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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - December 2021
Novel heteroaromatic compounds to target HIV-1 replication
Dec 31, 2021 - The University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been granted a patent “Novel anti-HIV-1 heteroaromatic compounds targeted to HIV-1 associated Topoisomerase II beta kinase” – The discovery of new compound has been accomplished through the efforts made by team under supervision of Prof. Anand K. Kondapi for treatment of HIV-1 infection as a new line of therapy, in the Laboratory for Molecular Therapeutics, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences.
On the 25th Anniversary of the HIV Treatment Revolution, Folks Remember ‘Their’ 1996
Dec 31, 2021 - Tim Murphy - Mary Elizabeth Marr sees trouble coming.
We’ve been so busy wrapped up in COVID this year that it’s hardly been noted that we’re a quarter-century into the HIV treatment revolution. That’s right—it was in 1996, 15 grim years and countless deaths since AIDS was first officially recognized, that meds called protease inhibitors—most prominently, Crixivan (indinavir)—came on the market and, when added to older meds such as AZT and 3TC, caused stunning surges in T cells and plunges in viral load in many of their first takers. The phenomenon of gaunt people with AIDS on the brink of death suddenly shedding opportunistic infections and gaining weight became so widespread that it earned its own name: the Lazarus syndrome.
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President Biden, You Can't Vaccinate the World Without Breaking Patents, Says AHF
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)---December 31, 2021 -As the demand for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots is growing across wealthy countries, an already underwhelming progress in vaccinating the rest of the world is at grave risk of falling even further behind. Today, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) called on the Biden Administration to urgently declare an emergency and suspend patent protections on vaccines, so that they can be manufactured at high volumes across the world to meet the global demand.
HIV patients 'cured' by their own unique biology may harbor secrets to end the global scourge
DECEMBER 31, 2021 - by Delthia Ricks - Some people diagnosed with HIV are able to eradicate the virus without antiretroviral medications or even stem cell transplants, possessing the ability to naturally suppress the virus and achieve a medically verifiable cure.
Scientists call this small population elite controllers, a moniker that reflects their unique ability to keep one of the most notorious viruses at bay.
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Could Covid Treatment Research Lead Us to an HIV Vaccine?
DECEMBER 30, 2021 - By Alex Cooper- In developing a shot that blunts Covid-19, researchers may have also unlocked the science needed to finally develop a vaccine for HIV.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant loss of resources for HIV research, services, treatment, and more, as the focus went to pushing through a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. However, some of the technology developed in response to the pandemic may be the key to developing better treatments for HIV — and even a vaccine against it.
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Orphanhood declines with rise in HIV antiretroviral therapy and male circumcision
Dec 30 2021 - Researchers at at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found marked decreases in orphanhood particularly double orphanhood, among adolescents in Rakai, Uganda, corresponding with the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) beginning in 2004 and of male medical circumcision in 2007. Until now, little had been known about the contribution of HIV combination prevention including ART and male circumcision to recent trends in orphanhood. The study is published in the Lancet HIV.
COVID-19 Versus HIV
DECEMBER 29, 2021 - By Marie Rosenthal, MS - Because they are both viral pandemics, COVID-19 was compared quite a bit with HIV, especially in the beginning of the pandemic. Both are seeing a high morbidity, but is that where the similarities end? The answer is yes and no.
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Canada’s Struggle With The HIV Epidemic
DECEMBER 29, 2021 - By Dr. Caley Shukalek - Preventable and treatable… in 2022, why is HIV still rising in Canada?…
Every year, more and more people in Canada are living with HIV – a result of continued transmission of this preventable virus. While HIV itself does not discriminate, certain populations like LGBTQ2S+ communities have higher rates of infection than do their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. It is estimated that in 2018, more than 62,000 people in Canada were living with HIV, but only 87 per cent of them were aware of their HIV status. In the same year, 2,516 new infections were diagnosed, an 8.2 per cent increase from 2017. This is in spite of the Canadian government’s commitment to end transmission and achieve the World Health Organization (WHO)’s “90-90-90” goal:
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OPINION: We have groundwork to end the HIV epidemic. Now it’s time to execute
29 December 2021 - by Tez Anderson - "For most of the U.S., COVID-19 is their first experience going through a pandemic. But for those of us who have been affected by AIDS, COVID-19 is our second"
Tez Anderson is founder and executive director of Let's Kick "ASS" (AIDS Survivor Syndrome), a nonprofit dedicated to HIV long-term survivors. In 2014, he started HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (HLTSAD), which is marked every year on June 5
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Filmmaker Invites St. Louisans to Appear in Movie About AIDS Crisis
Dec 29, 2021 - By Jenna Jones - Filmmaker Dan Steadman has worked with actresses such as Octavia Spencer and Jennifer Coolidge, but after moving to St. Louis, he found a love in working with local talent. His next movie, Million Dollar Razzle Dazzle, is being filmed across Missouri, and there's an upcoming opportunity for St. Louisans to appear in it, whether or not they have an extensive acting background.
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The AIDS Garden Chicago, begun in 2019, is set to open in spring 2022. ‘This is a legacy project.’
Dec 28, 2021 - By SYLVIA GOODMAN - Owen Keehnen remembers when the AIDS epidemic, which disproportionately affected the LGBTQ community, was at its height in the late 1980s. The gay community in the United States was still largely in the shadows, said Keehnen, a writer and historian of LGBTQ history in Chicago.
