Read more...
US Statin Guidelines May Not Be Appropriate for People With HIV
14 October 2014 - American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) cholesterol guidelines issued in 2013 would not recommend statin therapy for almost three quarters of HIV-positive people
with subclinical high-risk coronary plaques, according to results of a 108-person analysis in Boston.
Read more...
Are antimicrobial condoms the new frontier against STIs? Not quite...
October 14, 2014 - Australian biotech company Starpharma has announced the imminent launch of a condom coated with an antimicrobial chemical known as VivaGel. While it might be marketed as a great leap forward for preventing
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it's unlikely to offer any more protection than your average condom.
Read more...
The 12th Annual Heart & Soul Dinner Dance
A Fundraiser for the Heart of Richmond AIDS Society
Ticket Price: $95
When: 6pm - Saturday, October 18, 2014
Where: The Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel
3500 Cessna Drive, Richmond, BC.
With Hosts Fred Lee (CBC, The Province) and Sophie Lui (Global BC).
Featuring Symone, Vivian Von Brokenhymen & Connie Smudge
Study shows outdated policies, procedures in HIV testing
Oct 13, 2014 - A survey of healthcare organizations in Houston and Washington, D.C. found that many are not following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for HIV
testing, which could cause missed opportunities to diagnose the disease earlier, according to a report published today in PLOS ONE by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Milken Institute of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH)
at the George Washington University and the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS).
Read more...
HIV Independently Tied to Low Bone Density in 474-Person Ireland Study
13 October 2014 - HIV infection was independently associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) at three anatomical sites, according to results of a 474-person study in Ireland.
Statistical analysis indicated that HIV partly affects BMD by altering bone metabolism.
Antiretroviral therapy did not affect BMD in this study.
Read more...
'Stigma, discrimination hampering fight against HIV'
13 October 2014 - Miss Anastasia Atiogbe, Birim Central Municipal Director of Health Service, has noted that stigma and discrimination are two major issues hampering the fight against HIV and AIDS.
She has therefore appealed to people to stop stigmatizing and discriminating against People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) and rather give them care and support.
Read more...
HCV core-antigen testing is a reliable way of detecting acute HCV infections in HIV-positive gay men
13 October 2014 - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core-antigen testing is a highly reliable way of diagnosing acute HCV infections in people living with HIV, investigators from the United Kingdom report
in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Core-antigen testing was as accurate as
HCV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing - the current gold standard for diagnosing acute infections. Potential advantages of core-antigen over PCR testing include savings in time, money and staff resources.
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Food security key to HIV fight
Oct 13, 2014 - WALVIS BAY - Food security or access to at least one balanced meal a day for HIV-positive Namibians is one of the critical aspects that need to be addressed
by government and the private sector to ensure that antiretroviral drugs administered to such people serve their purpose.
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Pharmaceutical companies, WHO help India in HIV/AIDS drug crisis
Oct 13, 2014 - (Reuters) - Indian companies and global health groups are stepping up efforts to provide a critical medicine for the country's free HIV/AIDS drugs programme after more than 150,000 patients risked going without their dosages this month.
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'HIV cases may increase in 4 to 5 years due to laxity in prevention'
October 12, 2014 - Even as the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country has come down over the last ten to twelve years, president of AIDS Society of India I.S. Gilada fears a fresh spurt in the epidemic if the laxity in preventive intervention is allowed to continue.
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Scientists capture snapshot of protein HIV utilizes to spread infection
October 11,, 2014 - Even as the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country has come down over the last ten to twelve years, president of AIDS Society of India I.S. Gilada fears a fresh spurt in the epidemic if the laxity in preventive intervention is allowed to continue.
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'Affordable medicines has helped contain HIV/AIDS'
Oct 11, 2014 - Dr Suniti Solomon from Chennai on?Saturday asserted that affordable prices of medicines available to treat HIV infected had helped contain the disease in the country.
