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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - October 2024
The Life-Ruining Effects of HIV Criminalization in Canada
Oct 31, 2024 - By Robert Suttle - TheBody - An Interview With Alexander McClelland, Ph.D.
Part ofHIV Stigma and Discrimination
Alexander McClelland, Ph.D., wrote Criminalized Lives: HIV and Legal Violence to explore how HIV criminalization affects people living with the virus in Canada. Though these laws were first created in the U.S. in the late 1980s, other countries have created their own and, in some cases, made them even harsher than the laws people encounter here. That is precisely the case with HIV criminalization laws in Canada.
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I apologize and retract my HIV comment against UG — Rev Lawrence Tetteh eats humble pie
October 31, 2024 - Isaac Donkor Distinguished - Modern Ghana - Rev. Canon Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, President of Worldwide Miracle Outreach and Chaplain of the Ghana Christian Council of the UK and Republic of Ireland has formally apologized and retracted comments he made concerning the prevalence of HIV among students at the University of Ghana.
The statements, made during an interview on GTV’s Breakfast Show on October 24, 2024, sparked backlash from the university’s management, who described the remarks as “insensitive” and “unfounded.”
The University of Ghana, through its Public Affairs Directorate, demanded that he retract and apologize for his reckless comment.
In his official statement issued on October 29, Dr. Tetteh clarified that his intention was not to “undermine the university, cause fear, stigma or misinform the public.”
NIH trial of rectal microbicide for HIV prevention begins in the United States
October 31, 2024 - National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Study will assess safety and acceptability of rectal douche for pre-exposure prophylaxis.
A clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched to examine the safety and acceptability of a novel rectal HIV microbicide douche containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir. This “on-demand” HIV prevention approach involves using the microbicide prior to a potential exposure from receptive anal intercourse.
Several forms of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are in use in the United States and globally, namely daily oral pills, long-acting injections, and a monthly vaginal ring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who meet certain criteria can take “on-demand” oral PrEP(link is external) around the time of sex to prevent HIV acquisition, but there is insufficient evidence to support its use in other populations. Rectal microbicides are another HIV prevention method being explored for use in an “on-demand” manner to expand the choices available to eligible people who engage in receptive anal intercourse and who stand to benefit from using PrEP.
Providence Research Profiles: Drs. John Cairns and Julio Montaner
October 30, 2024 | Grace Jenkins - Providence Research - Providence Research is home to many outstanding researchers engaged in groundbreaking work. In this edition of our Providence Research Profiles series, we are profiling two researchers who have received prestigious recognitions this year for their impactful work in their fields, Drs. John Cairns and Julio Montaner.
Providence Research is home to many outstanding researchers engaged in groundbreaking work. In our Providence Research Profiles series, we spotlight some of the remarkable individuals contributing to our research community. This month, we are profiling two researchers who have received prestigious recognitions this year for their impactful work in their fields.
Dr. John Cairns is Dean Emeritus of the UBC Faculty of Medicine and a researcher with the Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation (CCI-CIC). He was appointed to the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours, for his major international contributions to cardiology and his role in the expansion of UBC’s Medical School.
Dr. Julio Montaner is the is the Executive Director and Physician-in-Chief of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE). He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, which recognizes Canadians who have made significant contributions to the country, a province, territory, region, or community, for his internationally recognized research fighting against HIV/AIDS.
Momentum in Ending the HIV Epidemic
Oct 30, 2024 - By Charles Sanchez – TheBody - I consider myself a pessimist. But when it comes to the goal of Ending the HIV Epidemic by 2030, an initiative that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promotes in the U.S. and UNAIDS promotes globally, my pessimistic views keep my hope at bay.
The CDC has reported that the overall rate of new HIV cases has gone down by 12% (from 2018 to 2022). While HIV rates continue to rise in certain groups, what we’re doing to end the epidemic in the U.S. is largely working. Yet HIV budgets across the country are in danger of being drastically cut, leaving sections of our society, many of whom are already in serious situations, all the more vulnerable. Those threats to cut funding for HIV awareness, testing, and care for people living with HIV will create huge challenges for service organizations and threaten the health and lives of people across the country.