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HIV patients die in Myanmar as healthcare system collapses
27 December 2021 - By Nicola Smith - HIV patients are struggling to reach clinics and get lifesaving medicines in the chaotic aftermath of the coup
Since the coup that threw Myanmar into chaos in February, Ko Tin Maung Shwe, an HIV and Hepatitis C patient, faces death if he misses his medication, and death if he tries to get it.
The military takeover that ousted the civilian government and plunged the Southeast Asian nation into economic turmoil, also wreaked havoc on the healthcare system, including the National AIDS Programme (NAP) vital to the survival of HIV sufferers.
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Why we need a super cure of HIV
December 26, 2021 - The world badly waits for an HIV cure but its disturbing to learn that some few people out there this the Cure of HIV is not important. Shame upon you people. Here are the few reasons why we all need an HIV cure.
Statement by the Prime Minister on the death of Desmond Tutu
December 26, 2021 - Ottawa, Ontario - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the death of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu:
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the world’s leading human rights activists and strongest moral voices."
The global AIDS response has lost a great champion
GENEVA, 26 December 2021 - UNAIDS is deeply saddened at the passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
UNAIDS is deeply saddened at the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who fought against apartheid in South Africa and combated racism and injustice worldwide. He was a powerful voice in the fight against AIDS, combating denial, demanding access to treatment for all, calling out against discrimination of people living with HIV, and championing the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, women, and children. His work on HIV and tuberculosis prevention and treatment changed global paradigms and saved many lives.
As HIV Rates Fail to Plunge Among Gay Black and Latinx Men, Providers Describe a Lack of Resources to Equalize PrEP Access
Dec 24, 2021 - Tim Murphy - Mary Elizabeth Marr sees trouble coming.
She’s the CEO of Thrive Alabama in Huntsville, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that serves about 8,000 patients—1,000 of them living with HIV and many more of them belonging to key HIV risk groups: gay men (especially Black gay men), transgender women, and Black cisgender women.
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HIV infection: Better understanding the reservoir of virus in the body
Dec 23, 2021 - LMU researchers have developed a method that allows resting human immune cells to be genetically analyzed in detail for the first time.
CD4+ T cells are important parts of the immune system and play a key role in defending the body against pathogens. As they possess a great variety of defense mechanisms against HIV in their resting state, they are infected only very rarely – but these few infected cells form a latent reservoir for HIV in the body that currently cannot be reached by antiviral drugs. Consequently, the virus can spread again from there after activation of the CD4+ T cells. Understanding how HIV interacts with resting CD4+ T cells is essential for finding new therapeutic approaches. Scientists led by Prof. Oliver T. Keppler from the Max von Pettenkofer Institute at LMU have now developed a method that for the first time allows these specific immune cells to be genetically manipulated under physiological conditions in an efficient and uncomplicated manner. As the authors report in the journal Nature Methods, this permits previously unobtainable insights into the biology of these cells.
2021 in review: Our top ten moments
December 22, 2021 - MaryCatherine Neal - What a year it has been! Whether we were hearing celebrity testimonies, honoring our AIDS United family as advocates or reading the updated National HIV Strategy, it seemed like our community of advocates was always uplifting people living with and vulnerable to HIV. As we wrap up our year at AIDS United and celebrate our tenth anniversary, we want to acknowledge our top ten moments to celebrate 2021.
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UNAIDS welcomes the approval of long-acting injectable cabotegravir as a pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention
22 December 2021 - The United States Food and Drug Administration announced its first approval of a long-acting HIV prevention medication earlier this week. The long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB - LA) is approved as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for adults and adolescents who are at risk of acquiring HIV sexually in the United States of America.
This is the first time an injectable antiretroviral drug becomes available as a pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of HIV. The long-acting formula is a step forward and a valuable addition to the HIV prevention toolbox and will make acceptance and adherence easy.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First Oral Antiviral for Treatment of COVID-19
December 22, 2021 - Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms or about 88 pounds) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. Paxlovid is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset.
HPTN Studies Inform FDA’s Approval of ViiV Healthcare’s Long-Acting Cabotegravir Injections for HIV Prevention
DURHAM, N.C - Dec 21, 2021 - Data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) studies HPTN 083 and HPTN 084 helped provide important information for yesterday’s decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve ViiV Healthcare’s long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) injections for the prevention of HIV. Sponsored and co-funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), these studies showed that CAB-LA injected once every eight weeks was superior to daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) for HIV prevention among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men (HPTN 083) and cisgender women (HPTN 084). Both studies also demonstrated that CAB-LA was well-tolerated, offering a new and important pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for individuals at risk for HIV infection. ViiV Healthcare will market CAB-LA for PrEP under the brand name Apretude.
Trials of long-acting islatravir for HIV treatment and prevention placed on hold
21 December 2021 - Liz Highleyman - On December 13, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed a clinical hold on islatravir, a long-acting experimental antiretroviral from Merck that is being developed for HIV treatment and prevention.
The move came after HIV-positive participants in treatment trials and HIV-negative volunteers in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) studies experienced declining CD4 cell or total lymphocyte counts. The reason for the apparent side effect is not well understood at this time, nor is the fate of islatravir going forward.
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As Told To: 'Being HIV-positive enabled me to find a real passion and life purpose'
Dec 21, 2021 - Sadaf Ahsan - Christian Hui, a Toronto-based HIV+ activist and social worker, shares his story of triumph over racism, xenophobia and homophobia.
