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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - October 2020
To understand the good doctor, check out ‘Fauci
October 31, 2020 - by Kathi Wolfe - Many of my heroes are fictional. Dr. Anthony Fauci, our country’s top infectious disease expert, is one of my few real-life heroes.
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Stereotypes and discrimination contribute to HIV-related stigma among nursing staff
30-OCT-2020 - This article by Dr. Patrick A. Palmieri and colleagues is published in The Open AIDS Journal, Volume 14, 2020
Since the earliest study about nursing faculty and students attitudes and beliefs about caring for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in the early 1990's, there have only been 17 additional studies. Knowledge in this area of study is still lacking to fill some gaps in understanding attitudes towards people living with the disease. Primary investigators, Dr. Juan Leyva (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona), Dr. Patrick Palmieri (Universidad Norbert Wiener and A.T. Still University), and Dr. Joan Edwards (Texas Woman's University) sought to understand HIV-related attitudes of nursing faculty in three continents from six countries (Canada, Colombia, England, Peru, Spain, and the United States) and how it correlates to three dimensions of prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination. The collaborators have published their research in an article, Attitudes toward caring for people living with HIV/AIDS: Across-sectional study of nursing faculty in six countries, in The Open AIDS Journal.
New Cause of Inflammation in People with HIV Identified
October 30, 2020 - Boston - While current antiretroviral treatments for HIV are highly effective, data has shown that people living with HIV appear to experience accelerated aging and have shorter lifespans - by up to five to 10 years – compared to people without HIV. These outcomes have been associated with chronic inflammation, which could lead to the earlier onset of age-associated diseases, such as atherosclerosis, cancers, or neurocognitive decline. A new study led by researchers at Boston Medical Center examined what factors could be contributing to this inflammation, and they identified the inability to control HIV RNA production from existing HIV DNA as a potential key driver of inflammation.
Chicago EDs see significant increase in acute HIV diagnoses during pandemic
October 29, 2020 - Hospitals in Chicago experienced a significant increase in the detection of acute HIV infections during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to study results from IDWeek.
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REMEMBERING TIMOTHY RAY BROWN
October 29, 2020 - Video made of images we've made and collected of Timothy Ray Brown, the first person to be cured of HIV, along with his own words about his advocacy for HIV cure research, set to a cover of "Don't Let Me Down" by LP.
S2-01: Inferring HIV incidence using incidence of other STIs (Jared Baeten)
Oct 29, 2020 - This presentation is part of the "Design approaches for current and future HIV prevention efficacy trials - Virtual workshop series" (October 2020 to January 2021) organized by the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in partnership with the HIV Vaccine and Prevention Trials Networks and the Forum for Collaborative Research.
The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Announces Its The Elizabeth Taylor Ball To End AIDS: VIRTUAL Set To Take Place On World AIDS Day, December 1, 2020
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Event Presented by Gilead Sciences and BVLGARI
The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) today announced it will host its The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS: VIRTUAL broadcast on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2020. The elegant evening event will be generously supported by Presenting Sponsor Gilead Sciences Inc., and Diamond Sponsor BVLGARI.
The Campbell Foundation Awards Grant to UM Researchers Seeking to Develop Functional Cure for HIV
FORT LAUDERDALE – October 28, 2020 - The Campbell Foundation is pleased to announce that it has awarded an $80,000 grant to a University of Miami Miller School researcher to continue his work in the development of a single vaccine injection resulting in a functional cure for HIV.
Jose M. Martinez-Navio, Ph.D., associate scientist in the Department of Pathology, and his team have been able to suppress the HIV virus for more than five years in one monkey and for extended periods in two others, through the delivery of potent broadly neutralizing antibodies.
People Living With HIV Must Vote—Now More Than Ever
Oct. 27, 2020 - Alejandro Acosta - The Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, access to reproductive health services, the price of medication, and even COVID-19 are all on the ballot.he Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, access to reproductive health services, the price of medication, and even COVID-19 are all on the ballot.
The community of people with HIV and those who love them have a civic duty and a personal interest in what the government and politicians are doing regarding our public health. COVID-19 has had an impact on the treatment and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), because resources have been redirected and focused on this new public health threat. These political decisions have repercussions that affect us all, not just those already impacted. If you have not been part of the election process before, I implore you, it is time for you to get involved. Get out and vote or request your mail-in ballot, educate others in what is at stake when it comes to our health and the elections, and most of all, speak openly and frankly about sex, STIs, and HIV. It is the only way to normalize the conversation.
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Dr. Joyce Wallace, Pioneering AIDS Physician, Dies at 79
Oct. 27, 2020 - Among the first to study the disease in the 1980s, she tried to stop its spread among thousands of New York City prostitutes.
