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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - May 2024
HERO IN CRISIS
May. 31, 2024 - BY LIAM BLAKEY - UW Magazine - University of Washington - Celebrating Bobbi Campbell, the first AIDS activist
n the early hours of Aug. 8, 1983, Newsweek magazine was delivered as usual to newsstands, grocery stores and mailboxes. But the story that graced the cover was different from what readers were used to seeing. Under the headline “Gay America,” Bobbi Campbell, ’74, stood with his arm around his partner, Bobby Hilliard, giving the nation one of its first views of a person with AIDS.
That cover was a critical point in a decade of activism that started for Campbell in the neighborhoods of Seattle and the hallways of the University of Washington. A few years after graduating and leaving the Pacific Northwest, Campbell took what he learned as a nurse and gay-rights activist and brought AIDS into public view as the first person in the nation to go public with his diagnosis.
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Does Your Doctor Need to Take Stigmavir to Treat HIV Stigma?
May 31, 2024 - By Trent Straube - Watch an ad for the fictitious drug Stigmavir. Casey House’s clever commercial is part of its campaign to fight HIV stigma.
Casey House, an AIDS service provider in Toronto, created the commercial as a public service announcement. It’s the latest installment in the organization’s long-running “Smash Stigma” campaign.
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It Is Our Duty as AIDS Activists to Oppose Genocide
May. 31, 2024 - by Jason Rosenberg - Winnipeg Free Press - We often see the phrase “Health care is a human right” actualized in present-day platform or policy, be that through access to COVID-19 vaccines (paid for by the U.S. federal government) or the presidential agendas put forward by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren during their 2020 campaigns.
But what many don’t realize is that this phrase comes from a decades-old chant, spoken and shouted aloud by members of ACT UP during their many actions and demands. “Health care is a right!”—The words remain a relevant and applicable call to action. I remember this part of AIDS history as my peers and I fight against the U.S.-backed destruction of Gaza’s health care infrastructure. AIDS activists are the first to remind us that “Silence = Death.” But more than death, the silence of so many supposed believers in the right to health care is its own type of genocide..
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Free meds to prevent, treat Manitobans with HIV celebrated
May. 31, 2024 - by Ian Froese - Winnipeg Free Press - Calling it a “game-changing moment,” health experts hope free medication will help reverse the trend of rising HIV cases in Manitoba.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced Thursday the province would remove barriers to access HIV/AIDS medicine starting Monday.
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Canadian study explores the impact of aging on people with HIV
MAY 30, 2024 - Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) - A study analyzed the health-related quality of life of 433 older Canadians living with HIV
Thanks to HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy, ART), many people with HIV are living well into their senior years. As people with HIV age, research is needed to help them stay healthy and minimize or avoid aging-related complications.
Although when used as directed ART is highly effective at suppressing HIV and maintaining a healthy immune system, subtle issues within the immune system persist. These issues— such as ongoing activation of the immune system and excess levels of inflammation—likely contribute to a higher risk for conditions such as heart disease, bone thinning, decreasing kidney function, diabetes and other comorbidities.
Manitoba to offer free, no-deductible coverage for drugs that help prevent, treat HIV
May 30, 2024 - by Ian Froese - CBC - Preventive drug PrEP has been covered under Pharmacare, but users still had to pay deductible
Some Manitobans will save upwards of a few hundred dollars a month after the province announced it would fully cover the cost of a drug that significantly reduces the risk of contracting HIV.
The province will offer pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP, at no cost to any individuals who don't already have full coverage through their insurance, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced at the legislature Thursday as part of a ministerial statement on Pride Month.
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Novel vaccine concept generates immune responses that could produce multiple types of HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies
May 30, 2024 - National Institutes of Health (NIH) - NIH-funded animal model results will inform vaccine development in humans.
Using a combination of cutting-edge immunologic technologies, researchers have successfully stimulated animals’ immune systems to induce rare precursor B cells of a class of HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). The findings, published today in Nature Immunology, are an encouraging, incremental step in developing a preventive HIV vaccine.
Casey House creates fictitious drug, Stigmavir, to smash HIV stigma within the health care system
TORONTO – May 29, 2024 – Casey House-- Specialty hospital uses Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” to create a PSA that calls on health care practitioners to deliver equitable care for those living with HIV
Casey House – a hospital unlike any other providing care to those living with and at risk of HIV – today announces the launch of its latest advocacy campaign, Stigmavir. This initiative aims to reach health care practitioners and introduces a ‘fictitious’ anti-viral drug named Stigmavir, designed to treat HIV stigma. Stigma in health care is harming people living with HIV, with one in five people living with HIV being denied health services because of stigma and discrimination. The campaign includes an upbeat musical public service announcement (PSA), set to a musical adaptation of the iconic song “I Will Survive” with rights provided by Gloria Gaynor herself.
Elton John AIDS Foundation Launches "Speak Up Sing Out" Campaign to End LGBTQ+ Discrimination and Stigma with a Chance to Meet Elton John and David Furnish in New York City during Pride Month
NEW YORK, May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION - New campaign celebrates the achievement of reaching $100 million towards The Rocket Fund's ambitious $125 million goal. "Speak Up Sing Out" was designed to drive support and engagement to create lasting change for the LGBTQ+ community as we unite to raise the final $25 million.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation unveils its latest initiative to coincide with Pride Month in June – “Speak Up Sing Out” – a social media movement and rallying cry against LGBTQ+ discrimination and stigma. In a climate marked by a concerning surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the United States, with 510 such laws introduced in 2023, and 75 enacted, the campaign emerges as a beacon of solidarity and action (Source: ACLU.)
“Speak Up Sing Out” was designed to drive support and engagement to create lasting change for the LGBTQ+ community.
UNAIDS stands with LGBTQ+ communities worldwide as PRIDE celebrations get underway
GENEVA, 29 May 2024- UNAIDS - As LGBTQ+ communities and allies take to the streets to mark PRIDE month, UNAIDS is speaking out in solidarity, rejecting the criminalization, discrimination and stigmatization of LGBTQ+ people and insisting on respect for all.
“The PRIDE celebrations are a demonstration of the power of inclusivity,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “PRIDE has brought the world a long way in the struggle to protect the human rights of LGBTQ+ people. So much has been won. But the progress that has been made is under threat. The world needs the spirit of PRIDE more than ever today: to protect everyone’s health, we need to protect everyone’s rights.”
What could a Long Beach AIDS memorial entail? City starts to brainstorm ideas
May 27, 2024 - by Jeremiah Dobruck - Long Beach Post - Long Beach city staff last week floated half a dozen ideas for a memorial commemorating those who’ve died from AIDS, ranging from a simple mural to a grove of trees, a large sculpture or a full-blown memorial plaza.