I am 43 years old, and I have lived with HIV for 18 years. As a young adult, even though I knew about HIV prevention, just being queer, having been bullied, and experiencing racism, xenophobia and homophobia when I moved to the U.S. as a settler immigrant — all that discrimination impacted me in terms of the choices that I was able to make, for example, how I was negotiating safer sex and connecting with other queer men. So when I was diagnosed, I didn’t take the news well at all. I didn’t see anyone for about six months, and went into a deep depression.
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Grants totaling $4.6 million support the use of machine learning to improve outcomes of people with HIV
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - December 20, 2021 - In partnership with Moi University in Kenya, Brown University will develop, test and launch data-driven tools to maximize the effectiveness of HIV care programs.
Over the past four decades of treating HIV/AIDS, two important facts have been established: HIV-positive patients need to be put on treatment as soon as they’re diagnosed and then kept on an effective treatment plan. This response can help turn HIV into a chronic but manageable disease and can essentially help people live normal, healthy lives, said Joseph Hogan a professor of public health and of biostatistics at Brown University, who has been researching HIV/AIDS for 25 years.
FDA Approves First Injectable Treatment for HIV Pre-Exposure Prevention
December 20, 2021 - Drug Given Every Two Months Rather Than Daily Pill is Important Tool in Effort to End the HIV Epidemic
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Apretude (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension) for use in at-risk adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kilograms (77 pounds) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV. Apretude is given first as two initiation injections administered one month apart, and then every two months thereafter. Patients can either start their treatment with Apretude or take oral cabotegravir (Vocabria) for four weeks to assess how well they tolerate the drug.
Deaf People Aging With HIV Face Communication Barriers
December 20, 2021 - By Heather Boerner - Focus group shows health care systems’ inability to communicate with HIV-positive deaf people is impacting care and quality of life.
What does healthy aging look like for deaf people living with HIV? Well, it starts with access—something they may lack because English, and especially written English, isn’t their first language, according to focus group data published in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.
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Changes in the brain hinder addiction recovery in people who are HIV-positive
Dec. 20, 2021 - Kelsie Smith Hayduk - Researchers with the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester are studying how the brain puts the 'brakes' on behavior. That may be different in individuals recovering from cocaine addiction and who are also HIV-positive.
ViiV Healthcare announces US FDA approval of Apretude (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension), the first and only long-acting injectable option for HIV prevention
London, 20 December 2021 - Given as few as six times per year and demonstrated superior efficacy to a daily oral PrEP option (FTC/TDF tablets) in reducing the risk of HIV acquisition
Approved in the US for use in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg who are at risk of sexually acquiring HIV, including men who have sex with men as well as women and transgender women who have sex with men
ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK), with Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) and Shionogi Limited (Shionogi) as shareholders, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Apretude, the first and only long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1. The long-acting injectable was approved for use in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg who are at risk of sexually acquiring HIV and who have a negative HIV-1 test prior to initiation. The medicine was studied in men who have sex with men, as well as women and transgender women who have sex with men, who were at increased risk of sexually acquiring HIV.
Global Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Rapid Test Kits Market Report 2021: Market is Poised to Grow by $239.90 Million During 2021-2025
Dublin, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- - The "Global Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Rapid Test Kits Market 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
This human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rapid test kits market is poised to grow by $239.90 mn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of 6.31%
This study identifies the high prevalence of HIV as one of the prime reasons driving the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rapid test kits market growth during the next few years. The market is driven by rise in awareness programs for HIV testing and the growing demand for point-of-care testing for HIV.
‘A wave of joy’: babies born from world’s first HIV positive sperm bank
17 Dec 2021 - Tess McClure - Sperm Positive launched in New Zealand in 2019 in an effort to reduce the stigma faced by HIV-positive people
Olivia and Amy are sitting outside in the shade, trying to escape from New Zealand’s early-summer humidity. Amy, 10 months old, burbles happily in the background as her mother talks. She is healthy, happy, and oblivious to her status as a world first: one of a handful of babies born from the first sperm bank for HIV-positive donors.
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Campaign addressing disproportionate impacts of HIV in Ontario
Dec 17, 2021 - A new campaign is highlighting how HIV is disproportionately impacting Black women in Ontario. Faiza Amin reports on the movement that addresses HIV stigma and barriers to care.
‘A wave of joy’: babies born from world’s first HIV positive sperm bank
17 Dec 2021 - Tess McClure - Sperm Positive launched in New Zealand in 2019 in an effort to reduce the stigma faced by HIV-positive people
Olivia and Amy are sitting outside in the shade, trying to escape from New Zealand’s early-summer humidity. Amy, 10 months old, burbles happily in the background as her mother talks. She is healthy, happy, and oblivious to her status as a world first: one of a handful of babies born from the first sperm bank for HIV-positive donors.
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Common Myths About HIV and AIDS
December 16, 2021 - Knowing the truth can help erase the stigma
HIV has always been wrapped up in misinformation and stigma. And as we know from pandemic life, all of this can most likely be linked to fear. So what do people get wrong about this virus and what can we do to end the HIV epidemic? Ob/Gyn and reproductive infectious disease specialist Oluwatosin Goje, MD, covers a few common misconceptions about HIV and how those who are living with it can still lead very fulfilling and productive lives.
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ACTG announces initiation of A5355, clinical trial studying new CMV vaccine
Los Angeles, Calif. - 16-DEC-2021 - The AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), the largest global HIV research network, today announced the launch of A5355, a clinical trial studying a new cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine in adults with both HIV and CMV. The study will evaluate whether the new vaccine Triplex is safe and effective in eliciting a CMV-specific immune response in people living with HIV and is thus able to suppress CMV replication.
