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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - July 2023
What's the Difference Between HIV-1 and HIV-2?
July 31, 2023 - Nsisong Asanga - When a group of California health care providers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first described AIDS in 1981, its origins were unknown. Several vaccine-related conspiracy theories emerged and were all debunked. It took a couple of years for us to determine that AIDS is caused by untreated HIV, a retrovirus with two main types: HIV-1 and HIV-2.
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Province takes action to eliminate hepatitis C
July 30, 2023 - People in B.C. will be better protected against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) as the Province takes further action to accelerate the elimination of the disease and provide better supports for people living with HCV.
To better help government measure the reduction of the viral infection, the Province is bringing together the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) and the BC Hepatitis Network (BCHN) to work on a made-in B.C. HCV-treatment as a prevention strategy and a hepatitis-elimination roadmap.
Global Adult Vaccine Market Projected to Reach $27.65 Billion by 2028 with a Strong CAGR of 6.01% During 2023-2028 - ResearchAndMarkets.com
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- July 28, 2023 - DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Adult Vaccines Market, Size, Global Forecast 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The global adult vaccine market is expected to witness substantial growth, reaching a projected value of US$ 27.65 Billion by 2028, with a strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.01% during 2022-2028.
Vaccines play a crucial role in global public health by curbing infectious disease transmission and potentially eradicating them. The market is witnessing the emergence of numerous new vaccinations addressing diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, dengue fever, and other disorders. Additionally, preventive injectables for conditions like HIV, cardiometabolic disease, and common cancers are being considered as part of the expanded definition of vaccines.
Total recall on HIV
Kyoto, Japan - 28-JUL-2023 - Having control over how a dish is cooked is always a good idea. Taking a hint from the kitchen, scientists appear to have discovered a way to produce a true structure of the rare but naturally-occurring anti-HIV compound Lancilactone C from start to finish.
Its non-cytotoxicity in mammals could make this triterpenoid an ideal candidate for treating AIDS if its biological activity were clear -- and if only it were abundant in nature.
 
AIDS Vancouver 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Vancouver, BC. - July 29, 2023 – 40 Years Together in Vancouver
Join us to celebrate 40 years in our community with snacks and the unveiling of the HIV In My Day timeline by Peg
AIDS Vancouver is grateful to people living with HIV who have shaped this organization alongside the many staff, volunteers, and supporters who support people living with HIV.
Ghana AIDS Commission faces dire operational impact due to donor support cut
29 July 2023 - The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, has raised concerns about the detrimental effects of the withdrawal of donor support and the decreasing allocation of government funds on the commission's critical operations.
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AIDS Relief Program Under Threat as G.O.P. Insists on Abortion Restriction
July 28, 2023 - By Sheryl Gay Stolberg - A decades-old program created by President George W. Bush to combat AIDS around the world is at risk of being sucked into a partisan dispute over abortion, with some Republicans threatening to block its renewal.
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World Hepatitis Day 2023: need to scale up efforts to address hepatitis B and C
July 28, 2023 - World Hepatitis Day is marked on 28 July each year to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis.
Worldwide, hepatitis B and hepatitis C cause 1.1 million deaths and 3 million new infections every year combined, while in the EU/EEA there are approximately 6 million people living with chronic hepatitis B and C infection.
Tackling hepatitis at home and in the community
July 27, 2023 - Ahead of World Hepatitis Day on July 28, Senior Scientist Sofia Bartlett shares how her commitment to improving outcomes for people diagnosed with hepatitis likely saved her father’s life.
World Hepatitis Day, marked every year on July 28, is a time for reflection and renewed motivation for Sofia Bartlett, a senior scientist for sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne infections (stibbi) at the BC Centre for Disease Control.
New Case of Possible HIV Cure Reported
July 27, 2023 - A new study that draws on the work of amfAR’s ICISTEM researchers reports a sixth person has potentially been cured of HIV via a stem cell transplant.
Another individual, known as the Geneva patient, may have been cured of HIV via a stem cell transplant. However, unlike the previous five people who have been cured with donor stem cells from individuals with the CCR5-delta32 genetic mutation, which renders cells almost impervious to HIV infection, this transplant did not involve such a special case.?
‘Time-traveling’ pathogens in m elting permafrost pose likely risk to environment
July 27, 2023 - Digital simulation suggests small percentage of pathogens could cause significant ecological damage
Ancient pathogens that escape from melting permafrost have real potential to damage microbial communities and might potentially threaten human health, according to a new study by Giovanni Strona of the European Commission Joint Research Centre and colleagues, published July 27 in the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology.
“Gonorrhea Alert”
Intensifies Globally,
says AHF
MANAUS, Brazil - July 26, 2023 – With reports of rising rates of drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhea globally, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) urges governments to prioritize sexually transmitted infections on their public health agendas and promote condom use to prevent STIs versus an over-reliance on antibiotics to treat them post-exposure. Neisseria gonorrhea is exceptionally dangerous due to its resistance to multiple treatments, including new antibiotics being developed specifically for this pathogen.
HIV patients can safely undergo hip replacement, study finds
DALLAS – July 26, 2023 - UT Southwestern Medical Center - UTSW researchers see no increased risk of complications following total hip arthroplasty
Hip replacement surgery is safe for patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found.Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common procedure performed primarily on older patients suffering from osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis, painful conditions that severely limit mobility and lifestyle choices. But some surgeons have been hesitant to perform THAs on patients with HIV or AIDS due to concerns about complications, including higher risk of infection, need for revision surgery, and increased length of hospital stay.
New treatment for children with HIV shows promise
July 26, 2023 - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - The Big 3: Three questions, three answers
Roger Shapiro, professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has studied pediatric HIV as part of the Botswana Harvard Partnership since 1999. He recently led a study, published in Science Translational Medicine, of a potential alternative to antiretroviral treatment for children living with HIV.
Dr Conway's intervention at the News Conference on the Long-Acting Injectable Campaign
from AIDS Vancouver
July 26, 2023 - By Dr Brian Conway - “BC is being asked to join the rest of Canada in this new era of injectable antiviral therapy. Let us do the right thing for the men and women living with HIV in BC”
Over the past several years an injectable combination of antiviral medications, cabotegravir and rilpivirine, known as Cabenuva, has been evaluated in clinical trials and shown to be safe and effective in the setting of a switch from a pill to an injection, in the situation where the pills were highly effective.