Dr. Joyce Wallace, a Manhattan internist who treated prostitutes for AIDS, occasionally brought streetwalkers home with her when they had nowhere else to go.
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Timothy Ray Brown obituary
October 27, 2020 - Café worker and activist who in 2007 became known as ‘the Berlin patient’ after becoming the first person to be cured of HIV
Timothy Ray Brown routinely rode his bicycle across Berlin, but one day in 2006 he felt so drained he could not push the pedals for more than a couple of minutes.
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High School Researcher on Social Biases: Obstacles in AIDS Research and Treatment
October 26, 2020 by Jill Schlessinger - Guest high school blogger uses UC Berkeley Oral History Center interviews to write about Social Biases in AIDS Research and Treatment. This is part one of a 3-part series. Resources for teachers are at the end of the article.
Obstacles in AIDS Research and Treatment: Social Biases
Early responses to the AIDS epidemic across the United States were slowed by biases against—and lack of concern for—the country's gay communities. Many community leaders didn't believe that a disease ailing homosexuals would affect their communities, and the methods of transmission (gay sex and IV drug use) made it appear to only affect people who engaged in illegal or, as some considered it, immoral behavior. In addition, the disease heightened stigma against homosexuals with names like gay cancer and GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency), and made the gay community wary of public health officials. These social biases ostracized AIDS victims and made many public officials reluctant to act on their behalf.
Pandemic did not interrupt HIV treatment during trials assessing long-acting ART
October 26, 2020 - Study results presented at IDWeek demonstrated that the pandemic did not cause HIV treatment interruptions during the numerous global trials assessing long-acting cabotegravir and rilpivirine for ART.
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Foreigners Living with HIV in Jordan Face an Impossible Choice
October 26, 2020 - Government Mandates Reporting HIV Status, Deports People Living with HIV
In Jordan, medical professionals and health facilities are mandated to report an individual's HIV status to the government. Foreign nationals found to be HIV-positive are summarily deported regardless of the consequences to their health and safety and banned for life from returning.
Pitt Study Shows How HIV and Cancer Drugs Accelerate Cellular Aging
October 26, 2020 - HIV patients tend to show premature signs of aging. Cancer, cognitive diseases, osteoporosis – these maladies all come before their time for people living with HIV. But it’s not clear why.
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Statement by the Prime Minister on United Nations Day
October 24, 2020 - Ottawa, Ontario - “Today, on United Nations Day, we recognize what we can achieve when countries around the world work together toward shared goals.
“In 1945, the United Nations (UN) was created to provide a forum where countries can join forces to build a world that is safe, peaceful, and prosperous for everyone. Since then, it has helped improve the lives of millions of people, including by fighting HIV and AIDS, ending wars, averting famines, and addressing the needs of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. It has also brought to light once invisible issues, such as modern-day slavery and the use of child soldiers.
HIV Status Does Not Affect COVID-19 Hospitalization, Short-Term Outcomes in Connecticut Hospital
Oct. 23, 2020 - Larry Buhl - Having HIV does not by itself make it likelier for a person with COVID-19 to need hospitalization, a new retrospective study presented at IDWeek 2020 found. The findings add to a growing body of research showing that it’s other co-morbidities, not HIV, that lead to worse health outcomes from COVID-19—at least among individuals who are on stable antiretroviral therapy.
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HIV Groups Demand: No Supreme Court Confirmation Until Inauguration
October 23, 2020 - By AIDS United - Plus two other asks that will address the urgent public health and racial justice challenges of 2020
2020 has been a year characterized by chaos and hardship that is all too familiar to those in the HIV community. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives has been upended as the federal government fails to promptly and adequately address the spread of COVID-19. The failures persist to this day and have directly led to more than 220,000 deaths, tens of millions of lost jobs, and a dangerously stressed American public health system that is grossly underfunded and disastrously mismanaged by appointees who place partisan politics over the lives of communities they’re supposed to serve. There is no clear end in sight.
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New imaging method reveals HIV’s sugary shield in unprecedented detail
LA JOLLA, CA - October 23, 2020 - The technique should help in the design of vaccines against HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses that cloak their outer proteins with sugars to evade antibodies.
Scientists from Scripps Research and Los Alamos National Laboratory have devised a method for mapping in unprecedented detail the thickets of slippery sugar molecules that help shield HIV from the immune system.
How Trump success in ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIV
October 23, 2020 - Conservatives see Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation as key in bringing down the Affordable Care Act. Doctors and scientists warn it will destroy a major effort to help vulnerable and poor Americans
In his State of the Union address in February 2019, Donald Trump vowed to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.