‘HIV’ versus ‘AIDS’: Here’s Where Top HIV/AIDS Advocates Stand
Dec 16, 2021 - Charles Sanchez - There are many terms, phrases, and language choices that can empower people living with HIV (PLWH)—or be harmful and stigmatizing. Words can hurt, and using the right language can help reduce that harm.
Through our new HIV Redefined series, TheBody is exploring how certain words and phrases used in conversations about HIV can have a huge impact on trauma and stigma.
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SA among countries to host trials of Moderna’s Covid vaccine for HIV patients
15 DECEMBER 2021 - by ANTONY SGUAZZIN - Study in eight African countries will determine the efficacy of the shots in HIV patients and its ability to combat the Omicron variant
A Quebec woman is proving through her actions not only why she was nominated by a group of her peers as a hometown hero, but why she was the right choice.
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Quebec woman wins home makeover, pays prize forward to people living with HIV/AIDS
15 December 2021 - A Quebec woman is proving through her actions not only why she was nominated by a group of her peers as a hometown hero, but why she was the right choice.
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Research breakthrough could see HIV drugs used to treat low-grade brain tumours
15 December 2021 - The new study was conducted by academics in the University's Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence
Drugs developed to treat AIDS and HIV could offer hope to patients diagnosed with the most common form of primary brain tumour.
The breakthrough, co-funded by the charity Brain Tumour Research, is significant because, if further research is conclusive, the anti-retroviral drugs could be prescribed for patients diagnosed with meningioma and acoustic neuroma brain tumours (also known as schwannoma).
Canadian Blood Services recommends end to outright ban on donations from gay men
December 15, 2021 - Rachel Aiello - In a move LGBTQ2S+ advocates say is long overdue, Canadian Blood Services submitted an application to Health Canada on Wednesday to end the blood ban.
In the new request to overhaul the policy, Canadian Blood Services is asking its regulator to approve a change to its blood and plasma donor eligibility criteria that would allow blood donation clinics to stop asking gay and bisexual men as well as some other folks in the LGBTQ2S+ community whether they’ve had sex with a man.
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Roche launches the first infectious disease tests and cobas omni Utility Channel for use on the cobas 5800 System in countries accepting the CE Mark
Dec 15, 2021 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG;OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced the launch of the first infectious disease tests on the cobas® 5800 System, a new molecular laboratory instrument, in countries accepting the CE mark. These include cobas® HIV-1, cobas® HBV, cobas® HCV, cobas® HIV-1/HIV-2 Qualitative, and the cobas omni Utility Channel kit. These launches expand the Roche Molecular portfolio offering by providing standardised performance and efficiencies across low, medium and high volume molecular laboratory testing needs.
Study shows how HIV copies itself in the body
Dec 15, 2021 - Laura Arenschield - Findings could be the basis for future treatments, researchers say
HIV replication in the human body requires that specific viral RNAs be packaged into progeny virus particles. A new study has found how a small difference in the RNA sequence can allow the viral RNA to be packaged for replication, creating potential targets for future HIV treatments.
The study, published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that HIV chooses its viral RNA genome – the “source code” that it injects into healthy human cells to infect them – based on functions attributable to just two nucleotides.
ECDC publishes new risk assessment on further emergence of Omicron variant
Dec 15, 2021 - ECDC just published the eighteenth update of its rapid risk assessment (RRA). This RRA extends the assessment on the circulation of the Delta variant of concern (VOC) and projections for the festive period that was published on 24 November 2021, including the emergence and spread of the Omicron VOC. The inclusion of updated forecasts developed for this risk assessment are informed by the latest evidence on Omicron VOC epidemiology, transmissibility, severity, and immune escape.
Could a Targeted Immunotherapy Strategy Eventually Lead to a 'Functional' HIV Cure?
Dec. 14, 2021 - Larry Buhl - A new experimental therapy that activates an immune system’s “killer” T cells to multiply and attack T cells infected with HIV could one day lead to a “functional cure” for HIV, allowing people living with HIV (PLWH) to discontinue antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to authors of a study published in October in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Although many potential obstacles and years of further study lie ahead for this approach, early animal research has yielded considerable optimism.
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Wise studying social determinants of cardiovascular health in those with HIV
December 14, 2021 - by Erica Techo - Jenni Wise, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, has received a $150,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health Centers for AIDS Research to support her research on the impact of social determinants of health on cardiovascular health in individuals with HIV.
HIV is predominantly a socioeconomic disease, Wise says, which is why it is important to study social determinants of health alongside HIV and its comorbidities. The study will focus on hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia — a high level of lipids that can lead to heart attack, stroke or other heart issues.
Amazon Canada Teams Up With Coeur de Pirate to Surprise Quebec Hometown Heroes
TORONTO, Dec. 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Inspired by our everyday heroes, Amazon Canada has partnered with internationally acclaimed Quebec-born singer Coeur de Pirate and Quebec designer Camille Charland Perez to recognize some extraordinary people from Quebec.
People with HIV are at increased risk for heart failure
OAKLAND, Calif. - 13 DEC 2021 - Kaiser Permanente research finds risk difference more pronounced in women, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and people under 40
People with HIV are at higher risk of developing heart failure than people without HIV, a new study found.
The research, published December 13 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, is one of the largest studies to investigate heart failure risk in people with HIV and how that risk varies by age, gender, race, and ethnicity.