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OHSU researchers identify gene that could be key to future HIV vaccine
Portland, Oregon - October 30, 2024 - By Angela Yeager - Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) - Human CMV gene blocks necessary T cell response; HIV vaccines engineered without the gene being tested in clinical trials
Continuing their journey to develop a vaccine for HIV, Oregon Health & Science University researchers have identified a gene that could have prevented their vaccine from working in humans.
The study, published Oct. 11 in Science Immunology, removes one more barrier to developing a vaccine for HIV, and potentially other diseases such as malaria and cancer.
Li advances work on HIV vaccine
October 29, 2024 - By Tiffany Lee - University of Nebraska-Lincoln - A Husker virologist has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance the 40-year quest to develop a vaccine against HIV, which infects about 40 million people globally and has caused an estimated 42 million deaths since the epidemic began.
Qingsheng Li, Willa Cather Professor of biological sciences and a member of the Nebraska Center for Virology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, recently received a five-year, $3.5 million R01 grant from the NIH to advance work on an mRNA vaccine against HIV. His approach may overcome what has been one of the most intractable obstacles in the field: the virus’ ability to rapidly mutate, which has led to hundreds of thousands of HIV strains. By targeting parts of the virus that are consistent across this vast genetic diversity, Li’s formula has potential to achieve a level of efficacy that has so far eluded the field.
Stakeholder survey on terminology used for advanced HIV disease and AIDS
29 October 2024 - World Health Organization (WHO) - Since the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy, there has been a significant shift in how we discuss and understand late-stage HIV. In anticipation of the revision of WHO guidelines on HIV treatment and care, it has become necessary to revisit the assumptions driving the use of these terms. This follows feedback from the HIV community asking for better clarity on the use of the terms AIDS and advanced HIV disease.
A Delphi process on the evolving terminology around AIDS and advanced HIV disease was initiated in 2024. Its goal is to gather opinions on how these terms should be used in WHO guidelines. The process includes a maximum of three online surveys presenting the definitions and uses of the terms from 1984 until today and asking respondents to evaluate the statements.
WHO invites leaders in their communities, subject matter experts on HIV, including community and civil society leaders, doctors, nurses, midwives, researchers and medical educators, to take the first survey: How should WHO use the terms AIDS and advanced HIV disease in future policies? The survey will take approximately 20–25 minutes to complete.
Experts back G20 action to tackle pandemics by addressing the inequalities which drive them and by boosting production of medicines in every region of the world
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, 29 October 2024 - UNAIDS - Today, at a special event organized for the G20 Joint Finance and Health Ministerial, the Brazilian government and experts from the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics backed calls for efforts to break the “inequality-pandemic cycle” that is fueling continued disease emergencies. Two crucial measures could enable the world to tackle current and future pandemics.
They urged leaders to recognise, for the first time in G20 history, inequality as a driver of pandemics, requiring both measurement and decisive action. They also championed boosting the development, production and supply of life-saving health products in every region of the world.
Women With HIV Are Getting Out the Vote
October 29, 2024 - By Trent Straube - POZ - Positive Women’s Network–USA members make sure voters know that issues like HIV, harm reduction and reproductive health are on the ballot.
“We won’t be scared. We won’t be stopped. WE WILL VOTE!”
So declares last month’s policy update from the Positive Women’s Network–USA (PWN-USA), a nationwide, trans-inclusive nonprofit group of women living with HIV. The subject of that September newsletter update was voter suppression—raising awareness of the issue and how to fight against suppression—but PWN-USA has long been active in local and national elections. This year is no exception. If anything, the HIV advocates are more engaged than ever.
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Rise of HIV cases in N.S. prompts push for no-cost access to prevention meds
Oct 29, 2024 - By Andrew Sampson – CBC News - ‘I think we wouldn't stand for this with another disease’ — New Democrat MLA
As a longtime harm reduction worker now working on a master’s degree in counselling psychology, Andrew Thomas has spent a lot of time thinking about how to help people have safer sex.