But if Trump has his way and the supreme court strikes down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the resulting seismic disruption to the healthcare system would end that dream.
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11th International Conference on Stigma Registration
October 23, 2020 -
The stigma associated with health conditions such as HIV infection is a major public health problem that impedes treatment and prevention efforts. The will bring together researchers, community, academia, policy makers, faith leaders and youth to discuss the impact of health-related stigma and ongoing research on interventions to eliminate stigma. The conference will be live webcast and will include plenary sessions and workshops; scientific posters; networking opportunities; and art, with an emphasis on intersectionality of stigma and leadership training. Also don't miss our pre-conference leadership training on November 19.
Adherence 2020 Virtual: REGISTER ONLINE TODAY
October 23, 2020 -
The Adherence 2020 Virtual conference will consist of two days of live-streamed plenary sessions (November 2-3, 2020), supplemented by pre-recorded panel discussions and oral/e-poster abstract sessions. Conference faculty will deliver their presentations within the context of the impact of COVID-19 on HIV service delivery.
The conference will focus on behavioral, clinical, structural, and other interventions to maximize the therapeutic and preventative effects of antiretroviral drugs. The conference will also provide a forum for discussion about implementation science to close science-to-service gaps, as well as community engagement in planning, implementing, and monitoring HIV responses.
Dean to Receive Hyacinth Award for HIV Work to End HIV/AIDS Epidemic
22-Oct-2020 - Newswise -
Rutgers School of Public Health dean, Perry N. Halkitis, will receive the Hyacinth Award from the Hyacinth Foundation.
The award – which honors those who have been an advocate and champion for individuals living with HIV – will be presented to Halkitis and the Sanofi PRIDE Connect Employee Resource Group at the Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Virtual Celebration on Saturday, November 14, 2020.
National AIDS Memorial to Honor Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. and David D. Ho, M.D., on World AIDS Day for their Leadership on the Frontlines of the AIDS and Covid-19 Pandemics
San Francisco, Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - December 1, 2020 World AIDS Day forum to bring together powerful voices from two pandemics for an inspiring conversation about health justice, social activism, remembrance, and hope
World AIDS Day 2020 – A National Conversation will spotlight the interconnectedness of both pandemics -- the lives lost, the survivors, the activism and the heroes. Through a distinguished list of guest speakers, video storytelling, and musical tributes, the topics and conversations will help answer the questions about how a nation responds, how it heals, and what lessons must be learned for the future.
HIV RESEARCH FOR PREVENTION AN IAS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Oct. 22, 2020 - HIVR4P // Virtual registration now open
Registration to the 4th HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P // Virtual) is now open! Take part and access the latest in biomedical HIV prevention research and implementation in a new virtual format and accessible from around the world.
2020 World AIDS Day & Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week
October 22nd, 2020 - Amid the public health crises of COVID-19 and overdose deaths, plus a heightened awareness of systemic racism that plays out in healthcare and other services, Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week (December 1-5) and World AIDS Day (December 1) are undoubtedly going to look different this year. We welcome hearing what you and your communities are doing to mark HIV advocacy. Information on how to share an event appears at the bottom of this post, and this page will be updated regularly as we hear of events.
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Taking on HIV and oral health
October 21, 2020 - by Katherine Unger Baillie - Embarking on a new study of people living with HIV, the School of Dental Medicine’s Temitope Omolehinwa hopes to build data on an understudied issue.
Temitope Omolehinwa got into dentistry wanting to be a clinician, not conduct research. But over the past several years, the pull of research has been impossible to resist.
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Researchers Investigating Influence of Sex Hormones on HIV Cure Strategies
WASHINGTON (Oct. 20, 2020) - A research team at the George Washington University is investigating whether and how sex hormones influence cure strategies for HIV
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $1.6 million to researchers at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences for research on hormonal control of HIV latency.
Chicago-Based Nonprofit TPAN Has a New CEO
October 20, 2020 - By Trenton Straube - Colleen O’Neill will lead the organization’s efforts against HIV, hepatitis C, homelessness and more.
To mark National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day on September 18, a group of HIV long-term survivors and advocates has released the San Francisco Principles, a statement outlining the challenges of aging with HIV and the need for better care and more representation.
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Researchers Warn Some Covid-19 Vaccines Could Increase Risk Of HIV Infection
Oct 20, 2020 - Some of the Covid-19 vaccines currently in development could increase the risk of acquiring HIV, warned a group of researchers in the The Lancet medical journal Monday, potentially leading to an increase in infections as vaccines are rolled out to vulnerable populations around the world.