The City Council asked in October for staff to study the feasibility of an AIDS memorial. An eight-page study released Friday laid out potential options that could cost anywhere from $100,000 to $1 million depending on how elaborate the design is.
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HPV vaccine prevents cancer in men too
May 27, 2024 - Global News - A new study finds the HPV vaccine offers some cancer prevention benefits for men too. Dr. Brian Conway from the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre discusses some of the findings.
Watch Video...
Tributes for HIV advocate John Rock
25 May 2024 - OUTinPerth - HIV advocate John Rock has been praised for his decades of work building networks and improving the lives of people Living with HIV following his passing.
NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS PCD, the body representing non-government organisations at UNAIDS, of which Rock was a delegate to 2013 and 2014, praised his contribution and announced his passing.
“John’s career was marked by his unwavering commitment to advocacy and support for people living with HIV. He served as an advisor to the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV (APN+), contributed his expertise to the Global Board of the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), and chaired the Board of the Asia Pacific Foundation for Peoples of Asia and the Pacific (AFAP).
CANFAR luncheon raises $300,000 for AIDS research
May 25, 2024 - By George Pimentel Special to the Star - Toronto Star - The event at the Four Seasons Hotel featured a performance by Jully Black.
Four hundred of Toronto’s best-known philanthropists, business leaders and personalities met up at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto on May 3 for the 12th edition of CANFAR’s spring fundraiser, Can You Do Lunch? Over the course of the afternoon, the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research raised $300,000. This year’s luncheon, co-chaired by Gallant Law, Andrea Anders, Muluba Habanyama and honorary chair Sylvia Mantella, highlighted the importance of equitable access to HIV prevention and treatment. Juno-winning singer Jully Black was on hand to perform “Redemption Song” and “Lean on Me,” and CANFAR CEO Alex Filiatrault spoke about why investing in new approaches, including culturally appropriate support, is necessary to end HIV in Canada.
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The Longest-Running HIV Study in the U.S. Is Celebrating Its 40th Anniversary
May 24, 2024 - By Tim Murphy - TheBody - After K. (who asked to withhold her name because she is not public with her HIV status) was diagnosed with HIV in 1991, she felt, in addition to her fear of developing AIDS and dying, profoundly lonely and isolated. Yes, she told her closest family and friends about her diagnosis, but she knew no other women living with HIV to talk to. A white, middle-class Chicago professional, she felt like an outlier among people living with AIDS—neither a gay man, an injection-drug user, nor a woman of color.
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How did US prisoner blood infect thousands in the UK? Northeastern experts unpack the scandal
LONDON - May 24, 2024 - Northeastern Global News - Northeastern experts explain the legal, social and medical repercussions of a scandal that saw 30,000 people infected and 3,000 die after being given contaminated blood.
Perry Evans was a sport-loving young man who relished the odd daredevil feat such as parachute jumping.
But in 1985, at age 27, he was told that, following a standard treatment for hemophilia — a blood clot-preventing condition he was diagnosed with while still baby — he had tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and potentially had just two years to live.
How portable, AI X-ray machines are helping Uganda beat TB
24 May 2024 - VaccinesWork - Diagnosing TB early is key to stopping transmission – and in hard-to-reach areas, an intelligent X-ray machine in a backpack may make all the difference.
The road to Bukibokolo village in the hills of Bududa, eastern Uganda, was steep and rough – impassable on two wheels, Moses Eyaru concluded. But the health worker needed to screen the village dwellers for tuberculosis (TB) and that couldn't wait.
Ministry of Health data had shown that Bukibokolo was one of the many TB hotspots in the east African country. So, Eyaru got off his motorcycle and hauled a backpack, which contained a digital X-ray system, onto his back and, together with his team-mates, slowly climbed the rough road towards the village.
WHO releases a strategic framework for enhancing prevention and control of mpox
24 May 2024 - World Health Organization (WHO) - Mpox continues to affect people around the world. A new framework released today by WHO will guide health authorities, communities and other stakeholders in preventing and controlling mpox outbreaks, eliminating human-to-human transmission of the disease, and reducing spillover of the virus from animals to humans.
Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick. The virus transmits from person to person through close, including sexual, contact. It also has animal reservoirs in east, central and west Africa, where spillovers from animals to humans can occasionally occur, sparking further outbreaks.
Critics of Canada’s HIV laws say it’s time to reset a punitive code
May 24, 2024 - By ZOSIA BIELSKI - The Globe and Mail - AIDS is not the death sentence it once was, but Canada still has strict punishments for people who don’t disclose their HIV status to sexual partners. Critics say that’s unfair and out of step with the rest of the world
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The Longest-Running HIV Study in the U.S. Is Celebrating Its 40th Anniversary
May 24, 2024 - By Tim Murphy - THEBODY - After K. (who asked to withhold her name because she is not public with her HIV status) was diagnosed with HIV in 1991, she felt, in addition to her fear of developing AIDS and dying, profoundly lonely and isolated. Yes, she told her closest family and friends about her diagnosis, but she knew no other women living with HIV to talk to. A white, middle-class Chicago professional, she felt like an outlier among people living with AIDS—neither a gay man, an injection-drug user, nor a woman of color.
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PHILADELPHIA FIGHT TO PRESENT 2024 HIV EDUCATION SUMMIT
PHILADELPHIA, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/- Philadelphia FIGHT Community Health Centers - KEEP GOING, KEEP MOVING, A CURE IS IN SIGHT
For the first time in five years, Philadelphia FIGHT is bringing its HIV Education Summit back to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., on Thursday, June 27th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Keep Going, Keep Moving, A Cure is in Sight is the theme for the event Philadelphia FIGHT will spearhead in honor of AIDS Education Month. The annual summit raises awareness about the latest innovations and strategies to prevent and treat HIV, and the newest developments in the quest to find a cure.
The Lancet: 750,000 deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance could be prevented every year through available vaccines, water and sanitation, and infection control methods
23-May-2024 - THE LANCET - Intensifying efforts to promote vaccination, access to safe water and sanitation, and hospital infection control, thereby reducing infections and the use of antibiotics, which protects their long-term effectiveness.
Improving and expanding existing methods to prevent infections, such as hand hygiene, regular cleaning and sterilisation of equipment in healthcare facilities, availability of safe drinking water, effective sanitation and use of paediatric vaccines, could prevent over 750,000 deaths associated with AMR every year in LMICs, estimates a new modelling analysis as part of a new four paper Series published in The Lancet.
VDEC rapidly develops an immunoassay for Mpox during the 2022 global outbreak
23 May 2024 - Ann NAMKUNG - UK Health Security Agency - To better understand Mpox and its spread within the UK, VDEC developed an immunoassay to assess immune responses to Mpox infection and new vaccines.