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Social networking identified more HIV infections than self-referral
October 11, 2014 - PHILADELPHIA - The number of reactive HIV tests was 2.6 times higher among clients recruited for testing using social networking strategies compared with clients screened by standard client-initiated counseling, testing and referral programs, according to data presented at IDWeek 2014.
Social network strategies involved enlisting HIV-positive and HIV-negative clients to recruit network associates for HIV testing. According to Westergaard, in a previous CDC-funded demonstration project conducted from 2003-2005, there was a 5.6% prevalence of HIV among more than 3,000 network associates referred for testing by 422 recruiters.
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Brown to host national HIV scientific symposium Nov. 6
October 10, 2014 - PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - Speakers representing the nation's 19 Centers for AIDS Research will come to Brown University Nov. 6 to present their original research on the biology,
medicine, and public health of the epidemic. The daylong National Science Symposium begins at 8 a.m. in Sayles Hall.
More than 20 of the nation's leading HIV/AIDS researchers will discuss research advances against the epidemic at the National Scientific Symposium of Centers for AIDS Research Nov. 6 at Brown University.
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Gay American Men Shockingly Ignorant About HIV/AIDS, Kaiser Study Finds
October 10, 2014 - A Kaiser Family Foundation survey of what gay American men know and how we behave when it comes to HIV shows a stunning level of ignorance and denial 33 years since the virus began to kill extraordinary numbers of us.
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Celebrity Dim Sum Brunch
October 10, 2014 - AIDS Vancouver turned local celebrities into servers at their signature Dim Sum fundraiser!
Antiretroviral Therapy Benefits HIV-infected Stimulant Users, UCSF Study Shows
October 10, 2014 - New clinical research from UC San Francisco shows that 341 HIV-infected men who reported using stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine derived life-saving benefits from being
on antiretroviral therapy that were comparable to those of HIV-infected men who do not use stimulants.
Nigel Farage condemned for calling for ban on HIV-positive migrants entering UK
10 October 2014 - Nigel Farage has been condemned by a leading Aids charity after calling for migrants who have tested positive for HIV to be banned from entering the UK.
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Keep HIV-positive migrants out of Britain, says Ukip's Nigel Farage
10 October 2014 - Ukip leader accused of 'new level of ignorance' for remarks as he stakes claim to be Europe minister in a Tory-Ukip coalition
Nigel Farage was accused of stooping to a "new level of ignorance" after he called for people who have tested positive for HIV to be banned from migrating to Britain as a "good start" in controlling the UK's borders.
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HIV persons condemn inability to get drugs in Taraba
10 October 2014 - THE Persons Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) that are presently taking refuge in one of the Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Bali Local Council of Taraba State have complained that their inability to get retrovirus drugs has continued to force some of them with the sickness to their early graves.
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UN General Assembly told 90-90-90 plan can end AIDS as an epidemic by 2030 if 'achievable' targets met
October 9, 2014 - The United Nations (UN) unveiled an ambitious new global plan to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The plan embraces the made-in-BC Treatment as Prevention (TasP)
strategy pioneered by Dr. Julio Montaner and the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE).
Ebola challenge 'biggest since HIV/Aids' - US
9 October 2014 - The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unlike anything since the emergence of HIV/Aids, top US medical official Thomas Frieden has said.
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Uganda gets 380 new HIV infections daily, say experts
October 9, 2014 - Kampala - The most affected people are those in the age groups of 19 to 24 years.
Even though Hispanics in the United States become infected with HIV at rates triple those of whites, less than half of Hispanics with the virus are receiving adequate treatment, a new report finds.
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Less than half of HIV-positive US Hispanics are getting proper care
October 9, 2014 - (HealthDay) - Even though Hispanics in the United States become infected with HIV at rates triple those of whites, less than half of Hispanics with the virus are receiving adequate treatment, a new report finds.