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The HIV fight is growing old
October 20, 2020 - Fundraising and activism have suffered as HIV treatment improves. But the fight is far from over.
As medical breakthroughs allow more and more people to grow old with AIDS, the virus has — in many circles — become old news.
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The unintended immune consequences of HIV treatments
OCTOBER 19, 2020 - BY B TRAXINGER - From the Hladik Lab, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division
With lifelong adherence, current antiretroviral therapies (ART) reliably prevent the progression to AIDS in persons living with HIV (PLWH). However, PLWH experience a higher incidence of non-AIDS related illness and death, often defined by chronic, low-level immune activation that persists in the absence of detectable HIV viremia. Despite the benefits of ART, this treatment could contribute to the ongoing immune dysregulation found in PLWH.
NIAID-Supported Research Unveils Characteristics of Key Steps in HIV Life Cycle
October 19, 2020 - New NIAID-funded research answers longstanding questions about key steps in HIV replication. The scientists who conducted the research are the first to create an environment in a test tube where they could watch the unfolding of early events in the HIV life cycle that typically take place deep inside a cell, obstructed from view. Their experiments, published in the journal Science, mark the first time scientists have made these events happen outside of a cell.
Unique program aims to educate Muslim teens on HIV prevention
Newswise - October 19, 2020 - Cultural taboos may leave Muslim American adolescents uninformed about romantic relationships and sex, placing them at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A sex education program designed specifically for Muslim teens – with a foundation in Islamic morals and values – is reported in the November/December issue of 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.
New study: Funding for key populations affected by HIV and AIDS “way off track”
19 OCTOBER 2020 - This is one of the main conclusions from the first ever study into global funding for key populations, released today at the HIV2020 conference by Aidsfonds through the Bridging the Gaps and PITCH partnerships.
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One Key to Living Longer With HIV? Keep on Moving, Expert Urges
Oct. 16, 2020 - Terri Wilder, M.S.W. - Researchers have known for some time now that people who are living with HIV age differently from people who are not. “Older adults [with HIV] are exhibiting higher rates of illnesses associated with aging: cardiovascular, liver, and kidney diseases; cancers; frailty; and osteoporosis,” said Stephen Karpiak, Ph.D., GMHC’s lead researcher on HIV and aging, during a webinar on the topic last month.
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The drama that raged against Reagan’s America
19th October 2020 - Thirty-five years ago, Larry Kramer’s play The Normal Heart told of another US epidemic, the Aids crisis – and denounced the indifference to it. Jack King reflects on its power.
In July 1981, 26 cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma, an exceedingly rare cancer, were identified exclusively in gay men by doctors in New York and California.
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New research comparing HIV medications set to change international recommendations
October 16, 2020 - A new study by UBC faculty of medicine researchers is set to change international treatment recommendations for people who are newly diagnosed with HIV—an update that could affect nearly two million people per year worldwide.
The study, published today by The Lancet in the journal EClinicalMedicine, was commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of a planned update to its guidelines for HIV antiretroviral treatment (ART). The study found that dolutegravir is the optimal medication for first-line treatment for people newly diagnosed with HIV, a choice that has not been clear over the past several years.
Janssen Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for Long-Acting Regimen for the Treatment of HIV
October 16, 2020 - BEERSE, Belgium -(BUSINESS WIRE)- Regimen is based on co-administration of REKAMBYS® (rilpivirine injection) and ViiV Healthcare’s VOCABRIA® (cabotegravir injection) once every month or once every 2-months to treat HIV-1
Long-acting, two-drug regimen reduces treatment intake days from 365 to either 12 or six per year
The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a positive opinion recommending Marketing Authorisation for REKAMBYS® (rilpivirine injection) in combination with ViiV Healthcare’s VOCABRIA® (cabotegravir injection), for the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adults. If approved, this will be the first complete long-acting regimen, dosed once-monthly or once every-2-months, for virologically suppressed people living with HIV-1 across the European Economic Area.
First long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy for HIV recommended for approval
16/10/2020 - EMA has recommended the granting of marketing authorisations for two new antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, Rekambys (rilpivirine) and Vocabria injection (cabotegravir), to be used together for the treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. The two medicines are the first ARVs that come in a long-acting injectable formulation. This means that instead of daily pills, patients receive intramuscular injections monthly or every two months.
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President of Nigeria unites behind the call for a People’s Vaccine for COVID-19
GENEVA, 16 October 2020 - The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has announced that Nigeria will be joining the urgent global call for a People's Vaccine for COVID-19. The President endorsed the initiative and released an official public statement in favour of the campaign.