A recent study has reinforced the benefits of Cabenuva, in comparison to a pill known as Biktarvy, which happens to be the most commonly prescribed HIV combination therapy in British Columbia.
Blocking HIV Enzyme Reduces Infectivity and Slows Viral Rebound
July 26, 2023 - NIMH - National Institutes of Health (NIH) - HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus , is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. Antiretroviral medications can eliminate the symptoms and prevent the spread of HIV, but there is no cure. People with HIV always carry the virus, and the virus can replicate and infect new cells if people stop taking the medications. A pair of new studies funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute on Aging (NIA), and National Cancer Institute (NCI), all part of the National Institutes of Health, showed that blocking an enzyme involved in forming HIV particles stopped the virus from becoming infectious, suggesting a possible new target for treating HIV infection.
Manitoba has second-worst HIV rate in Canada, demand for resources increasing
July 26, 2023 - By Nicole Buffie - HIV infection rates in Manitoba have become some of the highest in Canada, leaving a longstanding community organization pressed amid an increase in demand for services.
Kim Templeton expects more than 300 Manitobans to be diagnosed with HIV this year, adding to the approximately 2,000 clients who receive care at Nine Circles Community Health Centre in Winnipeg.
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Monkeypox: Characterization of post-infectious immune response
25 July 2023 - In 2022-2023, an unprecedented epidemic of 87,000 cases of mpox occurred in non-endemic areas, affecting people with no direct link to travel in Central or West Africa, where the virus has historically been present. MPXV is mainly transmitted to humans by rodents, with human-to-human transmission occurring via respiratory droplets or close contact. Symptoms are less severe than those of smallpox, and the case-fatality rate is lower. According to Santé publique France, approximately 5,000 cases of MPXV infection have been reported in France since May 2022.2 MPXV is still circulating at very low levels in non-endemic areas, which is why it is important to improve characterization and analyze the immune response of people infected with the virus or vaccinated with IMVANEX, the third-generation vaccine currently available, initially developed for smallpox.
Very high HIV incidence among people who inject drugs in South Africa
25 July 2023 - Krishen Samuel - Nearly 14% of people who inject drugs in South Africa went on to acquire HIV in a national sample of people seeking harm reduction services, according to research presented to the 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023) in Brisbane, Australia by Dr Adeline Artenie from the University of Bristol.
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BU study: PrEP to reduce HIV incidence not available in one in three New England colleges and universities
(Boston) July 24, 2023 - Expanding PrEP access holds promise to decrease HIV incidence in this age group
Young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), accounted for 80% of new HIV infections among youth ages 13–24 in 2018 and represents a priority population for HIV prevention. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine reduces HIV incidence by more than 90% in MSM, yet remains underutilized. For many young MSM, the time-period of highest HIV risk occurs during their college years. While college student health services (SHS) are uniquely positioned to provide HIV prevention services, little is known about the availability of PrEP in those settings.
Study Shows Positive Outcomes for First Three U.S. Living HIV-To-HIV Kidney Transplant Donors
July 24, 2023 - Newswise — Long-term evaluation bolsters support that being a donor is safe for people living with HIV, making it possible to extend life for their recipients
Based on findings from a study published today in the journal, The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and three collaborating medical institutions suggest that people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who donate a kidney to other people living with HIV (PLWH) have a low risk of developing end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) or other kidney problems in the years following the donation.
National Evaluation Project Ramps Up Emerging Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes for People Aging with HIV
CHICAGO, July 24, 2023 - 10 sites across the country awarded grants to design, implement, and evaluate interventions addressing HIV and aging in the U.S.
NORC at the University of Chicago will lead a new national initiative with the New York State Department of Health / Health Research Inc (HRI) to support and evaluate interventions designed to improve the well-being of older adults with HIV.
The Emerging Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes for People Aging with HIV project—also known as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Special Projects of National Significance Program Aging with HIV Initiative—will seek to strengthen the evidence base for emerging clinical and psychosocial services that comprehensively screen and manage co-occurring conditions, geriatric factors, and behavioral health needs among people aged 50 and older with HIV.
Key to Preventing HIV Progression Lies in the Gut
PITTSBURGH - 7/24/2023 - Restoring and improving gut health may be key to slowing HIV progression to AIDS, according to a new study by University of Pittsburgh infectious diseases scientists published today in the journal JCI Insight.
The animal study, which was performed with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the monkey form of HIV, revealed that tackling only systemic immune activation and inflammation when attempting to control disease progression and comorbidities isn’t effective. Instead, treatments should target the root cause of those problems and focus on healing the gut.
How You Can Preserve the Music Legacy of AIDS Icon Michael Callen
July 24, 2023 - By Mark S. King - It isn’t very often that any of us can play a tangible role in honoring and preserving the legacy of one of the pillars of our shared history. Here’s just that opportunity.
Michael Callen is someone many people consider to be the original long-term AIDS survivor. He was public and quite vocal about living with AIDS beginning in the early 1980s, and then managed to live enough years thereafter that we thought his presence might be a given.
Daily statin reduces heart disease risk among adults living with HIV
July 24, 2023 - NIH-funded clinical trial finds cholesterol-lowering treatment reduced cardiovascular events by 35%.
A National Institute of Health-supported study found that statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering medications, may offset the high risk of cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV by more than a third, potentially preventing one in five major cardiovascular events or premature deaths in this population. People living with HIV can have a 50-100% increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir Demonstrates Sustained Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life in People With HIV
July 24, 2023 - FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- - Patient-Reported Outcomes From the CAPELLA Trial Align With the Demonstrated Safety and Tolerability Profile of Lenacapavir -
- Analyses Show Oral Bridging Maintains Virologic Suppression When Subcutaneous Lenacapavir Doses are Missed -
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today presented new data reinforcing the efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile of lenacapavir, including patient-reported outcomes (PRO) from the Phase 2/3 CAPELLA trial. These latest findings underscore the role of lenacapavir, the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment medication administered twice-yearly, as a person-centric therapy option and its transformative potential impact on the future of coordinated HIV clinical care. The data were presented at the 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023), taking place July 23-26 in Brisbane, Australia.
New findings from Emory study offer potential breakthrough in HIV cure research
July 24, 2023 - Emory’s Gavegnano Group demonstrates ability to remove key barrier to an HIV cure.