But he’s been frustrated that PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a prescription drug that dramatically reduces the chances of contracting HIV, isn’t fully covered for many of the people who need it most – including himself.
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Advanced modeling contributes to progress in thwarting HIV in Sweden
OCTOBER 28, 2023 – Los Alamos National Laboratory - Model developed at Los Alamos offers crucial data and insights to meet HIV-elimination targets
In a landmark achievement for the fight against HIV, Sweden has attained the critical “95-95-95” target on the path to tackling the disease. Advanced bioinformatics modeling developed by a team from Los Alamos National Laboratory was deployed to track and verify the country’s progress toward the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organization target.
The 95-95-95 goal refers to 95% of all people with HIV in a population having received a diagnosis, 95% of diagnosed people having received treatment, and 95% of treated people having had their treatment been effective enough to result in unmeasurable virus levels. Sweden now reports 96% diagnosis, 99% of the diagnosed receiving treatment, and 98% of the treated seeing virus suppression to unmeasurable levels.
Fighting smoking and HIV in the Black community
28-Oct-2024 – University of Houston - $4.7 million to develop mobile health strategies
To address both smoking and mental health challenges among Black adults living with HIV, Lorra Garey, research associate professor in the Department of Psychology and affiliate of the UH HEALTH Research Institute, has secured a $4.7 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The funding will support a randomized control trial of a mobile health app, which was developed to help users quit smoking, manage physiological stress, and improve chronic disease management.
“Our results will fuel the expansion of culturally tailored mobile health interventions, offering innovative, accessible support for those most in need,” said Garey.
European Commission Approves Expanded Use of HIV-1 Therapy EDURANT® (rilpivirine) in Younger Pediatric Patients
Beerse, Belgium (October 28, 2024) – Johnson & Johnson - Approval provides a new treatment option for some of the youngest people living with HIV-1 in the European Union
Johnson & Johnson today announced that the European Commission (EC) has approved EDURANT® (rilpivirine) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and children weighing at least 25 kg without known mutations associated with resistance to the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) class and with a viral load ≤ 100,000 HIV‑1 RNA copies/ml. To support expanded pediatric use, new 2.5 mg dispersible tablets have been developed for weight-adjusted dosing in children 2 to less than 18 years of age, weighing at least 14 kg and less than 25 kg.
“For years, we have worked to safeguard a future where no one is limited by an HIV diagnosis just because of their age,” says Brian Woodfall, Global Head of End-to-End Development, Communicable Diseases. “This approval will help ensure that some of the youngest people living with HIV have another treatment option that can work for them.”
HIV/AIDS Activist Zackie Achmat Receives 2024 James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health
October 28, 2024 - CDC Foundation - HIV and AIDS activist Zackie Achmat today received the 2024 James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health. Achmat is honored for his groundbreaking work in increasing access to life-saving therapies for people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries. His efforts have led to millions of lives saved and substantial increases in life expectancy.
The James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health award was presented this afternoon at the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) annual meeting, which is taking place in Minneapolis. The award recognizes an outstanding leader who is making major contributions to the improvement of public health. It is intended for those who have done the most to improve health for the greatest number of people. The monetary award for the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health is $100,000.
Film Screening / Day With(out) Art 2024: “Red Reminds Me…”
October 28, 2024 - Oberlin College and Conservatory - Date, time, location
Wednesday, December 4, 2024 - 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm EST
Apollo Theatre - Oberlin, OH
The Allen is proud to partner with Visual AIDS for Day With(out) Art 2024 by presenting Red Reminds Me…, a program of seven videos reflecting the emotional spectrum of living with HIV today.
This program will take place at the Apollo Theater in Oberlin and is free and open to the general public. It is being held in conjunction with the Allen’s exhibition, The Body, the Host: HIV/AIDS and Christianity. It builds on Oberlin College and the Allen’s long history of HIV/AIDS activism and observations of World AIDS Day.