U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for HIV/AIDS Relief Gives Opportunities for Local Organizations to Contribute to National HIV Epidemic Control
Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA. 15 October, 2020 - At a ceremony at the U.S. Ambassador residence in Dar es Salaam on October 15, 2020, United States Ambassador Dr. Donald J. Wright awarded grants from the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for HIV/AIDS Relief (AFHR) to 13 registered civil society, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations from across Tanzania to implement projects that address HIV in the country.
This Week in HIV Research: Many Sizes Fit Many People
Oct. 15, 2020 - At a ceremony at the U.S. Ambassador residence in Dar es Salaam on October 15, 2020, United States Ambassador Dr. Donald J. Wright awarded grants from the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for HIV/AIDS Relief (AFHR) to 13 registered civil society, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations from across Tanzania to implement projects that address HIV in the country.
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UNESCO in Brazil and partners launch Repository of Comprehensive Education for Health, HIV / AIDS and Diversities
October 15, 2020 - UNESCO in Brazil in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the University of São Paulo (USP) launched today, October 15th, the Repository of Comprehensive Education in Health, HIV / AIDS and Diversity.
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Glutathione precursor GlyNAC reverses premature aging in people with HIV
Houston, Texas, October 15, 2020 - Premature aging in people with HIV is now recognized as a new, significant public health challenge. Accumulating evidence shows that people with HIV who are between 45 to 60 years old develop characteristics typically observed in people without HIV that are more than 70 years of age. For instance, declining gait speed, physical function and cognition, mitochondrial aging, elevated inflammation, immune dysfunction, frailty and other health conditions are significantly higher in people with HIV when compared to age- and sex-matched uninfected people.
Researchers explore at-home testing method of viral loads for HIV patients
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., October 15, 2020 - Development of a new method to monitor the effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment at home instead of in hospitals is underway by Penn State researchers. The research is supported by a three-year, $1,012,996 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
 
THE 11TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STIGMA
Washington, DC - October 15, 2020 - Howard University Virtual Event
Includes Leadership Training
November 16th to 20th 2020
The 11th Annual International Conference on Stigma will be held November 16 to November 20, 2020 as a virtual Howard University event. The stigma associated with health conditions such as HIV infection is a major health problem and impedes the treatment and prevention efforts. The 11th Annual International Conference on Stigma will not only address stigma related to HIV/AIDS, but also mental health issues and stigma caused by Coronavirus pandemic.
The 519 Annual Gala 2020: Sir Elton John, Margaret Atwood, k.d. lang, Patti LuPone, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Jann Arden, Alan Cumming, Barenaked Ladies, Carole Pope, and Kim Cattrall to join star-studded Virtual Gala
Toronto, October 14, 2020: Legendary talents will come together on October 25, 2020 for The 519 Virtual Annual Gala to support Canada’s largest LGBTQ2S community centre, and celebrate the 65th birthday of The 519’s honorary patron, Salah Bachir.
The 519’s largest fundraising night, The Annual Gala, will bring together leading performers for a virtual variety show of musical performances and special appearances in support of LGBTQ2S communities in Toronto and beyond. The event will be streamed on Sunday, October 25, at 7:30 pm (EST).
SHEA Updates Guidance for Healthcare Workers with HIV, Hepatitis
NEW YORK (October 14, 2020) - Advances in care and treatment of bloodborne pathogens reflected in white paper
In light of the low rate of transmission and advances in treatments for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America today released updated guidance for healthcare personnel living with these bloodborne pathogens based on the latest available science. The SHEA White Paper, “Management of Healthcare Personnel Living with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus in United States Healthcare Institutions,” was published online in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. SHEA has been at the forefront of this issue since its initial set of recommendations was issued in 1990.
Opinion: If we’re going to end HIV, we need to start with ending stigma
OCTOBER 14, 2020 - As the leader of Vivent Health, one of the country’s premier providers of HIV prevention and health services for thousands of LGBTQIA people, I see firsthand the affirmation of all the studies on the disparity in health outcomes because of stigma and discrimination. LGBTQIA individuals are far more likely to have poor health, including higher rates of many types of cancer, HPV infection, obesity, and HIV/AIDS. Mental health issues are also much greater in this community, including suicide, mood and eating disorders, and alcohol, tobacco, and substance use and abuse.
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Announcing the COVID-19 Conference: Prevention
13 October 2020 (Geneva, Switzerland) - IAS – the International AIDS Society – to host dedicated virtual event on 2 February 2021
Recognizing the urgent need to advance the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IAS COVID-19 Conference: Prevention will feature the latest in prevention-related science, policy and practice. The conference will take place virtually on Tuesday, 2 February 2021, and will include invited-speaker sessions and abstract presentations.