The results of a novel study presented by Emory researchers during the International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference in Brisbane, Australia, have revealed exciting findings in the pursuit of an HIV cure. The study, led by Monica Reece, a PhD candidate in Emory’s Microbiology and Genetics Program, and directed by Christina Gavegnano, PhD, demonstrates the potential of Jak inhibitors, specifically ruxolitinib, to significantly decay the viral reservoir in people with HIV, offering a novel pathway toward long-term remission or a cure.
BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Announces New Integrated Program For Those Diagnosed With Opioid Use Disorder Living With Chronic Pain
VANCOUVER, BC, July 24, 2023 /CNW/ - The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) launched an integrated program in Vancouver's Downtown East Side for individuals living with chronic pain who are diagnosed with opioid use disorder.
This program, made possible with funding from Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), will provide clients with an interdisciplinary team made up of a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychiatrist, family physician, peer, and nurse specialist. An interdisciplinary team of infectious disease and addiction specialists, behavioural therapists, health system researchers, and data scientists will also be put together to monitor the implementation of the program and provide feedback.
Canada’s response to COVID-19 pandemic riddled with failures: expert review
OTTAWA (July 24 2023) - University of Ottawa experts among 13 national institutions contributing to BMJ’s analysis of success and failures of the country’s pandemic response, with vaccine hoarding and lack of global leadership identified
An international review of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has found glaring failures, particularly due to long-standing weaknesses in Canada’s public health care systems plus poor data sharing and communication between provincial and federal governments.
Roojin Habibi and Adam R. Houston from the Faculty of Law – Common Law Section were among experts from 13 Canadian institutions who contributed to The British Medical Journal’s series titled The BMJ Canada COVID Series, providing critical analysis of the successes and failures of Canada’s Covid-19 response. It includes calls for a national independent review to draw lessons and ensure accountability for past and future preparedness.
ViiV Healthcare’s cabotegravir for HIV prevention receives positive CHMP opinion from European Medicines Agency
London, 24 July 2023 - ViiV Healthcare - - Cabotegravir is the first and only long-acting injectable option for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 -
ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Pfizer and Shionogi as shareholders, welcomed a positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommending marketing authorisation for cabotegravir long-acting (LA) injectable and tablets for HIV prevention. Cabotegravir is recommended in combination with safer sex practices for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 infection in high-risk adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg.
New Biktarvy® Data Presented at IAS 2023 Further Demonstrate Safety and Efficacy Profile in a Broad Range of People and Communities Affected by the Global HIV Epidemic
July 23, 2023 - FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- - Biktarvy Evaluated in a Diverse Range of People With HIV, Including Pregnant Women and Pediatric Populations -
- 96-Week Data from ALLIANCE Trial Show Durability of Biktarvy in Adults With HIV and HBV Coinfection -
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced results from multiple studies reinforcing Biktarvy® (bictegravir 50 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg tablets, B/F/TAF) as a treatment option for a broad range of people with HIV. The latest findings include key insights into the treatment of virologically suppressed pregnant women and children two years of age or older (weighing at least 14 kg to less than 25 kg) and positive Week 96 data from the ALLIANCE trial in adults with HIV/hepatitis B (HBV) coinfection who were initiating therapy. The data were presented at the 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023), taking place July 23-26 in Brisbane, Australia.
WHO Director-General's keynote speech at the 12th International AIDS Society conference on HIV Science – 23 July 2023
23 July 2023 - World Health Organization (WHO) - I thank the city of Brisbane and the governments of Queensland and Australia for hosting this conference, and Queensland Positive People, for bringing the vital voices of people living with HIV to this meeting.
Day 1 at IAS 2023 The Importance of Community Engagement in Research
July 23, 2023 - HIV gov - During the first day of the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science, Catey Laube from NIAID spoke with Brian Minalga, Deputy Director Office, of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination at Fred Hutch, and Louis Shackelford, Acting Director, External Relations, HIV Vaccine Trials Network, COVID-19 Prevention Network, Fred Hutch about the importance of community engagement in research and what they both hope to experience during the conference.
Day 1 at IAS 2023 Brian Minalga and Dr. Carl Dieffenbach Discuss Mpox & More
July 23, 2023 - HIV gov - Before the official start and opening session, Brian Minalga, Deputy Director, Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination at Fred Hutch, interviewed Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, Director of the Division of AIDS, NIAID, NIH, about the research presented on mpox, what he hopes to see at the conference, and how the research presented affects HIV service providers.
New WHO guidance on HIV viral suppression and scientific updates released at IAS 2023
23 July, 2022 - World Health Organization (WHO) - The World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing new scientific and normative guidance on HIV at the 12th International IAS (the International AIDS Society) Conference on HIV Science.
New WHO guidance and an accompanying Lancet systematic review released today describe the role of HIV viral suppression and undetectable levels of virus in both improving individual health and halting onward HIV transmission. The guidance describes key HIV viral load thresholds and the approaches to measure levels of virus against these thresholds; for example, people living with HIV who achieve an undetectable level of virus by consistent use of antiretroviral therapy, do not transmit HIV to their sexual partner(s) and are at low risk of transmitting HIV vertically to their children. The evidence also indicates that there is negligible, or almost zero, risk of transmitting HIV when a person has a HIV viral load measurement of less than or equal to 1000 copies per mL, also commonly referred to as having a suppressed viral load.
World AIDS Science Conference 2023 kicks off in Brisbane
July 23, 2023 - IAS 2023, the 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science, opened today in Brisbane with a session highlighting Australia’s extraordinary recent progress on HIV and the need to accelerate action to end the epidemic.
The conference has drawn thousands of experts from across the worlds of science, policy and activism to Brisbane to examine the latest advances in HIV research and forge a more equitable and innovative HIV response. The conference is taking place at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and virtually until 26 July.
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We Can End HIV-AIDS If We Follow a Proven Path of Progress
July 23, 2023 - ByHopolang Phororo - The lastest UNAIDS Global AIDS Update Report shows there is a path to end HIV-AIDS – a path which will help ensure preparedness to address future challenges, including pandemics, disasters, and advance progress across the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The data in the report makes it clear what that path is. It is a political and financial choice that addresses inequalities, and protects everyone, including diverse actors such women and girls and people living with HIV.