Executive summary
The Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre (VDEC) facilitates the development and evaluation of new vaccines and therapeutics.
VDEC developed an immunoassay at speed during the 2022 global Mpox outbreak that was used to assess serological markers in individuals that have received the Smallpox vaccine and individuals infected with Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox).
Supporting research for older adults living with HIV
May 23, 2024 - Ann NAMKUNG - National Institute on Aging - National Institutes of Health (NIH) - During the early years of the AIDS epidemic four decades ago, life expectancy for a person diagnosed with HIV was just three years due to a lack of effective treatments. Today, thanks to major therapeutic advances, people living with HIV are leading much longer and healthier lives.
This significant progress has, however, led to a new challenge. More than 50% of those living with HIV in the United States are older than 50 years of age, and as a result of the virus and related long-term treatment, many experience early onset of age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic disorders, kidney disease, and cognitive issues.
Understanding the impact of the antibiotic doxycycline on the sexual well-being of users
MAY 23, 2024 - Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) - Doxycycline taken after sex reduces the risk of developing some sexually transmitted infections
A well-designed clinical trial in the U.S. has found that doxycycline taken within 72 hours of sexual exposure significantly reduced the risk for developing chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. The drug was effective in people with and without HIV. Participants in this study were gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) and transgender women. As a result of the trial, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is finalizing guidance for healthcare providers about the deployment of doxycycline in these populations. When doxycycline is taken after exposure it is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and is generally abbreviated as doxyPEP.
Cher, Demi Moore entertain guests at glamorous Cannes fundraiser for AIDS
CANNES, France, May 23 (Reuters) - From Cher to Demi Moore and Magic Johnson, the fashion and entertainment industry's biggest names decamped to Antibes on Thursday night to raise money for AIDS research in one of the most luxurious, and secluded, settings on the French Riviera.
This year's gala, where a seat at dinner costs at least $25,000, marked the 30th edition of the glitzy charity gala organized by amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, that is held annually alongside the nearby Cannes Film Festival.
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Letter from Diana to Aids patient auctioned
May 23, 2024 - By Lisa Young - BBC News, Cornwall - A letter written by Diana, Princess of Wales, to a man dying from Aids sold for £1,500 in an auction in Penzance.
In the letter to Michael Nanson in 1994, the princess praised the "courage and quiet strength" with which he coped with his illness.
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Decades after Canada's tainted blood inquiry, the U.K. grapples with its own
May 22, 2024 - Sheena Goodyear · CBC Radio - U.K.'s PM apologizes and vows compensation after report accuses government of negligence and cover-up
For years, Jason Evans says people treated him like he was "crazy and a conspiracy theorist" when he talked about the contaminated blood scandal that killed his father.
But this week, a U.K. public inquiry confirmed what he and his fellow advocates have been saying for decades — that negligent doctors and civil servants exposed tens of thousands of people to HIV- and hepatitis-infected blood for decades, and that successive governments covered it up.
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Myths and realities about ageing with HIV
May 2024 - Mariah Wilberg - aidsmap - Myth: Lots of older people living with HIV have dementia
Reality: While some decline in memory and thinking skills is a normal part of getting older, more significant changes are called ‘cognitive impairment’. The most common causes of cognitive problems in HIV-positive people are not related to HIV, but include:
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$43.9 million to boost fight against HIV
May 21, 2024 - Department of Health and Aged Care - The Australian Government is investing $43.9 million to put Australia on track to eliminate transmission of HIV on our shores by 2030.
The Albanese Government is investing $43.9 million to put Australia on track to eliminate transmission of HIV on our shores by 2030.
This investment will fund a range of measures aligned with the recommendations of the National HIV Taskforce, which reported in November last year.
The Taskforce was chaired by Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP and deputy chaired by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP.
These measures will result in better prevention of HIV, access to testing and information, reduced stigma, and training on HIV for the health and support workforce.
New report flags major increase in sexually transmitted infections, amidst challenges in HIV and hepatitis
May 21, 2024 - World Health Organization (WHO) - Global HIV, viral hepatitis epidemics and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to pose significant public health challenges, causing 2.5 million deaths each year, according to a new WHO report - Implementing the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2022–2030
New data show that STIs are increasing in many regions. In 2022, WHO Member States set out an ambitious target of reducing the annual number of adult syphilis infections by ten-fold by 2030, from 7.1 million to 0.71 million. Yet, new syphilis cases among adults aged 15-49 years increased by over 1 million in 2022 reaching 8 million. The highest increases occurred in the Region for the Americas and the African Region.
UNC School of Medicine Leads $9.3-Million Study to Create Chlamydia Vaccine
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - May 21, 2024 - UNC School of Medicine - This five-year grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is led by Toni Darville, MD, director of the UNC Children’s Research Institute, in collaboration with scientists at Vaxcyte, Inc. and the University of Chicago.
To address the global epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded a five-year, $9.3 million grant to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vaxcyte, and the University of Chicago to develop a vaccine candidate for the prevention of Chlamydia.
Through this signficant U01 grant, a group of scientists led by Toni Darville, MD, Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology, division chief of pediatric infectious diseases, and scientific director of the Children’s Research Institute at the UNC School of Medicine, will build upon their past vaccinology accomplishments to develop a viable vaccine candidate for early human clinical trials.
CDC Publishes New HIV Surveillance Reports
MAY 21, 2024 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - CDC publishes 3 new HIV surveillance reports.
oday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published three new HIV surveillance reports:Estimated HIV Incidence and Prevalence in the United States, 2018-2022;
Monitoring Selected National HIV Prevention and Care Objectives by Using HIV Surveillance Data, United States and 6 Territories and Freely Associated States, 2022; and
Diagnoses, Deaths, and Prevalence of HIV in the United States and 6 Territories and Freely Associated States, 2022.
All data are also available on NCHHSTP AtlasPlus. These data can assist HIV prevention partners in focusing prevention efforts, allocating resources, monitoring trends, and determining gaps and successes in HIV prevention.
Increasing Life Expectancy for Youth with HIV Requires More Than Just Adherence to Care Regimens
BOSTON - May 21, 2024 - MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL - Life expectancy of youth with HIV is projected to be 10.4 years less in males and 11.8 years less in females compared to individuals without HIV, a study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, has found.
The research, published in JAMA Health Forum, also reported that careful adherence to HIV care throughout the individual’s lifespan can lead to important gains in life expectancy, and that for some adolescents with HIV, interventions focused on structural and social factors such as poverty and housing could also result in improvements.
Study that empowers traditional health practitioners to test for HIV expands in rural SA
21 May 2024 - Wits University - National Institutes of Health 5-year, $2.8m grant to Wits and Vanderbilt University will advance traditional health practitioner-initiated HIV testing.