How Being HIV Positive Is Impacted by the New Health Crisis
OCTOBER 12 2020 - When it comes to surviving the pandemic, wealth and race factor heavily.
You would think that after almost a decade of writing about my experiences with HIV, I would run out of things to say. And in some ways, I have. My sex life isn’t as salacious and being married with a child doesn’t really prompt conversations about HIV quite like my single years did. But just when I think I’m fresh out of experiences relating to HIV, a pandemic comes along.
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Seven months on, pandemic still threatens AIDS care
October 12, 2020 - COVID-19 has killed eight people with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia, and 77 people with HIV have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Health Ministry has said.
Some 543,100 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia, according to ministry data.
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Dr. David Ho: The AIDS pioneer shifts to COVID-19
October 11, 2020 - Now working on monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19, the virologist gained recognition in the 1990s for treating Magic Johnson. He first appeared on 60 Minutes in 1998.
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HIV epidemic: Successful use of self-tests in rural Africa
10 October 2020 - Despite significant progress in prevention and therapy, millions of people still get infected with HIV every year. The main burden of HIV/AIDS falls on Africa. To contain the epidemic, innovative methods are needed to enable early diagnosis of all those affected. A Basel research group has now been able to significantly improve the success of "door-to-door" testing campaigns thanks to HIV self-tests.
HIV and lung cancer in East Africa: CWRU and UH secure research funds
Cleveland, 9-OCT-2020 - Collaboration includes multiple East African Research Centers
Researchers with the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC) have secured $4 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI) to establish an HIV-associated Malignancy Research Center (HAMRC) focused on lung cancer in East Africa.
National AIDS Memorial to Launch 50-State AIDS Memorial Quilt Virtual Exhibition in Conjunction with World AIDS Day
San Francisco, Oct. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Individuals and organizations are invited to be part of this historic initiative, using the power of the Quilt to help our nation heal and remember during these difficult times
The National AIDS Memorial is announcing a virtual exhibition of the AIDS Memorial Quilt (the Quilt) that will feature more than 10,000 Quilt panels representing all 50 state and U.S. territories. The memorial is inviting interested panelmakers, individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations to be part of this historic effort to use the power of the Quilt to help a nation heal and remember during these difficult times.
ICE Raids Are Stopping Latinx Queer And Trans Men From Getting HIV Care
Oct 8, 2020 - Immigration policies such as increased raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are deterring Latinx gay, bisexual and transgender men from receiving preventive care or treatment for HIV.
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HSE University Researcher Develops Global HIV Prevention Index for Drug Users
Author: Marina Selina, October 08 - Russia ranked 59th among 105 countries around the world
Peter Meylakhs, from HSE University - St. Petersburg, together with colleagues from Georgia State University (USA) and Tarbiat Modares University (Tehran), have developed the HIV-PWID Policy Index (HPPI)—an international policy index for HIV prevention among people who inject drugs. This is the first major tool for assessing and comparing the extent to which HIV/AIDS prevention policies among PWID have been developed in 105 countries. The top performing countries were Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan. The poorest performing included Nicaragua, Japan, and Syria. Russia ranked 59th. An article describing the methodology and assessment processes of the new index was published in the International Journal of Drug Policy. The work of the HSE researcher has been supported by the Russian Academic Excellence Project 5-100.
ART reduces Alzheimer’s prevalence among patients with HIV
October 08, 2020 - The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is elevated among patients with HIV, and the prevalence of early onset Alzheimer’s disease is even higher among patients who are not being treated with ART, study findings showed.
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HIV UP CLOSE: UNPRECEDENTED VIEW OF VIRUS REVEALS ESSENTIAL STEPS FOR CAUSING AIDS
Salt Lake City, Oct 08, 2020 - Accomplishing a feat that had been a pipe dream for decades, scientists have recreated in a test tube the first steps of infection by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Doing so has provided up-close access to the virus—which is otherwise obstructed from view deep within the cell—and enabled identification of essential components that HIV needs to replicate within its human host. Specifically, the scientists were able to monitor the virus as it replicated its genome and inserted it into target DNA, mirroring steps that ordinarily take place within the host. Published in Science on October 9, these advances yield a new understanding of how HIV works, the authors say, allowing for explorations of early stages of the virus life cycle in unprecedented detail. Such knowledge could lead to improved treatments for AIDS, a lifelong disease that can only be kept under control with a continuous medication regimen.
UNAIDS issues guidance on reducing stigma and discrimination during COVID-19 responses
GENEVA, 8 October 2020 - Drawing on 40 years of experience from the AIDS response, UNAIDS is issuing new guidance on how to reduce stigma and discrimination in the context of COVID-19. The guidance is based on the latest evidence on what works to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination and applies it to COVID-19.