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Asylum claims followed Montreal AIDS summit marred by visa woes, planning issues
July 23, 2023 - Dylan Robertson - More than 45% of visas were rejected or not processed in time, documents show
Almost one-sixth of guests at a major AIDS conference in Montreal last year who received Canadian visas ended up claiming asylum, according to internal data obtained by The Canadian Press.
The documents also show that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) struggled to work with the International AIDS Society as both tried to avoid a mass refusal of visas.
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Health leaders celebrate Australia’s HIV success and call for intensified efforts to end pandemic
23 July 2023 -(Brisbane, Australia) - WHO Director-General, Australian Health Minister, Anthony Fauci and global health leaders convene for IAS Conference on HIV Science
IAS 2023, 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science, opened today with a session highlighting Australia’s extraordinary recent progress on HIV and the need to accelerate action to end the epidemic.
The conference, hosted by IAS – the International AIDS Society – has drawn thousands of experts from across the worlds of science, policy and activism to Brisbane to examine the latest advances in HIV research and forge a more equitable and innovative HIV response. The conference is taking place at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and virtually until 26 July.
The Lancet: People on ART with low but detectible levels of HIV viral load have almost zero risk of sexually transmitting the virus to others, in-depth review suggests
22-JUL-2023 - The Lancet - Systematic review of 8 studies in more than 7,700 serodiscordant couples in 25 countries finds people living with HIV with viral loads less than 1,000 copies/mL have almost zero risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partners. Previous studies have not been able to confirm a lack of transmission risk above 200 copies/mL.
People living with HIV who maintain low – but still detectible – levels of the virus and adhere to their antiretroviral regimen have almost zero risk of transmitting it to their sexual partners, according to an analysis published in The Lancet. The study’s findings will be presented at an official satellite session ahead of the 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023).
How a Drugmaker Profited by Slow-Walking a Promising H.I.V. Therapy
July 22, 2023 - By Rebecca Robbins and Sheryl Gay Stolberg - Gilead delayed a new version of a drug, allowing it to extend the patent life of a blockbuster line of medications, internal documents show..
In 2004, Gilead Sciences decided to stop pursuing a new H.I.V. drug. The public explanation was that it wasn’t sufficiently different from an existing treatment to warrant further development.
In private, though, something else was at play. Gilead had devised a plan to delay the new drug’s release to maximize profits, even though executives had reason to believe it might turn out to be safer for patients, according to a trove of internal documents made public in litigation against the company.
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HUMAN FIRST
July 23, 2023 - Int'l Association of Providers of AIDS Care - Human First is a short documentary focused on six remarkable humans and their lived experience with HIV stigma, who also speak to the resilient and innovative nature of affected communities across six Fast-Track Cities. These stories reflect the real world impact of HIV stigma on communities living with and affected by HIV stigma and the groundbreaking work being done to reduce HIV-related stigma across the Fast-Track Cities Network. PROUDLY PRESENTED BY IAPAC AND FAST TRACK CITIES INSTITUTE
REVEALING HIV DRUG-RESISTANCE MECHANISMS THROUGH PROTEIN STRUCTURES
LA JOLLA - July 21, 2023 - New Salk Institute research could lead to the development of new HIV therapeutics that overcome resistance to existing drugs
Salk Institute researchers, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, have discovered the molecular mechanisms by which the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) becomes resistant to Dolutegravir, one of the most effective, clinically used antiviral drugs for treating HIV.
The new study, published July 21, 2023 in Science Advances, reveals how changes to the 3D structures of integrase, an HIV protein, can lead to Dolutegravir resistance and how other compounds may be able to overcome this resistance.
Pro-Life Dispute Leaves Program for HIV/AIDS Patients in Peril
JULY 21, 2023 - BY EMILY BELZ - A negative score from groups accusing PEPFAR of supporting abortion threatens the program’s five-year renewal.
The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, or PEPFAR, has been a uniquely successful bipartisan effort, saving 25 million lives globally from HIV/AIDS since it was put into place 20 years ago. Congress and the White House have reauthorized it every five years, under different parties. It has been credited with sparing entire countries from demise.
"Commitment To Life" documentary details the fight against HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (KABC) - July 21, 2023 - A new documentary tells the story of the local response to the AIDS epidemic, and how Hollywood mobilized to raise awareness and support the LGBTQ+ community.
"The idea of "Commitment To Life" is to tell the story of the AIDS crisis in Los Angeles," said Jeffrey Schwarz, director of the film.
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HIV: 20 MONTHS' REMISSION AFTER A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT WITH NO PROTECTIVE MUTATION – THE GENEVA PATIENT
2023.07.20 - At the International Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023), Asier Sáez-Cirión, Head of the Institut Pasteur's Viral Reservoirs and Immune Control Unit, and Professor Alexandra Calmy, MD, PhD and HIV/AIDS Unit Director at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), will present a case of HIV remission following a bone marrow transplant performed as part of the patient's cancer treatment. The significance of this patient monitored in Geneva at the HUG, whose case is being examined jointly by the Institut Pasteur, Institut Cochin and the IciStem consortium, lies in the fact that the transplant was taken from a donor who does not carry the CCR5-delta 32 mutation.
Mpox Infectious on Steel Surfaces for Up to 30 Days
July 20, 2022 - By IDSE News Staff - Mpox virus can remain infectious on steel surfaces for up to 30 days, but is effectively inactivated by disinfectants containing alcohol, according to recent data.
Daphne Bramham: Hope for eradicating AIDS and slowing Alzheimer's
Jul 20, 2023 - Daphne Bramham - There is good news to offset all the bad. AIDS could be eradicated by 2050 and there is now more hope for managing Alzheimer's.
With much of the world blistering under scorching temperatures and others suffering from floods, war and a soaring cost of living, it’s easy to overlook that there are good things worth celebrating.
Because of medical researchers, activists, donors and, yes, pharmaceutical companies, treatments for two diseases are making the long-term outcomes less devastating.
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HIV diagnoses in Australia remained low in 2022: new data
20 Jul 2023- by Kirby Institute / UNSW - Despite disruptions to testing and risk behaviour during COVID-19, the latest data from UNSW Sydney’s Kirby Institute shows Australia is tracking well towards the elimination of HIV transmission.
HIV diagnoses in Australia have halved over the last decade, and have remained stable over the past year, with 555 diagnoses in 2022, according to new data by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.