The grant enables building on the success of a study completed last year, where traditional health practitioners (THPs) were trained to initiate HIV counselling, testing, and linkage to care in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.
The expanded study, known as Know Your Status, is located at the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), a research unit in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga under the auspices of the Wits School of Public Health, in partnership with the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) in the U.S.
Dr Ryan Wagner, Senior Research Fellow at Agincourt and Co-Principal Investigator, with Carolyn Audet, Associate Professor of Health Policy, and VIGH Principal Investigator, lead the study.
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
21 May 2024 - GOV.UK - Statement from the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement following the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister spoke about the anguish the infected blood scandal brought to those impacted by it.
I want to reiterate his words and apologise again today. I am sorry.
AIDS Walk New York 2024 Raises Nearly $1.9M as HIV Funding Cuts Loom
May 21, 2024 - By Trent Straube - The “Stride Past Stigma” theme inspired AIDS Walkers, including drag queen Q. Meanwhile, the city plans to cut $5.3M from HIV programs.
Over 10,000 participants at the 39th annual AIDS Walk New York helped raise $1,872,909 for GMHC and other HIV service providers in the tristate area—and donations are still being collected! The 2024 theme was “Stride Past Stigma.”
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IAS statement: IAS urges protection of health services amid the Israel-Hamas conflict
21 May 2024 (Geneva, Switzerland) – International AIDS Society - IAS - the International AIDS Society – is deeply concerned about the impact of the escalating humanitarian crisis in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict and urgently calls for the protection of healthcare facilities and workers. Where facilities have already been destroyed, rebuilding them to enable the resumption of health services is of utmost urgency.
Many affected communities, including people living with HIV, are now without vital healthcare services when they are most needed. As in many current ongoing conflicts, the loss of healthcare facilities has resulted in devastating consequences for civilian populations.
 
bioLytical Laboratories Inc. Announces Launch of its INSTI® HCV Antibody Test for Professional Use in Australia
RICHMOND, British Columbia, May 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- bioLytical Laboratories Inc. announced today the immediate availability of its INSTI® HCV Antibody Test in the Australian market.
bioLytical Laboratories Inc. ("bioLytical"), a global leader in rapid diagnostic tests, proudly announces the immediate availability of its INSTI® HCV Antibody Test in the Australian market. This is the first point-of-care rapid test for hepatitis C antibody detection in the country, with its inclusion in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG number: 448926).
This milestone comes at a crucial time as Australia risks not achieving the 2030 hepatitis C elimination target despite making progress in diagnosing and connecting people to treatment. Data from 2023 shows substantial declines in testing over recent years, making a renewed focus on preventing new infections and connecting people to treatment vital to ending HCV as a public health threat.
‘They call us the fatherless ones’: the trauma of families devastated by the infected blood scandal will last for generations
May 17, 2024 - The Conversation - On the day of her uncle’s funeral in 1995, Jane’s life changed forever.* That was when she found out her uncle Edward, a person with haemophilia, had been infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from the treatment he was taking for his condition.
Adding to the family’s pain, the stigma that surrounded HIV and the disease it causes, Aids – because of its association with homosexuality and drug addiction – meant they kept the cause of Edward’s death to themselves. At the same time, they knew that Jane’s father, Roy, also had haemophilia and had been receiving the same treatment as his brother.
Public Health Investigating a Case of Reported Hepatitis A at an LA County Grocery Store
May 17, 2024 - COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PUBLIC HEALTH - The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating a report of hepatitis A virus infection in an employee of Whole Foods Market in Beverly Hills (239 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210).
No additional cases have been identified at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
Timing Is Everything
May 17, 2024 - By Jeffrey Laurence, M.D. - amfAR - Study shows how timing of treatment initiation can significantly affect the HIV reservoir
Research Question
An HIV reservoir—latently infected cells beyond the reach of antiretroviral therapy (ART)—is established within about two days post-HIV exposure. While ART can suppress virus to undetectable levels in the blood, dormant, replication-competent cells can be reactivated when ART is interrupted. This threat of viral rebound is why the reservoir is the major impediment to an HIV cure.
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 2024
May 17, 2024 - By Laura Schmidt - #HVAD is Saturday, May 18, a time to celebrate the scientists, trial volunteers and others searching for an HIV vaccine!
Saturday, May 18, marks HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (#HVAD), a time to acknowledge and honor the many health care professionals, volunteers, community members, scientists and others working to develop a safe and effective preventive HIV vaccine.
Led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), HVAD is also an important day to educate communities about the importance of HIV vaccine research.
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A Trial HIV Vaccine Triggered Elusive and Essential Antibodies in Humans
DURHAM, N.C. - May 17, 2024 - Duke Health - An HIV vaccine candidate developed at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute triggered low levels of an elusive type of broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies among a small group of people enrolled in a 2019 clinical trial.
The finding, reported May 17 in the journal Cell, not only provides proof that a vaccine can elicit these antibodies to fight diverse strains of HIV, but that it can also initiate the process within weeks, setting in motion an essential immune response.
The vaccine candidate targets an area on the HIV-1 outer envelope called the membrane proximal external region (MPER), which remains stable even as the virus mutates. Antibodies against this stable region in the HIV outer coat can block infection by many different circulating strains of HIV.
New state law requirement to provide HIV postexposure prophylaxis treatment in emergency departments
May 16, 2024 - Washington State Hospital Association - New Law: Hospital Action Required
Purpose
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide hospitals information about a new law, ESSB 6127, which requires hospitals to dispense or deliver HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) drugs or therapies to patients upon discharge from the emergency department who may have been exposed to HIV. This 28 day supply of drugs is intended for take home use by the patient.
International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
May 16, 2024 - Ribbon Community - May 19 @ 4pm
Join Ribbon Community, including members from the Indigenous Committee and the In Our Day collective, as we remember, honour, and celebrate the people whose lives have been lost to AIDS.
On May 19, Ribbon Community, with members from the Indigenous Committee and the In Our Day collective, are hosting the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial. This is part of an international memorial day coordinated by Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+).
Study explores preferences for different HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) options in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM)
MAY 16, 2024 - Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) - Oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) consists of two drugs (tenofovir + FTC) sold as Descovy and Truvada. The latter is also available in generic formulations. In clinical trials, daily oral PrEP has proven to be highly effective when used as directed, reducing the risk of HIV by more than 99%. Oral PrEP needs to be initiated in advance of sexual activity. Some people may not be able to accurately predict their sexual activity and may also have difficulty taking pills.