Red Reminds Me… will feature newly commissioned videos by Gian Cruz (Philippines), Milko Delgado (Panama), Imani Harrington (USA), David Oscar Harvey (USA), Mariana Iacono and Juan De La Mar (Argentina/Colombia), Nixie (Belgium), Vasilios Papapitsios (USA).
National AIDS Memorial in SF honors lives lost to disease: ‘We need to continue the fight’
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) - October 28, 2024 - By Silvio Carrillo – ABC7 News - The memorial’s mission is to help prevent history from repeating itself
The National AIDS Memorial CEO John Cunningham gave ABC7 News a tour of the only federally designated memorial to HIV and AIDS in the United States. The memorial, which was established 34 years ago during the height of the AIDS crisis, continues to serve as a community sanctuary, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community, Cunningham said.
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‘Apologise, retract your unfounded, sensational HIV claim about our students’ — University of Ghana to Rev Lawrence Tetteh
October 26, 2024 - Isaac Donkor Distinguished - Modern Ghana - The University of Ghana is demanding an apology and retraction from Rev. Lawrence Tetteh following his controversial statements on the HIV prevalence among students at the university.
During his appearance on GTV’s Breakfast Show on October 24, Rev. Tetteh revealed an alarming HIV infection rate among students of the University of Ghana.
However, the university administration has labeled his comments as “totally unfounded” and expressed serious disappointment over the allegations.
In a statement signed by Dr. Elizier Taiba Ameyaw-Buronyah, Director of the Public Affairs Directorate, the university expressed “grave concern” over Rev. Tetteh’s comments, indicating that they lacked any data-backed evidence and could contribute to harmful stigma and misinformation about HIV/AIDS.
“Public discussions around HIV/AIDS must be grounded in verified facts, not speculation,” the statement emphasized. “Statements made without data-backed evidence mislead the public and risk amplifying fear, stigma, and misinformation.”
Housing is the Vision Summit Tackles Atlanta’s Dual Crises: Housing Instability and HIV/AIDS
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- October 25, 2024 - Status: Home - Empowering Communities with Resources and Advocacy for Affordable Housing Solutions
On October 11th, 2024, the Housing is the Vision Summit convened at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to address two of Metro Atlanta’s most pressing crises: affordable housing and HIV/AIDS. Hosted by Status: Home, Atlanta’s largest provider of permanent supportive housing for individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS, the summit brought together over 100 community members, advocates, and housing experts to explore solutions to housing instability for vulnerable populations.
Discrimination leads to changes in the gut microbiome
October 25, 2024 - By Kelsie Sandoval - UCLA Health - People who face discrimination have bacteria associated with inflammation in their gut
In a new study, UCLA Health researchers have found that people who experienced discrimination had pro-inflammatory bacteria and gene activity in their gut microbiome that was different from those who did not experience discrimination. The researchers could also predict with 91% accuracy which study participants faced discrimination by only analyzing their gut microbiome using stool samples.
Aparna Church, Ph.D., co-director of the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center and co-lead author, said researchers tend to study the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which is the body’s stress management system, to gauge how discrimination affects the body. But she and Dr. Tien Dong, an assistant professor of gastroenterology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-lead author, were interested in how discrimination affects the brain-gut axis. “There’s a lot of research on how discrimination affects the HPA axis and how that leads to disease, but that’s only one part of the story,” Dong said.
From The Apprentice to It’s A Sin: the making of heroes and villains in screen depictions of Aids
October 25, 2024 - Gemma Ware, The Conversation - Culturally, we are in the middle of an Aids “memory boom” as film and television creatives turn to stories from the terrifying crisis that began in the early 1980s. In the last few years we have seen the huge success of dramas like It’s A Sin and Pose, which explore the lives and experiences of gay men and trans women during the early days of the Aids epidemic.
The latest – and perhaps unexpected – addition to this raft of dramas revolving around the issue is the new biopic about Donald Trump’s early business career, The Apprentice. Here we see the former president learning the ropes from his homosexual business mentor, the lawyer Roy Cohn, who later died of Aids.