“The 2022 data show that Australia is tracking well towards the elimination of HIV transmission,” says Dr Skye McGregor, head of the Surveillance Innovation Research Group at the Kirby Institute.
First person may be cured of HIV after stem cell transplant without CCR5 mutation
20 July 2023 - Liz Highleyman - A man dubbed the 'Geneva patient' appears to be the latest person cured of HIV after a stem cell transplant for cancer treatment. Unlike the other five known cases, however, he received stem cells from a donor who does not have a rare mutation that prevents HIV from entering cells. The man continues to have undetectable HIV 20 months after stopping antiretroviral therapy (ART).
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Steve Pieters, Pastor Who Spoke of AIDS in Famed Interview, Dies at 70
July 19, 2023 - By Neil Genzlinger - He had the disease and was interviewed on the PTL network in 1985 by Tammy Faye Bakker, a broadcast that was said to have changed minds and hearts.In 1985, when fear and homophobia were still driving much of the conversation surrounding AIDS, the Rev. A. Stephen Pieters, a gay pastor who had the disease, was a decidedly different voice.
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In remission from HIV, a sixth person could join the club of those possibly cured
July 19, 2023 - By Benjamin Ryan - All received stem cell transplants to treat cancer, but - unlike the others - this man’s donor did not have a rare genetic resistance to HIV.
A European man has been in a state of remission from HIV infection for nearly two years after receiving a stem cell transplant to treat blood cancer. If enough time passes with no signs of viable virus, he could join the rarefied club of five people who are considered either definitely or possibly cured of HIV.
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Georgetown University Launches Platform to Navigate Laws Governing the Prevention of Infectious Disease Emergence Worldwide
WASHINGTON | July 19, 2023 - Georgetown University announces the launch of Analysis and Mapping of Policies for all Emerging Infectious Diseases (AMP for EID), a first-of-its-kind policy platform to enhance preparedness, prevention, and response efforts for emerging infectious diseases, including SARS, MERS, Ebola, and Covid-19. With over seventy international agreements related to global health – including some fifty agreements used during the Covid-19 pandemic – the centralized and free-to-access platform allows country leaders and experts to rapidly identify the policy environment for a given pathogen or health threat, accelerating pandemic preparedness and fortifying global health security.
New Community Partnership Model Boosts Inclusion of Participants into HIV Cure-Directed Research
PHILADELPHIA — (July 19, 2023) - Scientists have long used community advisory boards to engage communities and provide feedback on studies, but this model has limitations. Now, researchers from The Wistar Institute are sharing how a more inclusive model for community engagement can lead to deeper insights and greater community participation in HIV research. The community engagement group, or CEG model, is composed of a three-part structure with a Community Advisory Board (CAB), Community nonprofit organization, and researchers.
NEW amfAR GRANTS ADVANCE INNOVATIVE GENE THERAPY APPROACHES TO CURING HIV
NEW YORK, July 19, 2023 - Leading gene therapy researchers receive $2.4 million to develop, refine, and test a range of potentially curative strategies
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, has awarded new grants totaling $2.4 million to research teams in the U.S. and Europe developing and testing a range of innovative gene therapy approaches to curing HIV.
Globally, 39 million people are living with HIV, but one-quarter of them–roughly 10 million people–still don’t have access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. A cure would save millions of lives and could herald the beginning of the end of the HIV pandemic.
Gilead Showcases Latest HIV Pipeline Progress and the Impact of Global Collaboration on Health Equity Efforts at IAS 2023
July 19, 2023 - FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) - Key Initiatives Highlight the Role of Catalytic Collaboration to Help Advance Health Equity -
-Latest HIV Research and Development Data Drive the Next Wave of Person-Centric Scientific Discovery in Treatment, Prevention and Novel Research Strategies in HIV Cure -
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced its upcoming contributions to the 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023), taking place in Brisbane, Australia, and virtually, from July 23-26, 2023. As the leader in HIV innovation, Gilead will provide updates on its signature initiatives and key collaborations while sharing new scientific data from its research and development programs. The breadth of data presented at the meeting, along with Gilead-led symposia, reflect its innovative approach to advancing HIV prevention, treatment and cure strategies and underscore Gilead’s focus on forming partnerships with communities worldwide as part of its unequivocal commitment to help end the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere.
Renowned Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung and Virologist David Ho initiate Global Pandemic Research Alliance
July 18, 2023 - THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONGAcclaimed Columbia University virologist Professor David Ho and The University of Hong Kong (HKU) microbiologist Professor Kwok-yung Yuen are teaming up to create a global alliance for conducting research in emerging infectious diseases.
“We are looking forward to deeper collaboration with HKU and several leading institutions in the world by setting up a ‘Pandemic Research Alliance'", said Professor Ho, who is visiting Hong Kong after spending a week in mainland China. Professor Ho currently holds the positions of Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia University.
A call to action to save SDG10: reduce inequalities
18 July 2023 - Partners call for urgent action to reverse an explosion in inequalities which are endangering us all
The Centre for International Cooperation at the University of New York, Development Finance International, Oxfam and UNAIDS are calling for urgent action to save Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequality.
COVID-19 caused the largest rise in income inequality in three decades, as poorer countries lacked financing to support the incomes of the poor or to confront the COVID-19 and AIDS pandemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic and global inflation crisis, inequality of income, wealth and health outcomes rose sharply. Without seriously tackling inequality, we will not end AIDS by 2030 (SDG 3.3), and the SDGs on poverty, gender and education will be strongly compromised.
Robot helps researcher study effects of smoking on people with HIV
July 17, 2023 - By Ileana Varela - There is a place on FIU's smoke-free campus where cigarette smoking is allowed. But not just any cigarette. And only if you’re a robot.
Professor Hoshang Unwalla, a researcher at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, uses research cigarettes specially made for laboratory tobacco research and a cigarette smoking robot to study the effects of smoking on HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
HIV cases up as drug usage rises
Jul 17, 2023 - Even as the district grapples with the problem of drug abuse, a new concern has emerged. Data now shows that needle sharing by intravenous drug users (IDU) has led to an increase in HIV cases.
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36th Annual AIDS Walk Held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park
July 16, 2023 - By Samantha Voorhees - Hundreds of people gathered in Golden Gate Park Sunday for the San Francisco AIDS Walk.
The 5K raises money for AIDS programs and treatment.