No, We Didn’t ‘Lose an Entire Generation’ to AIDS
TEHRAN - December 13, 2021 - Molly M. Pearson - This article is part of HIV Redefined, a special collection TheBody has launched for World AIDS Day 2021. In this ongoing series, HIV Redefined explores the ways in which the words and phrases we use when talking about HIV—or when we're in conversation with people who are living with HIV—can have a huge impact on stigma, trauma, and our ability to end the epidemic.
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Over 100,000 tests conducted through HIV campaign
December 11, 2021 - A campaign was launched to test the public for HIV, through which over 100,000 tests have been carried out nationwide, ILNA reported on Saturday.
The campaign, called "I test for HIV, too", began on November 11 for a month, aiming to identify the HIV patients in targeted populations, and increase universal access to HIV training and diagnosis.
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Public cautioned against rising HIV/AIDS infections ahead of Christmas
December 11, 2021 - Jesus Alodina Abolunga, Focal person on HIV and AIDS at the Birim Central Municipal Assembly, has called on the public to remain conscious of the prevalence during this Yuletide.
He said as of 2020, the total number of people who had tested positive of the virus in the Municipality were 1,152 comprising 293 males, 776 females, and 83 children.
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After 37 years of living with HIV, the pandemic brought new challenges
December 10, 2021 - Dave Pineau says food bank deliveries through Bruce House were a lifeline
This First Person article is the experience of Dave Pineau, a speaker and researcher living with HIV.
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16 Images That Recap the 2021 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS
December 10, 2021 - By Trenton Straube - #2021USCHA—the U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS—may have ended, but you can still experience it via these pics, tweets and videos.
The 25th annual U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS (#2021USCHA) took place last week. But thanks to social media, much of the information and inspiration shared throughout the two-day virtual event remains at your fingertips.
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International Human Rights Day: overcoming pandemics by respecting human rights for all
GENEVA, 10 December 2021 - On International Human Rights Day, UNAIDS is calling for concrete action to prevent and respond to systemic human rights violations that create and exacerbate inequalities.
“We live in one of the most unequal times in history,” said the UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “What the HIV pandemic had already revealed, COVID-19 has again confirmed: crises and disasters are felt most strongly along the fault lines of society. Those who experience systemic discrimination and inequality are pushed further and further behind.”
‘At Home With': Long-Term Survivor Bruce Ward on Language, HIV History, and Telling Our Stories
Dec 9, 2021 - Charles Sanchez - World AIDS Day means many things to many people, but I think it has special meaning to those who have been living with HIV for decades. I wanted to honor long-term HIV survivors by featuring one on the weekly Instagram At Home With broadcast.
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VitalHub Announces That Ontario HIV Treatment Network Licenses TREAT for AIDS Service Organization Case and Client Management
TORONTO, Dec. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Five-Year Agreement Will Ensure Ontario AIDS Service Organizations Get the Streamlined Case Management Software They Need
VitalHub Corp. (the “Company”) (TSXV: VHI) is pleased to announce the 5-year licensing of the TREAT EHR to the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (“OHTN”). The OHTN has acquired the TREAT software to support its partner AIDS Service Organizations (“ASO”), who will utilize TREAT as a record management tool. This will allow each ASO to record client information and record services delivered to each client. It will be branded as The Ontario Community-Based AIDS Service and Evaluation system or “OCASE”.
Experimental mRNA HIV vaccine safe, shows promise in animals
December 9, 2021 - NIH scientists developed vaccine platform.
An experimental HIV vaccine based on mRNA—the same platform technology used in two highly effective COVID-19 vaccines—shows promise in mice and non-human primates, according to scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Their results, published in Nature Medicine, show that the novel vaccine was safe and prompted desired antibody and cellular immune responses against an HIV-like virus. Rhesus macaques receiving a priming vaccine followed by multiple booster inoculations had a 79% lower per-exposure risk of infection by simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) compared to unvaccinated animals. The research was led by Paolo Lusso, M.D., Ph.D., of NIAID’s Laboratory of Immunoregulation, in collaboration with other NIAID scientists, investigators from Moderna, Inc. and colleagues at other institutions.
Stool and Blood Preserved Early in the HIV/AIDS Pandemic Reveal How Microbiome Influences Disease Susceptibility
PITTSBURGH - December 8, 2021 - Men who contracted HIV in the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic harbored a greater relative abundance of pro-inflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory gut microbes before they became HIV-positive compared to their counterparts who remained HIV-negative, according to new research published today in the journal Microbiome. In addition, the men who progressed to AIDS the quickest had the least favorable gut microbiome composition.
How a Stanford COVID case illustrates the possible connection between omicron and HIV
Dec. 8, 2021 - Erin Allday - A prevailing theory as to how the omicron variant emerged so suddenly and jam-packed with mutations is that it was cultivated in an immune-compromised person — possibly someone with untreated HIV — with an extended coronavirus infection.
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CDC updates its guidelines to encourage doctors to talk everyone who is sexually active about PrEP to prevent HIV
December 8, 2021 - By Jen Christensen, CNN - The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging doctors to talk to all sexually active people about drugs that can help prevent HIV and to prescribe these drugs -- known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP-- to anyone who asks for them.
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People living with HIV, regardless of CD4 count or viral load, more likely to experience COVID-19 breakthrough infections
8 December 2021 - Andy Carstens - The absolute risk of a breakthrough infection is small
A large US study from Johns Hopkins University confirms that COVID-19 infection is uncommon for fully vaccinated people, regardless of HIV status. Nonetheless, their analysis also shows that fully vaccinated people with HIV are about 40% more likely to experience breakthrough cases than HIV-negative people, regardless of CD4 counts or viral suppression.