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HIV-related stigma has increased in Uganda despite treatment roll-out
08 October 2014 - HIV continues to be stigmatised despite increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to research from Uganda published in the online edition of AIDS. Levels of internalised stigma among people starting ART increased between 2007 and 2012.
There was also an increase in the proportion of individuals in the general public who said they expected people with HIV to experience stigma.
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Stephen Lewis on "The End of AIDS: Reality or Hyperbole?"
October 8, 2014 - The world of infectious diseases is filled with the cries of "The End of AIDS" or an "AIDS-Free Generation". Stephen Lewis will explore the implications of these phrases.
Are we really that close to the end of the pandemic? If so, how will it be achieved? What is happening on the ground? Have the enthusiastic exhortations lulled the donor community into a false sense of expectation? Is that why the
world failed so abjectly in the most recent Global Fund replenishment? Could it be that UNAIDS and the Global Fund and PEPFAR have embraced a cheerleading mentality rather than a more serious assessment of realities? Or are the dissenters profoundly off-base?
HIV/AIDS: 570 girls infected with HIV every week
October 8, 2014 - About 570 Ugandan girls and young women aged 15 to 24 get infected with HIV every week, according to the HIV/AIDS situation analysis by Uganda AIDS Commission.
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World awaits effective and affordable HIV/AIDS cure
October 8, 2014 - Out of hundreds of sessions held during the 20th International AIDS Conference, a scientific session - Toward HIV Cure - stole the attention of all participants and the world, who watched eagerly for news on effective and affordable cures for HIV/AIDS.
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Researchers turn computers into powerful allies in the fight against AIDS
October 7, 2014 - The battle against AIDS cannot be won in the laboratory alone. To fight the potentially deadly virus that 34 million people are suffering from we need help from computers.
Now research fron University of Southern Denmark turns computers into powerful allies in the battle.
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No Sex campaign could eradicate HIV in Swaziland
07/10/2014 - THE NATIONAL Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) Executive Director Khanyakwezwe Mabuza says the ongoing 'No Sex' campaign could eradicate HIV in the country.
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CDC: Newly Diagnosed Black HIV-Positive MSM Fall Out of Care, Have Lowest Viral Suppression
07/10/2014 - A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta shows that only half (49.5 percent) of gay and bisexual men diagnosed with HIV in the U.S. are getting treatment for their infection.
DHVI Receives Contract Renewal for HIV/AIDS Quality Control
October 7, 2014 - DURHAM, N.C. - The Duke Human Vaccine Institute received a contract renewal to again provide quality control for research laboratories across the globe involved in federally-funded HIV/AIDS studies.
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The Pill Truvada Can Prevent HIV/AIDS, and for Some, That's a Problem
October 7, 2014 - This summer, HBO brought a film adaptation of Larry Kramer's celebrated play The Normal Heart to living rooms across America. The film told the tale of Ned Weeks, a gay man living in
New York in the 1980s. To a young gay man today, Weeks might as well have been on Mars-or in hell. As AIDS began to ravage his group of friends and lovers, his world crumbled. Death haunted everyone, and it seemed as if nothing could be done.
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Dr. Julio Montaner nominated to Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
October 7, 2014 - Vancouver, B.C.- Prestigious honour recognizes significant contributions and achievements by Dr. Montaner in the field of HIV/AIDS
Dr. Julio Montaner, director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE), at St. Paul's Hospital, is one of six Canadian physicians nominated to the prestigious Canadian Medical Hall of Fame for 2015.
The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureates are individuals whose outstanding contributions to medicine and the health sciences have led to extraordinary improvements in human health.
B.C. HIV/AIDS researcher up for hall of fame
October 7, 2014 - WATCH: Dr. Julio Montaner spoke with Global News about his induction in the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Beadwork AIDS ribbons honour families affected by HIV
October 7, 2014 - Each beaded ribbon takes about 30 minutes to make
A Saskatchewan man has dedicated himself to creating 250 beaded ribbons in time for Dec. 1 - World Aids Day.