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Researchers solve structure of immune-evading HIV protein complex
14-JUL-2023 - The research may help develop antiviral therapy against HIV/AIDS in the future
The HIV-1 virus can neutralize cellular defenses with its “viral infectivity factor (Vif)”. OIST researchers, Prof. Matthias Wolf and Dr. Takahide Kouno together with an international team of colleagues have now determined the atomic structure of the “APOBEC3G-Vif complex” using cryo-electron microscopy.
“APOBEC3G (A3G) is a key component of the human innate immune system to defend against invading viruses, getting a ride inside budding virions like in a Trojan horse so that it can modify and disable viral DNA after reverse transcription in infected cells,” Prof. Wolf, the senior author of the study and who leads the OIST Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit explains. “But HIV-1 has evolved a counteraction mechanism in the form of its Vif protein, which inhibits this process by binding to and degrading A3G, leading to successful amplification of infectious viral particles.”
Republicans Slash HIV/AIDS Funding in New Appropriations Bill
July 14, 2023 - By Paul Kawata - “We need to be clear: these proposed cuts would lead to unnecessary death and suffering. They must be stopped.”
NMAC Executive Director Paul Kawata, one of the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS advocates, condemned the new Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill that cuts tens of billions of dollars from an array of live-saving programs.
“If House Republicans had it their way, there would be another AIDS epidemic in America,” said Kawata. “We need to be clear: these proposed cuts would lead to unnecessary death and suffering. They must be stopped.”
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Gender, race and socioeconomic status are associated with comorbidity in people with HIV who smoke
Newswise — July 14, 2023 - by Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott - Smoking cessation programs should consider targeting high-risk subgroups, suggests study in JANAC
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) is pleased to announce two public-private partnerships. The first will accelerate the development of an investigational dispersible pediatric formulation containing emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (F/TAF). The second aims to develop investigational pediatric formulations of TAF and sofosbuvir (SOF) designed to eliminate bitterness.
Central component of infection revealed in people living with HIV
Québec, July 13, 2023 - Professor Simona Stäger’s laboratory demonstrates the mechanism of cell death linked to chronic infections
Professor Simona Stäger’s team has made a breakthrough in the study of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The researchers have identified the mechanism by which memory CD4+ T lymphocytes—cells that play a major role in our immune response—are predisposed to cell death in people living with HIV. The team’s findings have just been published in JCI Insight.
In 2022, Donor Governments Spent US$8.2 billion on Efforts to Fight HIV/AIDS Globally, Returning to 2020 Funding Levels and Still Below the High-water Mark of Almost a Decade Ago
Jul 13, 2023 - A new report from KFF and The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reveals that donor governments disbursed US$8.2 billion in 2022 to combat HIV in low- and middle-income countries, returning to 2020 funding levels and still below the high-water mark of $8.6 billion in 2014. The funding supports HIV care and treatment, prevention, and other services in low- and middle-income countries.
Gilead Partners with CHAI and Penta to Improve Treatment and Adherence Rates Among Children with HIV in Low and Middle Income Countries
July 13, 2023 - FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- -Partnership Aims to Accelerate the Development of Dispersible Pediatric HIV Medicines -
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) is pleased to announce two public-private partnerships. The first will accelerate the development of an investigational dispersible pediatric formulation containing emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (F/TAF). The second aims to develop investigational pediatric formulations of TAF and sofosbuvir (SOF) designed to eliminate bitterness.
Report: Ending AIDS Is Political, Financial Choice
July 13, 2023 - By Meredithe McNamara - HIV/AIDS can end as a public health threat by 2030 if nations can muster the political will and critical financial support to completely defeat it, a new report published Thursday says. The deadly disease has killed 40.4 million people since the start of the epidemic in 1981.
"The data in this report show that the path that ends AIDS is not a mystery, but it is a choice. It is a political and a financial choice," said Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS.
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Right-wing politicians are stoking renewed moral panic about HIV
July 13, 2023 - By Meredithe McNamara - In May, just before Pride Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released news worth celebrating: 2021 saw the lowest numbers of new HIV diagnoses in decades. New HIV infections were down 12% from 2017 to 2021, thanks to successful prevention efforts, including PrEP. The end of the epidemic may finally be in our grasp. Prevention methods now include a medication called PrEP (for pre-exposure prophylaxis), and uptake has never been higher.
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New report from UNAIDS shows that AIDS can be ended by 2030 and outlines the path to get there
GENEVA, 13 July 2023 - A new report released today by UNAIDS shows that there is a clear path that ends AIDS. This path will also help prepare for and tackle future pandemics and advance progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The report, ‘The Path that Ends AIDS’, contains data and case studies which highlight that ending AIDS is a political and financial choice, and that the countries and leaders who are already following the path are achieving extraordinary results.
Canada ends policy that forced immigration applicants and refugees to disclose HIV status to sponsors
July 12, 2023 - By Nicholas Keung - All permanent resident applicants are still required to undergo an HIV test and can be deemed inadmissible if their anticipated health care costs exceed a mandated threshold.
The federal government has revoked a controversial policy that required immigration applicants or refugees to disclose an HIV diagnosis to the person who was sponsoring them to Canada.
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Best in Show: Using Computation to Design Top Performing HIV Antibodies
July 11, 2023 - Allisa Kocer - Antibodies are like dogs. Some, like show dogs, have the perfect construction and temperament, but instead of winning Best in Show, the top antibodies more effectively fight off viruses and other infections. Not all antibodies are “show quality,” though. Some may not be as potent or broad enough to win, but these “pet quality” antibodies are still great companions that can help fight disease, albeit less efficaciously.
Government of Canada supports community-based projects addressing HIV, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections
July 10, 2023 | Edmonton, Alberta | Public Health Agency of Canada - Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) are preventable, treatable, and in many cases curable, yet they remain a significant public health concern in Canada, especially among Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, and other equity-deserving communities.
Former CDC Director and Renowned Physician-Scientist Dr. Robert Redfield Joins BPGbio Scientific Advisory Board
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- July 10, 2023 - Dr. Redfield Joins Scientific Advisory Board as BPGBio Advances its Deep Portfolio of AI-Developed Late-Stage Therapeutics and Diagnostics
BPGbio, Inc., a leading AI-powered biopharma that focuses on oncology, neurology and rare diseases, today announced that Dr. Robert Redfield has joined BPGbio’s Scientific Advisory Board. The BPGbio Scientific Advisory Board is composed of the foremost experts spanning various areas of scientific, clinical and biotech specialty as well as patient advocacy, and is vital to advising the company on its scientific, clinical development, and product strategy.