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Hydrogen sulphide gas suppresses HIV infection
December 8, 2021 - Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and their collaborators have identified a key role played by hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas in suppressing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Increased H2S was found to have a direct effect on reducing the rate at which the virus multiplies in HIV-infected human immune cells. The finding paves the way for developing a more comprehensive antiretroviral therapy against HIV.
Better understanding impact of shame on HIV patients can help improve healthcare, study argues
December 8, 2021 - Ensuring healthcare workers better understand the psychological, social and physical impacts of shame on HIV patients will help improve their medical treatment, a study argues.
Doctors and nurses should be more aware of how shame related to stigma can contribute to ill health, especially in experiences of chronic illness such as HIV.
Shame can act as a chronic stressor which can lead to psychobiological changes in the body which can exacerbate physical conditions. It can also lead to a range of behaviours and outcomes which can negatively affect health treatment.
Racial Bias among Doctors May Exacerbate Disparities in HIV Prevention, Rutgers-led Study Finds
December 7, 2021 - Racial bias among health care providers may limit the number of Black women who could be taking a daily pill to prevent HIV infection, according to a Rutgers-led study.
Digital pill system tracks HIV prevention pill adherence with 98 percent accuracy
DECEMBER 7, 2020 - BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL - Among populations with low compliance for drug regimens, digital pills may provide feasible, acceptable and accurate intervention
A team of investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital found digital pill systems (DPS) to be a feasible, acceptable, and 98 percent accurate intervention to help men who have sex with men (MSM) with a history of substance use adhere to once-daily, oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimens. Results are published in The Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
21 Million in 21 years - Humana announces at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) that it has reached 21 Million people across the developing world in 21 years with its "Total Control of the Epidemic (TCE)" HIV/AIDS programme
HARARE, Zimbabwe, Dec. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/-- As the Humana People to People Federation and its member in South Africa prepare to attend the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), we are highlighting our Total Control of the Epidemic (TCE) HIV/AIDS Programme through which we have reached 21 Million people in 21 years offering support to those affected by the virus.
Humana is also supporting the theme - "The race to 2030: Evidence. Scale up. Accelerate" reiterating the need to accelerate individual HIV testing, reference for treatment, and care for those on treatment and avoidance across Africa and Asia.
Brief Intervention Increased Physical Activity in African American Men Living with HIV
6 DEC 2021 - By Julie Sloane - Participants improved both their aerobic and muscle strengthening activities, which could help them live longer and more active lives.
It should come as no surprise that as we age, physical activity becomes increasingly valuable in staving off non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, as well as diminished muscle tone and bone density — major issues for longevity and quality of life.
Some of us have more risk factors than others. In a new study in the journal AIDS Patient Care and STDs, Professor John B. Jemmott III worked with one of the highest risk groups for these chronic diseases: African American men over 40 who live with HIV. And while anti-retroviral drugs often taken by these men have increased their lifespans, research indicates the drugs also make them more vulnerable to the non-communicable diseases associated with aging.
HIV cases increased in Sask. with pandemic closures, Indigenous organization says
Saskatchewan - December 6, 2021 - Debora Alvares - 'They didn't have a place to go,' Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis of All Nations Hope Network says
The pandemic caused an increase in HIV rates in the province and across Canada, according to a member from an Indigenous organization.
"What we've noticed in Saskatchewan is the rates of HIV have gone up, because people close their doors," said Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis, the finance and research director of All Nations Hope Network.
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Ryan White would have been 50 today. He made the world better for people with HIV.
Dece 6, 2021 - Jack Bunting - Ryan White is not alive to celebrate his 50th birthday, Dec. 6. But thousands of people living with HIV crossed the half-century mark recently. They might not realize it, but most of them have been helped in some way by Ryan.
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UNAIDS calls for urgent action to end the inequalities driving HIV and other pandemics around the world
GENEVA/DURBAN, 6 December 2021 - As the 21st International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) opens in Durban, South Africa, UNAIDS is calling for urgent measures to be taken to reduce the inequalities fuelling the twin pandemics of HIV and COVID-19. The mainly virtual event is being held against the backdrop of increasing COVID-19 infections driven by the new omicron variant of the coronavirus identified by South African researchers last month.
HIV genes can successfully be removed from cells, scientists find
6 December 2021 - Alasdair Sinclair - Many hurdles to overcome before human trials can start
Scientists have demonstrated the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to remove the HIV genome from the DNA of infected cells. They have also identified some of the consequences of doing so and begun to investigate how these side-effects may be mitigated.
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Immune system-stimulating nanoparticle could lead to more powerful vaccines
December 3, 2021 - Anne Trafton | MIT News Office - The potent new adjuvant could be used to help make vaccines against HIV and other infectious diseases.
A common strategy to make vaccines more powerful is to deliver them along with an adjuvant — a compound that stimulates the immune system to produce a stronger response.
Researchers from MIT, the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and other institutions have now designed a new nanoparticle adjuvant that may be more potent than others now in use. Studies in mice showed that it significantly improved antibody production following vaccination against HIV, diphtheria, and influenza.
Brazil's Bolsonaro investigated for linking vaccine and AIDS
BRASILIA, BRAZIL - December 3, 2021 - Debora Alvares - A justice of Brazil's top court ordered on Friday that President Jair Bolsonaro be investigated for comments linking COVID-19 vaccines to AIDS -- an assertion rejected by doctors and scientists.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes instructed the country's top prosecutor, Augusto Aras, to look into the accusation raised by a pandemic inquiry conducted by Brazil's Senate.