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PrEP use in the "real world": Results from the iPrEX open label extension
7 October 2014 - Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an HIV prevention strategy that involves HIV-negative people taking anti-HIV drugs to reduce their risk of HIV infection. This strategy also involves regular visits
with a service provider to test for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), monitor side effects and receive adherence and risk-reduction support.
Treatments for HIV-visceral leishmaniasis co-infected patients
[Gondar, Ethiopia and Geneva, Switzerland - October 6, 2014] - Phase III clinical study in Ethiopia launched to test 2 treatments for HIV-visceral leishmaniasis co-infected patients
The international research & development (R&D) consortium, AfriCoLeish, formed by six research organizations from East Africa and Europe, has launched a Phase III clinical study to address the extreme difficulty
in treating visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in patients who also are HIV-positive.
How did 'the Berlin patient' become cured of HIV?
October 6, 2014 - Researchers are closer to unraveling the mystery of how Timothy Ray Brown, the only human cured of HIV, defeated the virus, according to a new study. Although the work doesn't provide a definitive answer, it rules out one possible explanation.
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Drug Resistance Among PrEP Recipients - How Big a Concern?
October 6, 2014 - Data from the iPrEx trial showed infrequent low-level resistance in those who became HIV-infected while taking pre-exposure prophylaxis.
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High prevalence of HIV infection and unprotected anal intercourse among older men who have sex with men in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis
October 6, 2014 - China has the largest number of the elderly in the world. As the proportion of elderly is rapidly increasing among national reported HIV/AIDS cases, it is a concern about HIV epidemic among
older MSM in China. However, studies on HIV prevalence and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among Chinese older MSM were relatively few or generally had small sample sizes.
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Doctors Find Effective HIV Drug Course Free of Efavirenz
October 6, 2014 - Once considered part of the gold standard of HIV treatment, alternative regimens can now alleviate concerns about birth defects, psychiatric problems, and even suicide caused by the drug efavirenz.
Research published this week shows that three alternative, first-line HIV treatments that do not include efavirenz are just as good at suppressing the virus and are better tolerated. Efavirenz is known to cause nightmares and birth defects, and has been linked to suicide.
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States not expanding Medicaid hobble the fight against HIV/AIDS
October 6, 2014 - As we begin to worry about the possibility of an Ebola epidemic taking hold in the United States, we must not forget the epidemic already firmly rooted here. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has raged for more than 30 years in this
country with more than 1.1 million people in the U.S. living with HIV/AIDS and African Americans experiencing "the most severe burden of HIV," according to the Centers for Disease Control. While a positive diagnosis no longer means guaranteed death, it does mean a life of
expensive medications and care to manage the chronic disease. Lack of awareness and of access to care continue to help spread an infection that is relatively easy to avoid.
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Intervention may not reduce risky behaviors among those with HIV
October 6, 2014 - Behavioral intervention did not lead to a significant reduction of risky behaviors in HIV-infected heavy drinkers, according to recently published data.
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A Pirate’s Crusade
October 5, 2014 - At 19 years old, Bob Bowers became one of the first cases of HIV documented. Now, at 45, he looks back at whom he’s become after living longer with the disease than without.
First, some perspective. Imagine it is 1983. You are 19 years old, living in southern California. Your idea of the basics isn’t food, shelter and clothing but sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll. You don’t have much in the way of family, but friends make up for that. You are unattached and hungry. You can go anywhere and do anything. In a word, you’re free.
Then, you get sick.
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We're dying due to lack of funds - HIV positive persons
October 4, 2014 - Speaking to journalists on Friday in Abuja, the national coordinator of the association, Mr Edward Ogenyi, wondered how many people will die of HIV/AIDS before the Federal Ministry of Finance releases
fund for the implementation of the Presidents Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS which was designed to urgently bridge the existing service access gaps for HIV/AIDS.