A new long-acting injectable HIV prevention option will shortly become available in Canada. This formulation uses the drug cabotegravir, which is injected deep into the buttocks, ultimately every two months. In clinical trials, long-acting injectable PrEP has been found to be highly effective and even statistically superior to daily oral PrEP. This statistical superiority likely arises because most people who took injectable PrEP had fewer adherence problems than people who relied on daily oral PrEP.
WHO launches updated guidance on HIV-associated TB
16 May 2024 - World Health Organization (WHO) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the consolidated guidelines on HIV-associated TB (TB/HIV) that provides a single comprehensive source for the latest evidence-informed TB/HIV recommendations. These guidelines are part of WHO’s Consolidated guidelines on TB and comorbidities. To facilitate implementation of these guidelines, WHO has also published operational guidance on TB/HIV as part of the Operational handbook on TB and comorbidities, that also includes costed TB screening and diagnostic algorithms, models of integrated care and enablers for scaling up people-centred TB/HIV services. Adoption of the full package of WHO TB/HIV recommendations is expected to save more lives and further reduce the burden of HIV-associated TB.
New Covid Variants Have Emerged Called FLiRT
Newswise - 16-May- 2024 - George Washington University - Two new COVID-19 variants nicknamed FLiRT are circulating. The new strains are sub variants of the omicron variant.
The FLiRT strains have the same pattern as previous mutations and early evidence suggests it may be more contagious. It may also infect people who have immunity from vaccines or prior infections.
A significant health milestone for Jamaica
May 16, 2024 - Jamaica Observer - We must not allow the news that Jamaica is among the three latest countries to have successfully eliminated the mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis to get lost in the shuffle. Indeed, as Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton told the Jamaica Observer earlier this month, “It’s a big achievement.”
Jamaica, which embarked on the global Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Programme in 2004, joins two other nations – Belize and St Vincent and the Grenadines – as the latest countries in the region to achieve this zero-transmission feat.
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Pelosi HIV money doesn't necessarily fix SF's federal funding shortfall
May 16, 2024 -by John Ferrannini - Bay Area Reporter - Though Congressmember Nancy Pelosi announced $1.6 million in new federal funding for San Francisco from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to reduce infections, that doesn't mean the city isn't still facing an HIV funding shortfall from the feds.
As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, HIV/AIDS advocates are concerned that the dire situation of the city's fiscal picture means that there may be cuts and are fighting to preserve existing services, though they hope for additional funds.
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PrEP was earmarked $26m in the budget. What is it? Will it stop me getting HIV?
May 16, 2024 - The Conversation - HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to Medicare.
PrEP means pre-exposure prophylaxis – the preventative use of antiretroviral medication in people who don’t have HIV, but who are at risk of it.
Antiretroviral medications are the drugs used to treat HIV, but if used before exposure, can prevent someone acquiring the virus.
Here’s why this extra funding is so important, what it means for people at risk of HIV, and for public health more broadly.
Unveiling a Hero: God Isn’t Ready for Me Yet Highlights the Life and Legacy of AIDS Activist Steve Pieters
May 15, 2024 - By Christopher Carson - GLAAD - “No. God didn’t give us this disease. He is with us in fighting this disease.”
Emotive, uplifting, and visually captivating, God Isn’t Ready for Me Yet is a documentary feature film exploring the life and legacy of AIDS activist and father figure of the gay community, Steve Pieters, as he reaches the end of his life. The film turns personal tragedies, triumphs and American political history into a deeply personal story celebrating the cultural force and social legacy of the gay community.
UNICEF hosts regional capacity-building training on triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B.
Muscat, May 15, 2024 - UNICEF - UNICEF, in partnership with PENTA, WHO and IOM[1], is hosting a regional capacity-building training on triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B. The workshop takes place from 14 to 16 May, 2024, in the Sultanate of Oman under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Saeed bin Harib Al-Lamki, the Undersecretary for Health Affairs, at the Omani Ministry of Health.
Aphios Has Been Granted US Patent For siRNA-Targeted Therapeutics For Treatment Of HIV-1 And Other Diseases
Woburn, Mass. – May 15, 2024 - Aphios Corporation - Aphios Corporation announced today that it has been granted US Patent No. 11,981,174 for CCR5 and CD4 siRNA-targeted therapeutics for treatment of HIV-1 and other diseases.
More than 35 million people have died from AIDS, and 37 million people are living with HIV worldwide. In the United States, an estimated 1.2 million people are currently living with HIV and approximately 40,000 infections occur each year. There is no vaccine against HIV, and current medications have multiple long-term adverse effects such as: (i) rapid emergence of pools of drug-specific resistance HIV mutants that are not responsive to treatment; (ii) drug toxicity; (iii) drug/pill burden that often cause non-adherence; and (iv) high lifetime economic costs.
People with HIV can now donate eggs or sperm to start a family
15 May 2024 - GOV.UK - Change in law will allow people with non-transmissible HIV to donate gametes to partners.
People with HIV are now able to donate their sperm or eggs to their partners, as the law in the UK is updated.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act will be amended via a statutory instrument to allow people with non-transmissible HIV - with a viral load low enough not to pass on - to donate eggs or sperm, known as gametes, as part of fertility treatment to their partners.
FACT SHEET: Global Health Worker Initiative (GHWI) Year Two Fact Sheet
MAY 15, 2024- The White House - As we celebrate two years since the launch of the Global Health Worker Initiative (GHWI), the United States continues to demonstrate our commitment to global health and to the global health workforce, providing more than $10.5 billion in global health program funding with Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funds. Recognizing that strategic and sustained investments in health workers are critical to overcoming the setbacks from COVID-19 and to achieving sustained progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United States contributes more than $1.5 billion annually to support health workers and strengthen the health workforce globally through our bilateral health programs, such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and global health security programs. For the first time in FY24, USAID is receiving $10 million in new funding to support the GHWI and the President’s 2025 Budget requested $20 million to build on this important work.
SAMHSA Accepting Applications for HIV/AIDS Pilot Project for Unsheltered Populations
May 15, 2024 - U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) - The application deadline is July 8.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is now accepting applications for the Minority AIDS Initiative: Integrated Behavioral Health and HIV Care for Unsheltered Populations Pilot Project.
The purpose of this program is to pilot a portable clinical care approach to underserved populations experiencing unsheltered homelessness by integrating behavioral health, HIV treatment and prevention services.
UNAIDS calls for the protection of human rights on the International Day to End Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)
GENEVA, 15 May 2024 - UNAIDS - Ahead of IDAHOBIT, commemorated worldwide on 17 May, UNAIDS is calling on governments everywhere to protect the human rights of LGBTQ+ people. Protecting the human rights of every person, UNAIDS research shows, is essential for protecting public health, because it enables inclusive and equitable access to health services without discrimination.