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Use of HIV prevention treatments is very low among Southern Black gay men
December 2, 2021 -- Use of antiretroviral treatments to prevent HIV infection – called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP – is very low among high-risk populations with poor access to HIV care, especially Black men in the South who have sex with men. That’s the main finding of our new study, which suggests public health officials will need to do more outreach to this population if they hope to end the HIV pandemic by 2030.
What Can One Life Tell Us About the Battle Against H.I.V.?
Dec. 2, 2021 - By Sarika Bansal - In 2001, U.N. estimates suggested 150 million people would be infected with H.I.V. by 2021. That preceded an ambitious global campaign to curb the virus. How well did it work?
The story of the past two decades of the fight against H.I.V. can be told through the life of Juliet Awuor Otieno. She was 18 years old and living in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2001, when she learned she was pregnant. On a visit to the doctor, she was tested for H.I.V.
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Possible to live a normal life with HIV, says Sudburian with the virus
Dec 02, 2021 - Kathy Savage now only takes one pill per day to manage her viral load
When Kathy Savage was diagnosed with HIV 10 years ago she was devastated.
"I was a former drug user and I contracted it through a person I was using with, not knowing she had it," she said. "So when I found out, I was quite devastated because I found out that I had Hep C at the same time."
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Botswana is first country with severe HIV epidemic to reach key milestone in the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission
Brazzaville, Geneva, Nairobi, 2 December 2021 - Botswana has become the first high-burden country to be certified for achieving an important milestone on the path to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV by the World Health Organization (WHO).
ECDC Updates Omicron Threat Assessment Brief
December 2, 2021 - Today the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) released an updated Threat Assessment Brief on the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, known as Omicron.
First detected on 11 November in Botswana, the number of countries reporting cases of Omicron globally and in the EU/EEA continues to increase. There are number of uncertainties around Omicron in terms of transmissibility, severity, and immune escape potential, though preliminary data suggests a substantial advantage over the Delta variant. Based on mathematical modelling conducted by ECDC, there are indications that Omicron could cause over half of all SARS-CoV-2 infections in the EU/EEA within the next few months. The greater Omicron's growth advantage over Delta and the greater its circulation in the EU/EEA, the shorter the expected time until Omicron causes most of all SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Researchers develop model for treating HIV/AIDS, depression
December 1, 2021 - By Maya Bell - With a shortage of mental health professionals, an international team trained nurses to treat clinically depressed HIV-positive people in South Africa.
Today, people living with HIV/AIDS can remain healthy if they are able to engage in routine care and take the medicines that reduce their virus to undetectable levels. But for people with HIV who are also struggling with depression, that’s often an insurmountable challenge, especially in South Africa, home to the highest number of cases in the world and a significant shortage of mental health professionals.
But a new study in the Journal of the International AIDS Society has local and global implications for successfully treating both mental health and HIV/AIDS in settings like South Africa—or even Miami, the epicenter of new cases in the United States.
Meth use, intimate partner violence weaken immune function in HIV-positive men
December 1, 2021 - Enrique Rivero - A study of HIV-positive black and Latino men who have sex with men finds the use of methamphetamine combined with intimate partner violence boosted the activity of genes that regulate the body’s inflammatory and antiviral functions. The combination may lead to exhaustion of the immune system in people living with HIV, increasing the risk for developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and other disorders.
National AIDS Memorial Honors History-Making Television Series Pose for Connecting a New Generation to the Story of AIDS and the Long Struggle for Health and Social Justice
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- - Award-winning actor Billy Porter, co-creator/executive producer Steven Canals and writer/co-executive producer Our Lady J accept the National Leadership Recognition Award during Heartfelt and Powerful World AIDS Day Conversation
- Quilt panel made for Pose character Pray Tell gifted to the National AIDS Memorial where it will become part of the AIDS Memorial Quilt's vast collection of Quilt-related memorabilia
The National AIDS Memorial awarded its prestigious National Leadership Recognition Award, presented annually on World AIDS Day, to Pose, the authentic, history-making, and award-winning FX drama series that has captured millions of hearts and minds through its powerful storytelling and authentic characters.
Undetectable
DECEMBER 1, 2020 - TELUS originals - HOW STIGMA HAS GONE VIRAL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV
Canada has the solution to end HIV infections and stop the world-wide AIDS epidemic. So why are people still dying of AIDS? Undetectable breaks down the roadblocks that have stopped the world from becoming HIV/AIDS free.
World AIDS Day 2021
Dec 1, 2021 - BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS - On December 1st, the BC-CfE observes World AIDS Day, as an opportunity to reflect on the challenges, loss and successes we've experienced over the past forty years. BC-CfE Executive Director & Physician-in-Chief Dr. Julio Montaner encourages every British Columbian to join us as we commit to do our part to motivate our political leaders to find the courage and resources to deliver on the promise to end the AIDS pandemic by 2030.
International study reveals COVID-19 vaccination rates among people living with HIV
December 1, 2021 - BOSTON - COVID-19 vaccination is especially important for immunocompromised individuals, such as people living with HIV, who face higher risks of developing severe symptoms and dying from COVID-19. A team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) recently analyzed COVID-19 vaccination rates across the globe among people living with HIV, revealing an overall vaccination rate of 55% but with rates varying significantly by geography.
Western researcher helping bring HIV cure within reach
DECEMBER 1, 2020 - By Debora Van Brenk - At first, in the medical fight against AIDS, there was only uncertainty.
Then researchers brought hope in the form of life-saving treatment – antiretrovirals that stop HIV from replicating in an infected person and reduce the risk of transmission.