Mapping a Moving Target
July 10, 2023 - By Jeffrey Laurence, M.D. - A new study suggests a better way of predicting how HIV mutates to evade cure interventions
Research question
For its ability to change rapidly and randomly, some scientists have called HIV a “moving target.” But what if researchers could more accurately predict and anticipate these mutations with an eye to developing more targeted interventions?
Novel drugs that turn HIV against itself might clear infected cells from the body
10 July 2023 - Gus Cairns - Targeted Activators of Cell Kill (TACK) destroy cells infected by HIV
Scientists from the pharmaceutical company Merck have published the first detailed data about a subset of the familiar non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) drugs that, in addition to inhibiting HIV’s ability to copy itself, may be able to kill off HIV-infected cells by causing the virus to ‘poison’ the cells it depends on for replication.
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Rev. Steve Pieters, advocate and 1 of longest HIV/AIDS survivors in US, dies after cancer battle
July 9, 2023 - Rev. Steve Pieters, who was an advocate and one of the longest survivors of HIV/AIDS in the U.S., has died.
Pieters made history in 1985 when Tammy Faye Bakker invited him to appear on her show, one of the very first national, longform interviews with an HIV-positive gay man.
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Can We Create a Life Beyond HIV?
July 7, 2023 - By Mark S. King - I’ve known my best friend Charles for more than 40 years. He knew me when I was HIV negative, for goodness sake. That’s how long we’ve been besties. When Charles was interviewed recently for a story about my advocacy, he said something that surprised me.
CAPRISA Celebrates 20 Years of Public Health Progress
July 7, 2023 - Last week, public health leaders gathered in Durban, South Africa, to celebrate two decades of accomplishments by CAPRISA(link is external and opens in a new window) (Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa). The multi-day symposium brought together South African leaders, representatives from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, UNAIDS, WHO, PEPFAR, scientists, and Columbia Mailman alumni. Columbia Mailman is one of five sponsoring institutions affiliated with CAPRISA.
International migrants left behind in HIV response: study
07 July 2023 - International migrants in Australia and beyond are at increased risk of HIV infection due to reduced access to a highly effective prevention measure, a world-first global review led by Monash University has found.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is up to 99 per cent effective in preventing HIV. The antiretroviral tablet is available by prescription and taken to prevent HIV infection.
Published in The Lancet Public Health, the study identified barriers that migrant populations in Australia and around the world face to access PrEP.
Walmart Opens 70 More HIV-Focused Pharmacies
July 7, 2023 - By Trent Straubeb - By the end of the year, Walmart will have more than 80 such “specialty pharmacies of the community” in the United States—half in Florida.
Last month, Walmart opened a total of 70 specialty HIV pharmacies in Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Florida. By the close of 2023, the retail giant will have opened more than 80 such pharmacies in 11 states, according to a Walmart press statement, which refers to the pharmacies as “specialty pharmacies of the community.”
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Mpox DNA targeted by University of Lethbridge researchers
July 7, 2023 - Jaclyn Kucey - A team of University of Lethbridge researchers broke down the genetic code of Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a foundation discovery for future treatment.
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Summer camp for HIV-positive students a success
July 7, 2023 - By Cai Wenjun - Fifty-six students from Linfen Red Ribbon School enjoyed a five-day summer camp in Beijing thanks to a charity program, with the participation of organizers from Beijing and Shanghai to help students of the nation's only nine-year school specially for HIV-positive minors.
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Antibiotic Shortage Could Worsen Syphilis Epidemic
July 7, 2023 - By Benjamin Ryan - The primary drug used to treat the sexually transmitted infection could be scarce into next year, Pfizer warns.
A new shortage of a type of penicillin crucial to the fight against syphilis is alarming infectious disease experts, who warn that a protracted scarcity of the drug could worsen the U.S. epidemic of the sexually transmitted infection.
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Artist David McDiarmid died tragically young from AIDS, but his legacy lives on
July 7, 2023 - By Nicola Heath - David McDiarmid always wanted to be a famous artist. And he did achieve that dream — just not in his lifetime.
McDiarmid, a queer artist, designer and activist who was born in Hobart, raised in Melbourne and lived in Sydney and New York, died from an AIDS-related illness in 1995 when he was just 42.
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Some views on injectable long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
JULY 7, 2023 - Canadian researchers interviewed 42 people about their views on long-acting injectable PrEP
A highly effective method of reducing one’s risk of HIV infection through sex is the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In Canada, PrEP consists of using one of the following combinations of anti-HIV drugs available in one pill
It worked in the Caribbean – What about here?
6-JUL-2023 - DFUSION (UNITED STATES) - Creating a customizable digital platform for delivering an effective sexual health education program to Caribbean youth in the U.S.
While there is extensive data on the high rates of HIV, STIs and unintended pregnancies among Black populations in the U.S., this racial category problematically subsumes the ethnic diversity of immigrant Black populations. Today, one in ten Black people in the U.S. are immigrants, with Caribbean immigrants accounting for approximately 46% of the total Black immigrant population.
Preclinical Studies Led By Johns Hopkins Medicine Researchers Advance Potential New Target to Treat HIV Infection
07/06/2023 - Studies focus on blocking an enzyme that plays a crucial role in replication of the HIV-1 virus
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, in collaboration with researchers at the National Institutes of Health, report that two new studies in mice with a humanized immune system and human cell lines have identified an enzyme that plays a critical role in the late stages of HIV replication.
Larry Kramer, the Iconic AIDS Activist, Remembered at Memorial Service
July 6, 2023 - By Laura Schmidt - Speakers, including Anthony Fauci, MD, recall the highs and lows of working with HIV activist and author Larry Kramer, who died in 2020.
A memorial held for Larry Kramer brought together friends and loved ones to remember the late AIDS activist, playwright and author, who had died in May 2020 at age 84. (Kramer was a long-term survivor of HIV who also had a liver transplant, but the cause of death was pneumonia.)
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Global Condoms Strategic Business Report 2023: Condoms as a Powerful Tool against HIV/AIDS Driving Growth
DUBLIN, July 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Condoms: Global Strategic Business Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The global market for Condoms estimated at US$8.5 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$13.4 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% over the analysis period 2022-2030.