Health Canada approves Apretude, the first long-acting injectable for HIV prevention
MAY 15, 2024 - Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) - A long-acting formulation of cabotegravir (Apretude) has been approved for HIV prevention
A long-acting injectable formulation of the HIV drug cabotegravir has been developed for the prevention of HIV. In well-designed clinical trials, long-acting cabotegravir has been found to be highly effective at reducing the risk of HIV infection. Furthermore, this drug has been found to be superior to daily oral tenofovir DF + FTC (a combination sold as Truvada and available in generic formulations). One factor that may be driving this superiority is the reduced adherence requirements associated with injectable cabotegravir (an injection every two months vs. daily pill taking). The formulation of long-acting cabotegravir meant for HIV prevention is called Apretude.
Movement artist Jimmy Joyner evokes lives lost to AIDS
MAY 14, 2024 - KATHLEEN WESSEL - ARTS ATL - Through Movement And Fabric, Sound And Disco Ball, A New Site-Specific Work By Jimmy Joyner Will Tether Today’s Queer Awareness To Lives Lost To AIDS.
In the early 1990s, when a person living with AIDS wore the now familiar red ribbon, it was a radical declaration, a demand to be seen, counted and humanized in the face of homophobic policies and little federal support for researchers working to find a cure. Beyond the political, red was a symbol of both love and blood, both life force and home of the deadly infection..
The now iconic symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness first appeared in 1991 and catalyzed ribbon awareness campaigns for years to come. When worn pinned to the shirt, the elegant shape — reminiscent of a heart or a cursive “I” — was intended to signal solidarity with those affected as well as those living with the disease.
Study offers clues to which people with HIV may experience suicidal thoughts
May 14, 2024 - by Jan Greene - Kaiser Permanente - Substance use, anxiety, depression may be early indicators in the medical record, Kaiser Permanente research indicates
People with HIV were more likely to report suicidal thoughts if they had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety, misused stimulants, or reported use of multiple substances, according to new research from Kaiser Permanente and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
The results could provide useful information to health care providers treating people with HIV, said lead author Derek Satre, PhD, an adjunct investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UCSF.
Injectable HIV medication is superior to oral medication for patients who frequently miss doses, study finds
14-MAY-2024 - UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ANSCHUTZ MEDICAL CAMPUS - Jose Castillo-Mancilla, MD, co-chaired a national trial that shows long-acting injectable form of anti-HIV medicine provides the best viral suppression for patients who struggle with taking daily oral medication.
When a person is diagnosed with HIV, they are placed on a lifelong HIV treatment regimen, called antiretroviral therapy, to keep the virus under control. But for many people, having to take medicine every day can be a struggle for a variety of reasons, resulting in missed doses that could potentially lead to a decline in their health.
To address this issue, Jose Castillo-Mancilla, MD, a volunteer associate clinical professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado Department of Medicine, co-chaired a national clinical trial starting in 2014 with Aadia Rana, MD, a professor at the University of Alabama. Named the Long-Acting Therapy to Improve Treatment Success in
Daily Life (LATITUDE) study, it investigated whether switching to a monthly injectable form of anti-HIV medicine, rather than taking daily oral medication, was a better therapy option.
Semaglutide can produce clinically meaningful weight loss and reduce waist size for at least 4 years in adults with overweight or obesity who don’t have diabetes, and delivers cardiovascular benefits irrespective of weight lost
May 14, 2024 - European Congress on Obesity (ECO) - Two important studies based on the largest and longest clinical trial of the effects of semaglutide on weight in over 17,000 adults with overweight and obesity but not diabetes find patients lost on average 10% of their body weight and over 7cm from their waistline after 4 years.
Two important studies are being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy (12-15 May), based on the landmark Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes (SELECT) trial from the same international author group. The first new study, led by Professor Donna Ryan from Pennington Biomedical Research Centre, New Orleans, USA, and being published simultaneously in Nature Medicine, examines the long-term weight effects of semaglutide. The second study led by led by Professor John Deanfield from University College London, UK, investigates whether the cardiovascular benefits are related to starting weight or the amount of weight lost.
Research raises hope for ending HIV by 2030
13 May 2024, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Health and Medicine - University of Auckland - Ending HIV transmission in Aotearoa New Zealand is in sight, but trends in testing and prevention suggest more needs to be done.
New research out of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland shows encouraging trends for HIV testing and prevention, with testing at the highest level for 20 years and prevention increasing after an earlier decline.
“More gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) are adopting different HIV prevention options that make sense for them,” says lead researcher Associate Professor Peter Saxton.
Eswatini, burdened doubly with HIV and cervical cancer, targets safety for the next generation
13 May 2024, by Nonduduzo Kunene - GAVI - VaccinesWork - Prevention is better than cure, say the country’s health leaders.
Eswatini suffers a double burden, with uncommonly high rates of both HIV and cervical cancer.
The country's HIV prevalence of 25.9% among adults is one of the highest in the world. Its age-standardised cervical cancer incidence – 84.5 per 100,000 – is the world's highest, bar none.
Cardiovascular Care for People With HIV
May 13, 2024 - By Liz Highleyman - Overall, people with HIV had about a 20% higher risk for cardiovascular events.
People living with HIV are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population, but managing risk factors can make a big difference.
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Northern California analyzed CVD risk factors among people with and without HIV. In general, both groups had similar high levels of risk management. Overall, people with HIV had about a 20% higher risk for cardiovascular events. HIV-positive people with no traditional CVD risk factors still had more events than their HIV-negative counterparts, indicating that HIV-specific factors, such as inflammation, play a role. CVD risk was lessened in HIV-positive people with well-controlled blood lipid levels and diabetes, but their risk remained elevated despite well-controlled hypertension.
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FHS PhD candidate wins national research excellence award
May13, 2024 -by Sharon Mah - Simon Fraser University - FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES - PhD candidate Aniqa Shahid has won the Canadian Association for HIV Research’s (CAHR) New Investigator Award for Basic Sciences!
The award is given to the top young HIV basic sciences researcher in Canada who presents their work at CAHR’s annual conference.
This year, Shahid presented the findings from her recently published paper, “The replication-competent HIV reservoir is a genetically restricted, younger subset of the overall pool of HIV proviruses persisting during therapy, which is highly genetically stable over time.”
Is coming off semaglutide slowly the key to preventing weight regain?
May 12, 2024 - European Congress on Obesity (ECO) - Patients who tapered off the drug kept off lost weight for at least 6 months, Danish study finds
Lower doses of the drug as effective for weight loss as higher ones
New research being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy (12-15 May) has explored the benefits of giving personalised doses of semaglutide to patients taking part in a weight loss programme and tapering them off the medication when they reach their target weight. The study is by researchers at Embla, a digital weight loss clinic based in both Copenhagen, Denmark and London, UK, led by Dr Henrik Gudbergsen, the lead researcher and Embla’s Chief Medical Officer.