Now, as the international community marks World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, a cure could be within REACH.
Western University researcher Jessica Prodger is a collaborator in Research Enterprise to Advance a Cure for HIV (REACH), an ambitious multi-institutional project funded through the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Plymouth man marks 35 years of living with HIV
1 Dec 2021 - ByEve Watson -
'I had to come into work and tell them I had HIV - I thought they'd run a mile'
"We're remembering a generation that's been lost. I know people who've died at 23, 29, 33 and 46. Very young people.
"Some people say, 'why are you still doing it?' We are remembering the lost generation as well. Everyone thinks of Freddie Mercury which is wonderful, but what about Joe Bloggs?"
Those are the words of Kevin Kelland, 70, who has been living with HIV for 35 years.
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117 cases of HIV diagnosed in Manitoba in 2020: Roussin
WINNIPEG - Dec 1, 2021 - Kayla Rosen -
Manitoba’s top doctor said there were 117 cases of HIV identified in Manitoba in 2020, which is a slight decrease from 2019, when there were 121 new cases.
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Red Scarf Campaign Launches In Bracebridge To Raise Awareness For HIV/AIDS
December 1, 2021 - By Maddie Binning -
Locals tied red scarves around downtown Bracebridge today in an effort to raise awareness for and reduce the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.
Representatives from the Muskoka Grandmothers to Grandmothers, the Gilbert Centre and Muskoka Pride came together to launch the campaign in recognition of World AIDS Day and HIV/AIDS Awareness Week from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1. The Bracebridge Falls will also be lit up red tonight in recognition of World AIDS Day. Muskoka Pride board member and secretary Shawn Forth said it’s essential to recognize the importance of these annual campaigns.
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U.S. Senator Tina Smith & U.S. Representative Adam Schiff Introduce Bill to Expand Access to Lifesaving HIV Prevention Drugs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/1/21] - Smith and Schiff’s “PrEP Access and Coverage Act” Would Expand Health Coverage, Education and Access to Highly-Effective HIV Prevention Medications
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that will expand access to lifesaving HIV prevention medications.
The “PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2021” addresses the underutilization of HIV prevention drugs - known as PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis) - in high risk communities by ensuring these medications and any associated costs are covered by health insurance. The measure also establishes community public health campaigns, and it expands access to the drugs for uninsured individuals and underserved communities.
President Biden Delivers Remarks on World AIDS Day
Dec 1, 2021 - President Biden Delivers Remarks to Commemorate World AIDS Day, Launch the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, and Kick Off the Global Fund Replenishment Process ; the Secretary of Health and Human Services Also Delivers Remarks
As HIV cases rise globally, it's more important than ever to keep yourself safe. Experts explain what to do
December 1, 2021 - By Megan Marples, CNN - As we mark World AIDS Day today, a wave of HIV cases makes it more important than ever to protect yourself from contracting the virus.
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, attacks the body's immune system, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If left untreated, it can lead to AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
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Forty years on from the start of the HIV epidemic, new data reveals people living with HIV face outdated attitudes and ongoing discrimination
London, 1 December 2021 - This World AIDS Day, as part of the HIV in View campaign, ViiV Healthcare releases survey data highlighting outdated attitudes and beliefs about HIV, despite advances in treatment and care
Pervasive stigma and prejudice towards people living with HIV continues to persist, according to a new international survey released today on World AIDS Day. Funded by ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GlaxoSmithKline Plc (“GSK”), with Pfizer Inc. and Shionogi Limited as shareholders, the survey uncovers outdated attitudes and inherent bias amongst the general public towards people living with HIV. An overwhelming majority (88%) of respondents believe there are still negative perceptions towards people living with HIV, even though it can now be effectively managed with antiretroviral (ARV) medication. Concerningly, almost a third (30%) of people surveyed incorrectly believe HIV can be transmitted through kissing.
World AIDS Day 2021 message from UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima
December 1, 2021 - Greetings on this World AIDS Day, and my solidarity with all around the world as we confront the impact of colliding pandemics.
This year, the world agreed on a bold plan that, if leaders fulfil it, will end AIDS by 2030. That’s so exciting.
But today we, as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, issue a stark warning. AIDS remains a pandemic, the red light is flashing and only by moving fast to end the inequalities that drive the pandemic can we overcome it.
World AIDS Day 2021—Step up, be bold, end AIDS, end inequalities and end pandemics
GENEVA, 1 December 2021 - With millions of lives on the line, UNAIDS and WHO World AIDS Day event saw global partners, including Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, urgently call for expanded access to health treatments and technologies and for human rights to be upheld
On the occasion of World AIDS Day 2021, UNAIDS, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners came together at a special event in Geneva, Switzerland, to highlight the urgent need to end the economic, social, cultural and legal inequalities that drive the AIDS pandemic and other pandemics around the world.
World AIDS Day: IAS launches new Global Scientific Research Strategy to cure HIV
1 December 2021 (Geneva, Switzerland) - Researchers continue to follow the science towards a scalable cure amid breakthrough cases such as the Esperanza patient
IAS – the International AIDS Society – has launched its latest strategy to find an HIV cure. Research Priorities for an HIV Cure: IAS Global Scientific Strategy 2021, was published today, World AIDS Day, in the journal, Nature Medicine.
The third edition of the IAS strategy comes soon after it was announced that an Argentinean woman, known as the ‘’Esperanza patient’’, had been cured of HIV through natural immunity. This breakthrough has provided new hope for an HIV cure.
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