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CDC opens consultation hotline for HIV prevention pill
October 4, 2014 - The CDC has launched a national consultation service for clinicians prescribing pre-exposure prophylaxis, according to a press release.
The Clinician Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline, or PrEPline, is a toll-free resource for information about the daily HIV prevention pill. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been shown to significantly reduce the risk for HIV infection among adult men and women
at substantial risk for HIV infection through sex or injected drug use, according to the release.
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Health research team awarded $2.7M for major study on HIV and aging
October 3, 2014 - VANCOUVER - Dr. Robert Hogg, research scientist with the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and professor in the faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University,
and a team of investigators from across the country have been awarded a $2.7M grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to expand Canada's only longitudinal study of more than 10,000 HIV-positive individuals accessing antiretroviral therapy in Canada.
Optimized: PrEParing for the End of HIV?
Published on Oct 2, 2014 - Whitman-Walker Health and George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health hosted a forum on PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
This is a great opportunity to hear from experts in the field of HIV prevention and what this intervention means for the future of the epidemic.
Group drafts agenda for AIDS survivors
10/02/2014 - A San Francisco-based group is putting forth an agenda for long-term survivors of the AIDS epidemic it hopes will gain traction among local and national leaders.
Known as Let's Kick ASS (AIDS Survivor Syndrome), the group released a draft version of the document it is calling "A Vision for Our Future: AIDS Long-Term Survivors Proclamation" at an event September 25 celebrating its one-year anniversary.
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HIV cure continues to evade doctors
2 October 2014 - Giving drugs within hours of HIV infection is not a cure, say doctors treating a baby in Milan, Italy.
The newborn infant cleared the virus from their bloodstream, but HIV re-emerged soon after antiretroviral treatment stopped.
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HIV pandemic's origins located
2-Oct-2014 - Pandemic spread almost certainly began in Democratic Republic of the Congo
The HIV pandemic with us today is almost certain to have begun its global spread from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to a new study.
An international team, led by Oxford University and University of Leuven scientists, has reconstructed the genetic history of the HIV-1 group M pandemic, the event that saw HIV spread across the African
continent and around the world, and concluded that it originated in Kinshasa. The team's analysis suggests that the common ancestor of
group M is highly likely to have emerged in Kinshasa around 1920 (with 95% of estimated dates between 1909 and 1930).
Clinical trial evaluates heterologous prime/boost regimens in preventative HIV vaccination
1-Oct-2014 - Almost 40 million people worldwide live with HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 2.5 million new cases per year. Therefore, there has been a large global effort to develop an effective vaccine against the virus.
Exclusive - India set to run out of critical free drug for HIV/AIDS programme
Oct 1, 2014 - (Reuters) - India could run out of a critical medicine in its free HIV/AIDS drugs programme in three weeks due to bureaucratic bungling, a senior government official said, leaving more than 150,000 sufferers without life-saving drugs for about a month.
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International HIV/AIDS research pioneer to keynote UTSA science conference Oct. 3
(Oct. 1, 2014) - The UTSA College of Sciences (COS) will host internationally recognized HIV/AIDS research pioneer James E. K. Hildreth, M.D., as the keynote speaker for its annual research conference. The conference will be 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3 at the UTSA Main Campus.
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PrEP will need high adherence, high effectiveness and high coverage in specific populations to be affordable in the US, New York study finds
01 October 2014 - A study based on New York City that modelled pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake there has found that in order to be affordable, PrEP would need to be tightly targeted at gay men at higher risk of HIV infection. Within this target population, it would need high levels of usage.
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How Positively Aware Helped Save My Life
September/October 2014 - It started with a single spot, just below my left ankle. It was May 1992, and I was at the gym, working out with my boyfriend, a bouncer at a popular club here in Chicago. He had convinced me to start exercising with him to stay healthy.
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