It found that lower doses were just as effective as higher doses and that slowly reducing medication while focusing on lifestyle changes prevents weight regain.
A kingdom of shocking pain and suffering: How this country is trying to escape a deadly epidemic and its history
MANZINI, Eswatini - May 11, 2024 - By Katharine Lake Berz - Toronto Star - The seven-year-old girl was gravely ill.
Weak, coughing and struggling to walk, she was suffering in her father’s home, nestled in the barren hills of this South African kingdom.
When she met the girl, Nonhlanhla Dlamini says she was not surprised to find that the child had been infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
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‘FLiRT’ COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada. What to know about the strain
May 10, 2024 - By Katie Dangerfield - Global News - Canada’s lull in COVID-19 cases faces a potential disruption with the emergence of a new family of subvariants, playfully dubbed the ‘FLiRT’ variants.
These genetic cousins, originating from JN.1, the Omicron subvariant that fuelled the winter surge, are now spreading nationwide, with one variant, KP.2, quickly gaining dominance in Canada.
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Let’s make hepatitis C history in Canada
May 10, 2024 - By Jody Jollimore - THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR - While Canada committed to a 30 per cent reduction in new hepatitis C infections between 2015 and 2020, by 2019 we had only reduced infections by two per cent.
What do you think of when you hear about hepatitis C?
That was one of the questions posed to Canadians in an online survey we conducted this year at CATIE, Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information.
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Canadian Blood Services apologizes to the 2SLGBTQ+ community for donation ban
May 10, 2024 - Catharine Tunney - CBC News - CEO says past ban contributed to homophobia, transphobia and HIV stigma
Canadian Blood Services has apologized to the 2SLGBTQ+ community for its “harmful” former policies that prevented or restricted men who have sex with men from donating blood for decades.
For years, the blood donor service prevented sexually active gay and bisexual men from donating blood and plasma. Its rules for donors were updated in 2022 to focus on sexual behaviour rather than sexual orientation.
Dr. Graham Sher, chief executive officer of Canadian Blood Services, said the apology was aimed directly at men who were prevented from donating and the broader 2SLGBTQ+ community – even those who could donate.
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BC-CfE Spring Update on Syndemic Conditions
May 10, 2024 - Bristish Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) - THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY:
Friday, June 7, 2024 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm (doors open at 11am for check-in and networking lunch)
Grand Ballroom - North Tower - Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
We are pleased to invite you to the BC-CfE Update. The focus of this event will be syndemic conditions, including syphilis and other sexually transmitted and bloodborne conditions, and comprehensive care clinical models. This is an open educational event sponsored by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. This one credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the British Columbia Chapter for up to 4.5 Mainpro+® credits [SESSION ID# 202189-001].
Study highlights need for cell-type-specific therapies in treatment of HIV
Newswise - 10-May-2024 - by College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Researchers from the University of Illinois have demonstrated the importance of cell-type-specific targeting in the treatment of HIV. Their study, published in PNAS, is one of the first to examine the differential or cell-type specific effects of HIV latency modulation on myeloid cells, a type of immune cell made in bone marrow.
A major barrier to eliminating HIV infection is how to manage latency, or the period in which an infected cell is dormant and unable to produce virus. Latent HIV cells congregate throughout the body in pockets known as reservoirs. Latent reservoirs are problematic because they can start producing virus at any time. Complete eradication of the disease would require removal of all latent cells from the body or permanent resistance to activation stimuli. But reactivation can be triggered by numerous factors, including cues that direct the differentiation of myeloid cells.
Tracing HIV in Indonesia
10-MAY-2024 - KOBE UNIVERSITY - The HIV variant dominant in Indonesia was introduced from Thailand over multiple events. The Kobe University study traces where it came from and how it spread from there, offering insights of possible value to the development of treatments against the disease.
HIV is the virus causing AIDS, but one of the things that make it so difficult to treat is that there are many variants of it. Kobe University virologist KAMEOKA Masanori says, “The diversity is increasing every day and the prevalent virus strains differ from region to region around the world.” Knowing which variants of the virus are prevalent in a given region and how it spreads from one to another is relevant not only to better trace the epidemic, but also to ensure that treatments are deployed against those variants that are most likely to occur in any given region.
Better healthcare starts here: uOttawa making the largest investment in its history to fuel health research
May 10, 2024 - University of Ottawa - Members of the Ottawa health-care community joined researchers, educators, community leaders and investors May 9 to break ground on the Advanced Medical Research Centre (AMRC), the University of Ottawa’s new initiative to grow the medical biotechnology sector in the Ottawa region.
Scheduled to open in 2026, the ARMC is uOttawa’s largest capital investment in its history. It will bridge the gap between the discovery and commercialization of health-care treatments, providing 350,000 square feet of ultra-modern laboratory and research space.
Social Networks Provide Crucial Support for Older Adults Living With HIV, Rutgers Health Study Finds
MAY 9, 2024 - By Nakaysha Gonzalez - Rutgers, School of Public Health - Researchers focused on how social support networks can reduce stress, anxiety and depression for this population and how stigma and fragmented relationships can result in negative health outcomes
Having social support and strong social networks is vital to the health and well-being of older adults living with HIV, according to a Rutgers Health study.
Published in AIDS Care and led by Kristen Krause, an instructor at the Rutgers School of Public Health, the study examined the social connections of older people living with HIV in Newark, N.J. – a region frequently overlooked in research focusing on this demographic.
Injectable HIV treatment underway in England and largely effective, but a couple of breakthrough cases raise concern
08 May, 2024 - Gus Cairns - aidsmap - Injectable HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) is starting to be provided in England with several hundred patients now on the two-monthly injections. The British HIV Association’s Spring Conference in Birmingham last week heard some of the first data from the rollout in England. In general, the injections are effective and liked by patients, though there have been a few withdrawals.
However, there have been two cases reported so far of virological failure with drug resistance. This echoes the pattern seen in the scientific trials of injectable ART, where there were 24 cases of virological failure among 2313 study participants.
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uOttawa breaking ground on Canada’s newest health research and commercialization hub
May 8, 2024 - University of Ottawa - New interdisciplinary state-of-the-art facilities will make Ottawa hotbed of health innovation
Now more than ever, the rapid interplay of medical research, discovery, and commercialization of new treatments is essential to improving health outcomes for Canadians.
Build it and they will come
The University is Ottawa is making the largest investment in its history to build the Advanced Medical Research Centre (AMRC) to fuel health research that will lead more rapid discovery and commercialization, and in turn build a thriving biotech sector in the National Capital Region.
Members of the media are invited to join us for the AMRC groundbreaking event.