In the 1980s, the Aids epidemic in the US and UK affected mainly gay men who were just beginning to emerge from decades of discrimination and criminalisation to take pride in their gay identity.
Why a fortunate few don’t get ill after HIV infection
23 October 2024 - Nature - Immune-system responses help to explain why some people with high viral loads stay healthy.
Some people infected with HIV are teeming with virus, but don’t get sick. Their resistive powers probably come from a mix of genetics and unique immune responses, according to a study of such rare individuals.
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Confirmed mpox clade Ib case in Germany, risk remains low for EU/EEA
Stockholm, 23 October 2024 - European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) - The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is aware of the recent confirmation of the first mpox clade Ib case in Germany and is monitoring the situation closely. The case was acquired abroad and detected on Friday, 20th October 2024.
ECDC previously issued a risk assessment on mpox clade 1 on 16 August 2024, highlighting the likelihood of further imported clade I mpox cases due to close travel links between Europe and Africa. While the risk of sustained transmission of mpox in Europe remains low, ECDC advises enhanced preparedness, continued vigilance and rapid implementation of control measures upon case detection.
Multicenter clinical trial shows HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants to be safe, effective
ATLANTA - Oct 22, 2024 - Emory News Center - Emory University - Following a three-year, multicenter clinical trial, researchers at Emory University and Emory Transplant Center have found that it is safe to transplant a kidney from a deceased donor with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into a recipient living with HIV in need of a new kidney. Additionally, the researchers have learned such HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants are just as effective as transplanting a donor kidney without HIV into a recipient living with HIV.
The findings of this observational study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and led by researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Oct. 16.
“I Am the Face of AIDS”: Ryan White and the Politics of Innocence in the History of HIV/AIDS
10.22.2024 - By Paul M. Renfro - Public Books - A nation that had ignored so many AIDS-related deaths could not ignore Ryan White’s funeral. Held on April 11, 1990, in “the gothic expanse of Second Presbyterian Church” in Meridian Hills, an affluent community just north of downtown Indianapolis, the funeral was a somber yet spectacular affair.1 The youngster from Kokomo, Indiana, had become one of the most visible faces of the HIV/AIDS epidemic after he had contracted HIV through contaminated blood products when he was 13.
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United States Announces more than $17 million for New Initiatives to Improve the Health of Cambodian People
October 22, 2024 - U.S. Agency for International Development - Today, Administrator Samantha Power, in Siem Reap, announced new U.S. initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of the Cambodian people.
Administrator Power announced a new five-year program to bolster Cambodia’s fight against tuberculosis (TB), a disease which claims thousands of lives in Cambodia every year. USAID’s Community Mobilization Initiatives to End Tuberculosis 2 (COMMIT 2) program will be implemented by KHANA, the Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance. USAID has committed $4 million for the first year of the program. Today’s announcement is one of USAID’s largest direct local awards ever to a Cambodian organization. Through this program, USAID will partner with Cambodia to accelerate active case finding by working in and with local communities to improve TB screening and diagnosis, improve digital reporting of TB cases, and increase access to TB preventive therapy.
Herpes Simplex Virus-1 and Hand Sanitizer: A pilot study
Newswise -22-Oct-2024 - by American Dental Hygienists' Association - Research Alert
Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a highly contagious virus that manifests as a painful lesion and recurrences can be distressing to patients. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if the use of a 70% ethanol alcohol hand sanitizer alters the duration, size of the lesion, level of pain upon administering treatment, and overall daily discomfort during outbreak.
Moffitt Study Reveals Insights Into Oral HPV Incidence and Risks in Men Across 3 Countries
Newswise -TAMPA, Fla. - OCTOBER 21, 2024 - Moffitt Cancer Center - HPV is linked to up to 90% of male oropharyngeal cancer cases in the United States
A new study has unveiled crucial information about the incidence and risk factors of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infections among men in the United States, Mexico and Brazil. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have discovered how often new oral HPV infections occur, the factors influencing their acquisition and the regional variations in infection rates. Their study, published in Nature Microbiology, sheds new light on the risks associated with oral HPV, which is linked to up to 90% of all oropharyngeal cancer cases in men in the U.S.