Weight gain on HIV treatment: what is normal, and what is harmful?
7 October 2020 - Weight gain in people with HIV on antiretroviral treatment – especially integrase inhibitors – may reflect a return towards a weight that's normal in the wider society, but physicians should be watching out for the most extreme cases, as these people are most likely to suffer weight-related complications in the future, Professor Andrew Carr of St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, told the HIV Glasgow 2020 virtual conference on Monday.
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How immune cells can recognise – and control – HIV when therapy is interrupted
Oct 6, 2020 - New findings reveal how HIV-1-specific immune cells can recognise viral particles that have the capacity to rebound following interruptions to antiretroviral therapy, with implications for new treatment strategies.
Immune cells that can recognise residual HIV-infected cells in people living with HIV (PLWH) who take antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain active for years, says a new study published today in eLife.
Celebrating the Life of Timothy Ray Brown
October 6, 2020 - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2020 AT 10 AM PDT
The Wellness Park, Palm Springs, California
Sunday Oct 18th we will gather in memory of Timothy Ray Brown to share & celebrate our memories.
‘Repliclones’ Fuel Perplexing Persistence of HIV in Blood
PITTSBURGH,10/5/2020 - Increasingly, UPMC’s chief of infectious diseases—a well-regarded expert in HIV/AIDS—is contacted by a perplexed physician describing a patient with HIV who insists they are adhering to the daily medication regimen meant to keep the virus in check, but testing says otherwise.
University of Alberta researcher shares Nobel prize for hepatitis C virus discovery
STOCKHOLM, October 5, 2020 - British scientist Michael Houghton, who works at the University of Alberta, and Americans Harvey J. Alter and Charles M. Rice were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology on Monday for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.
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University of Alberta virologist awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Oct. 5, 2020 - Michael Houghton discovered hepatitis C virus and now is developing a vaccine.
Michael Houghton was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine today in recognition of his discovery of the hepatitis C (HCV) virus.
His discovery with colleagues Qui-Lim Choo and George Kuo in 1989 opened a new field of viral hepatitis research that led to improved blood safety, and hepatitis C treatment to the point where the viral infection can now be cured in virtually all patients.
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Music and HIV/AIDS – A Look at Then and Now
Oct. 5, 2020 - Monday, October 12, 5:30 pm on Zoom (MST)
Free and Open to the Public
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The Difference Between Covid-19 And HIV/AIDS
Oct 5, 2020 - For the October issue of Scientific American, I penned a piece on what we can learn from the parallels that exist between the coronavirus and HIV crises.* To this essay, called “Lessons from AIDS for the Covid-19 Pandemic,” I would add one more thought.
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Gilead Presents Biktarvy® Findings From Switch Studies & Analysis of Real-World BICSTaR Study At HIV Glasgow 2020
October 05, 2020 - FOSTER CITY, Calif. --(BUSINESS WIRE) - -- People Living With HIV Switching to Biktarvy from Boosted PI-Based Regimens Achieved Sustained Viral Suppression up to 156 Weeks --
-- Ongoing Switch Study in Population Aged 65 Years and Older Shows Biktarvy Sustains Viral Suppression Through 72 weeks --
-- Clinical and Patient Reported Outcomes in People Living With HIV on Biktarvy Treatment in the international BICSTaR Study Demonstrated Consistent Therapeutic Effectiveness and Long-term Safety Profile in Real-World Practice Settings --
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced long-term study results, which showed that people living with HIV who switched to the once-daily, single tablet regimen, Biktarvy® (bictegravir 50 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg tablets, B/F/TAF) from a boosted protease inhibitor-based regimen consisting of atazanavir (ATV) or darunavir (DRV) plus either emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or abacavir (ABC)/lamivudine (3TC) maintained virologic suppression (defined as HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL) with no emergent resistance, through a maximum of 156 weeks.
Two-thirds of people living with HIV would like to try injectable treatment, according to European survey
5 October 2020 - Two-thirds of people on HIV treatment would like to switch to a long-acting injectable regimen, according to a four-country survey presented to the virtual HIV Glasgow conference this week. Healthcare professionals answering the same survey thought fewer people – a quarter – would end up switching.
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Hepatitis C discoveries win 2020 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine
OCTOBER 5, 2020 - By Tina Hesman Saey - Identification of the virus dramatically reduced infections through blood transfusions
Three virologists have won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.