WHAT: AMRC groundbreaking / project unveiling event
WHEN: Thursday, May 9th at 3:45 p.m.
WHERE: Roger Guindon Hall Atrium, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa
GPS-like System Shows Promise as HIV Vaccine Strategy to Elicit Critical Antibodies
DURHAM, N.C. - May 07, 2024 -Duke Health - Duke University - A team led by the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI) has developed a vaccine approach that works like a GPS, guiding the immune system through the specific steps to make broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV..
Publishing in the journal Cell Host & Microbe , the study describes an approach that provides step-by-step directions for the immune system to generate the elusive, yet necessary antibodies for a successful HIV vaccine.
US geographic region results in vastly different anal cancer risk for people with HIV
May 07, 2024 – By Helen Adams - The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) - A new study that followed a cohort of more than 110,000 people establishes significant disparities in the risk of anal cancer for people with HIV and for men who have sex with men with HIV, depending on the region of the country they live in.
It’s known that people with HIV have the highest risk of anal cancer, said lead author Ashish A. Deshmukh, Ph.D., co-leader of the Cancer Control Research Program at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.
But this study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on May 7, is the first to show vast geographic disparities in anal cancer risk and an association with opportunistic illnesses and co-morbidities, like diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, for people with HIV.
Billy Porter to Receive 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
May 7, 2024 - by By Paul Grein - The award recognizes his efforts on behalf of the LGBTQ community and in fighting HIV/AIDS.
Billy Porter, who is as philanthropic as he is flamboyant, will receive the 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award in recognition of his contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Isabelle Stevenson Award – the Tonys’ equivalent of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences – is presented annually to a member of the theater community who has made a substantial contribution of time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.
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Iconic artist and AIDS activist remembered for his generous gift to Iowa City school
IOWA CITY, Iowa - May 4th 2024 - by Nick Weig - CBS 2 - One of the most iconic artists of his generation was celebrated for his kind deed right here in eastern Iowa. Keith Haring was a pop artist whose advocacy for safe sex and AIDS awareness in the 1980s spread his message all the way to Nickelodeon. Even after his death, the children's network promoted his call for education and ending the stigma that surrounded AIDS. The network famously held town halls with other infected celebrities and even children who contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, from blood transfusions.
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New cabotegravir formulations approved to help prevent HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents
May 3, 2024 - GOV.UK - The MHRA has authorised cabotegravir as 30 mg tablets and as a 600 mg long-acting injection administered every two months
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today (3 May 2024) approved two new formulations of the medicine cabotegravir (Apretude 30 mg film-coated tablets and Apretude 600 mg prolonged-release suspension for injection) to help prevent sexually transmitted HIV-1 infection (pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP) in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35kg who are at an increased risk of infection. Cabotegravir has been authorised as tablets and as a long-acting injection administered every two months.
Tablet-based PrEP is already available for those at risk. Cabotegravir would provide an alternative HIV prevention treatment option for eligible individuals should it be recommended by NICE. Cabotegravir 600 mg long-acting injection is the first injectable treatment approved to help prevent HIV-1 infection in the UK.
Drugs that make HIV-infected cells self-destruct induce profound viral load drops in mice after just one or two doses
3 May, 2024 - Gus Cairns - aidsmap - Last month’s Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2024) included the latest information about potential drugs and treatments that might lead to a cure. Two presentations included promising data on TACK (targeted activation of cell kill). This is a property of some drugs in the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (NNRTI) family which induces a chain of events leading to the self-destruction of HIV-infected cells. TACK drugs could be used as powerful drugs for HIV treatment but could also contribute to a cure by killing off HIV-infected reservoir cells.
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ChatGPT can be helpful for Black women’s self-education about HIV, PrEP
Newswise - Waltham - May 3, 2024 - Wolters Kluwer - The tone of the AI tool’s response was more empathetic when the prompt specified Black race, a new study suggests.
The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot called ChatGPT is a powerful way for Black women to educate themselves about HIV prevention, as it provides reliable and culturally sensitive information, according to a study in The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (JANAC), the official journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. JANAC is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer. .
Winnipeg researchers warn about rising cases of syphilis-related stillbirths
May 2, 2024 - Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) - Untreated syphilis can cause many harms to adults and to fetuses during pregnancy
A Winnipeg study found that stillbirths related to syphilis rose sixfold over three years
Greater access to prenatal care, syphilis screening and treatment during pregnancy are needed
Rates of new syphilis diagnoses have been increasing over the past 20 years. As a result, there is now an epidemic of syphilis across Canada. The initial symptoms of syphilis—a sore or chancre on or inside the genitals, mouth or other parts of the body—may be painless or go unnoticed. The germs that cause syphilis (called treponemes) quickly spread from the site of first contact. These germs can attack nerves in the ears (causing hearing loss) and eyes (causing loss of vision) and over time can cause injury to vital organs, including the brain, bones, heart and circulatory system, liver and kidneys. Syphilis during pregnancy can harm the fetus. Symptoms of syphilis can mimic many other diseases; however, syphilis can be easily diagnosed with a simple blood test. Most people can recover with a single course of antibiotic therapy.
CHAMPS receives grant to study causes of death in adults with HIV in Africa
2 May 2024 - Wits University - New grant will enable Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network to leverage laboratory capacity and partnerships in Africa.
A new grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will allow the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network to leverage its laboratory capacity and partnerships in Africa to identify and document causes of death among adults who were living with HIV.
The work funded by this new grant will support network partners in CHAMPS sites in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and South Africa to enroll and investigate deaths in adults aged 18 to 64 years with HIV.
The CHAMPS study site in South Africa is at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Drawing Hope to Change the Narrative of HIV and AIDS
May 1, 2024 - by Grady Capstone - Grady Newsource - AnnieRay Magsalin, the director of operations of Live Forward, has heard all the stereotypical comments regarding HIV.
“It is a death sentence.” “You can only catch it from being gay.”
Even though she spends her time working at Live Forward, she said it can be emotionally difficult for her.
Resource-Appropriate Cancer Care, Including Coexisting Health Issues of HIV and Cancer, to be Addressed During Meeting in Nairobi
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- National Comprehensive Cancer Network - International collaboration to improve cancer outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa is working to update consensus harmonized guidelines on several key subjects in oncology, including how best to treat people with both cancer and HIV.
Local and global experts are meeting in Nairobi, Kenya to update clinical practice guidelines as part of ongoing work with Allied Against Cancer—a collaboration between the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), African Cancer Coalition (ACC), American Cancer Society (ACS), and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). The meeting brings together subject matter experts to update NCCN Harmonized Guidelines™ for Sub-Saharan Africa, featuring updates for treating cancer in people with HIV and other important topics. The event runs from May 1-3, 2024.
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