Kenyan hospital visits linked to increased exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria
PULLMAN, WA - July 5, 2023 - Kenyan patients who spend more than three days in the nation’s hospitals are more likely to harbor a form of bacteria resistant to one of the most widely used antibiotic classes, according to a recent study led by Washington State University.
Dr Jason Wong – Preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections
JULY 5, 2023 - Dr Jason Wong, a public health and preventive medicine physician, has long had a passion for helping patients to stay healthy by reducing the transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, which are the three reportable bacterial STIs have increased dramatically in BC over the past decade. Dr Wong notes that untreated, STIs can lead to complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and epididymo-orchitis. STIs can also be transmitted during pregnancy or delivery which can have negative consequences on newborns. Partner notification, the process in which sexual partners are alerted that they have been exposed to an STI and offered counselling, screening, and treatment, is an important intervention to prevent the spread of STIs.
GILEAD SCIENCES AND IAS - THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY - HONOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS GLOBALLY WHO CHAMPION STIGMA-FREE HIV SERVICES
SINGAPORE, July 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -The 2023 Me and My Healthcare Provider (MMHCP) campaign, supported by Gilead for the second year running, honours frontline workers providing exemplary inclusive, stigma-free HIV services in Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico and Taiwan -
-The IAS also debuts a novel, stigma-free services "cookbook" for how to provide quality HIV services in healthcare settings around the world -
IAS – the International AIDS Society – in partnership with Gilead Sciences, announced 18 Champions of the 2023 Me and My Healthcare Provider (MMHCP) campaign from Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico and Taiwan. This distinguished award celebrates frontline healthcare workers who have made a difference in the lives of people living with HIV by delivering stigma-free HIV prevention, treatment, and care services.
The IAS also debuts the Stigma-free services cookbook in seven languages, capturing learnings from the real-life stories, challenges, and triumphs of past MMHCP Champions, showcasing ideas for how to build an inclusive and stigma-free healthcare setting for HIV services.
Remembering the Denver Principles, 40 Years Later
July 5, 2023 - Mathew Rodriguez - Too often, early AIDS history, and some of the first activists who demanded dignity and attention, do not receive their due. One of the earliest instances of a group of people living with AIDS coming together to assert their rights and demand a place at the table when it comes to medical decisions concerning them is the Denver Principles-a small but mighty manifesto that, for the first time, asserted that people with AIDS were neither victims nor patients but, just as stated: people with AIDS.
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A new HIV drug is coming to Africa – it could be game-changing
5 July 2023 - By
Verity Bowmani - Experts believe a new long-lasting version of PrEP has the potential to dramatically change the course of the HIV epidemic in Africa
Long-lasting injections to protect people from HIV are set to be rolled out across Africa, potentially revolutionising the continent’s fight against the disease.
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CAHR 2023: Women and Canada’s HIV response
Jul 4, 2023 - Filmed in Quebec City during CAHR 2023, this video presents the reflections of several women involved in Canada’s response to HIV. They discuss how women haven’t been prioritized in HIV service provision and advocate for greater focus on women’s voices moving forward. Check out this video and find out what they think is most important for you to know about women’s experiences of HIV.
Global efforts to reduce infectious diseases must extend beyond early childhood
04 July 2023 - Global efforts to reduce infectious disease rates must have a greater focus on older children and adolescents after a shift in disease burden onto this demographic, according to a new study.
The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, has found that infectious disease control has largely focused on children aged under five, with scarce attention on young people between five and 24 years old.
An organization ‘for everybody’: Local group helping long-term AIDS survivors connect, form friendships
JULY 4, 2023 - BY KENDALL BALCHAN - The goal of Let’s Kick ASS Palm Springs (LKAPS) is to stave off the loneliness that has always been pervasive in older communities and has increased in recent years, leading to health risks.
Community has always been at the heart of the fight against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, the advanced stage of an HIV infection.
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Anthony Fauci on Larry Kramer and Loving Difficult People
July 4, 2023 - By Anthony Fauci - I recently attended a memorial service for Larry Kramer, the award-winning playwright, author and provocative gay activist. It has been three years since Larry’s death, and a number of friends and colleagues gathered to pay him tribute at the Lucille Lortel Theater on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, where his Obie Award-winning play, “The Destiny of Me,” opened in October 1992. I had a genuinely unique relationship with Larry for more than three decades, which I reflected on at his memorial and wanted to share here.
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Why hunger is driving thousands to abandon the drugs that keep them alive
4 July 2023 - By Anthony Fauci - Starving HIV and TB patients are shunning their medication as the side effects on an empty stomach are too severe
Crippling hunger has driven Vitola Genti to the brink. The 67-year-old, a refugee in Malawi, has HIV and is dependent on antiretroviral drugs to keep the virus dormant in her body.
But in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy, which hit the country in March and has caused widespread hunger, Vitola now forgoes her medication. The side effects on an empty stomach are agonising and unbearable.
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Being HIV positive is no longer a death sentence. So why does Canada insist on sharing immigration applicants’ HIV status with their sponsors?
July 4, 2023 - By Nicholas Keung - Advocates say advanced medical treatment has transformed the virus into a chronic manageable medical condition and the immigration department’s automatic HIV partner notification policy is ‘out-of-date and discriminatory.’
When they found love in Mexico 10 years ago, one of the first things the Canadian man's boyfriend confided in him was that he was HIV-positive
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City Mpox; Country Mpox: More Cases Seen in Urban Areas
July 3, 2022 - By Ethan Covey - The 2022 mpox outbreak in the United States primarily affected people living in cities, with more than 70% of cases occurring in large central urban areas.
HIV in the Philippines: An unwelcome resurgence
Jul 3, 2023 - BY DR. EDSEL SALVANA - As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, HIV is once again rearing its ugly head, infecting young Filipinos at an unprecedented rate. In the past decade, the Philippines has had one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world. Between 2010 and 2021, the number of new local HIV cases in a year has grown by more than 600 percent even as new infections worldwide have gone down by 32 percent. After a significant drop in cases diagnosed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the numbers have alarmingly rebounded and exceeded the pre-pandemic infection rate. From one case a day from 15 years ago, the infection rate in 2023 is tracking at over 50 newly diagnosed infections per day. This does not include people living with HIV (PLHIV), who have not taken a test and remain undiagnosed even as the virus slowly destroys their immune system.
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