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Gang of Edmonton-area grannies tackle tech to raise money for AIDS relief
Oct 04, 2020 - A group of Edmonton-area grannies put their technical skills to the test to be able to continue sending money to other grandmothers in Africa despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
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American Psychological Association Invites Nominations for AIDS Leadership Awards
October 4, 2020 - Deadline: November 1, 2020
The American Psychological Association is accepting nominations for its annual Psychology and AIDS Leadership Award.
Two awards are granted each year, one in the category of Emerging Leader and one in the category of Distinguished Leader. Successful candidates will have made significant contributions in the areas of policy/advocacy, research, service provision, and/or teaching/mentoring as defined below:
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Allowing gay men to donate corneas could save the eyesight of thousands. Yes, we’re even banned from donating corneas
OCTOBER 3, 2020 - Allowing gay and bisexual men to donate their corneas could help save the eyesight of thousands of people – but discriminatory, unscientific policies prohibit them from doing so.
The cornea, the clear outer layer at the front of the eye, enables the eye to focus light and helps people to see more clearly.
In the United States, a discriminatory policy implemented during the AIDS epidemic means that gay and bisexual men cannot donate their corneas if they had sex with another man in the last five years. In Canada, they must not have had sexual contact with a man in the preceding 12 months.
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Remembering Rock Hudson, Hollywood’s dazzling closeted heartthrob, 35 years since his tragic death from AIDS-related complications
OCTOBER 2, 2020 - It is 35 years today since Hollywood’s dazzling closeted heartthrob Rock Hudson died from AIDS-related complications, shocking the world in the process.
At around 9am on 2 October, 1985, Hudson died following months of health complications as a result of his HIV diagnosis. His death shocked the world – and shone a harsh spotlight on the virus that was ravaging the LGBT+ community.
His death came less than three months after his publicist finally confirmed, amid growing speculation, that Hudson had been diagnosed with HIV.
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Music and the HIV/AIDS crisis, a pandemic discussion set for October 12
Oct. 1, 2020 - Houston-based musicologist Matthew J. Jones and CU Director of Vocal Pedagogy John Seesholtz will present, “Music and HIV/AIDS – A Look at Then and Now,” online on Monday, October 12 at 5:30 pm (MST). This public and interdisciplinary discussion will look at the intersection of music and the HIV/AIDS crisis, in light of the global coronavirus pandemic.
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Ezintsha study provides new data on current ART regimens with concerns about weight gain
October 1, 2020 - Wits researchers today publish major findings from the ADVANCE research study, conducted in central Johannesburg, looking at the potency and safety of SA's commonly used antiretroviral treatment regimens
The study enrolled over 1000 participants, recruited from routine HIV services in and around the inner city area of Hillbrow, and analysed two of the current Department of Health antiretroviral regimens, recommended in the 2019 ART guidelines, and a third regimen favoured by higher-income countries. The newer regimens appeared to have side effect and resistance benefits over older regimens, and potential cost benefits, but little research had been done on African populations with them till now.
Sask. government's lack of response to HIV crisis warning points to systemic racism issues: advocate
Oct 01, 2020 - HIV diagnoses jumped almost 30 per cent in 2019 from the year prior
Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis says Saskatchewan's health minister ignored warnings of a growing HIV "epidemic" — and she wonders why.
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Merck to Present New Data from the Company’s Diverse HIV Portfolio and Pipeline at HIV Glasgow 2020
October 01, 2020 - KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that nine abstracts from the company’s diverse HIV portfolio and pipeline will be presented at the 2020 International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection (HIV Glasgow 2020, October 5-8, 2020).
ViiV Healthcare presents a new podcast about the Power of Being Seen
Ten-episode series available October 6th features conversations with leading cultural figures and influencers discussing how Black gay and queer men want to be seen
Research Triangle Park, NC, 1 Oct. 2020 - ViiV Healthcare announces its new weekly podcast Being Seen, an in-depth exploration of the role culture plays in resolving how we see ourselves and how we are seen by others. Hosted and narrated by Darnell Moore, award-winning writer and activist, the first season explores current cultural representations of the queer and gay Black male experience and the impact on their lives and society. Being Seen is available October 6th wherever you get your podcasts and at www.beingseenpodcast.com.
HHS Awards $2.24 Billion in Grants to Help Americans Access HIV/AIDS Care, Support Services, and Medication
October 1, 2020 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), today announced approximately $2.24 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants were awarded to cities, counties, states, and local community-based organizations in fiscal year (FY) 2020. This funding supports a comprehensive system of HIV primary medical care, medication and essential support services vital to improving the health quality of more than half a million people with HIV in the United States.
Playbill and The Broadway League present ¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices
October 1, 2020 - A digital concert in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, as well as Latinx milestones in theatre. The performance will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, including championing the R.Evolución Latina initiative, and Broadway Bridges.
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