ROM Speaks: Stitching Grief: The AIDS Memorial Quilt
OCTOBER 21, 2024) - Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) - Wednesday, October 30, 2024
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM, followed by a meet-and-greet reception from 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
From fascinating to thought-provoking, ROM Speaks presents compelling voices on hot topics, guaranteeing an entertaining evening enriched by engaging conversations.
Making its first public appearance in 1987 during the early years of the AIDS pandemic, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt is a powerful, living memorial celebrating the lives of people who had died of AIDS-related causes. The inaugural quilt was comprised of 1,920 panels covering an area larger than a football field, and in 1996 had grown to include more than 40,000 panels, which stretched from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol when displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Today, the AIDS Memorial Quilt is accessible online and features 50,000 panels with nearly 110,000 names of those who died of AIDS-related causes sewn into it.
Alberta reports record increase of HIV cases
October 19, 2024 - By Brett McKay - Rocky Mountain Outlook - The number of new reported HIV cases jumped 73 per cent in 2023.
Alberta reported a record number of new HIV infections in 2023, and doctors says the surge in cases has had unexpected impacts on HIV programs in the province.
There were 507 cases of HIV reported in 2023, 73 per cent more than in 2022 and the largest year-over-year increase since HIV was included in the province’s reportable disease surveillance in 1998.
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Elizabeth Taylor Found Out Rock Hudson Had HIV When Public Did; His Death Gave Her 'Life Purpose,' Says Goddaughter Paris Jackson
October 19, 2024 - By Angela Andaloro - People - Taylor visited her friend as he was hospitalized, up until the day before his death in October 1985 at 59 years old
Elizabeth Taylor felt helpless learning a close friend's fate along with the world.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic touched many people throughout the 1980s, and the actress was no exception. In the final installment of the documentary Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar, there's a look back at how the illness propelled the actress into activism.
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IAVI reflects on the changing HIV prevention landscape at HIVR4P 2024
October 18,, 2024 - IAVI - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative - Cross-disciplinary conversations highlighted recent progress in HIV vaccine and antibody research, as well as the importance of choice and community collaboration when developing HIV prevention strategies.
On Oct. 10, the 2024 HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P) concluded in Lima, Peru, with a clear call to action. Linda-Gail Bekker – conference co-chair; CEO, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation; and IAVI board member – exhorted attendees to “go off and prevent!” In the same session, Sharon Lewin, director, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, urged researchers to work across disciplines. “We need a vaccine, and we need a cure, and we can’t be deterred by the complexity of both challenges,” she said. While HIV prevention research has taken a large leap forward with the development of long-acting prevention options like lenacapavir, the need for an HIV vaccine and for cure research remains.
Organized by the International AIDS Society, HIVR4P is the only global scientific conference focused exclusively on the field of HIV prevention research. With over 1,300 participants in attendance, IAVI leaders enjoyed the opportunity to showcase our work and learn from peers across disciplines and continents.
More Than Half Of Medicaid-Insured Infants At-Risk for HIV Received No Perinatal Prophylaxis
OCTOBER 18, 2024 - By Marie Rosenthal - Infectious Disease Special Edition (IDSE) - More than half of Medicaid-insured infants diagnosed with HIV did not receive postnatal antiretroviral prophylaxis within their first 12 months of life, according to data that was presented at IDWeek 2024, in Los Angeles.
Sheryl Lee Ralph recognized for her dedication to LGBTQ+ rights and HIV and AIDS advocacy
October 18, 2024 - By Alex Cooper- ADVOCATE - The acclaimed actor will receive the Champion Award from the LGBTQ+ education nonprofit GLSEN.
Tonight, GLSEN, the leading education organization dedicated to creating safe and inclusive K-12 schools and learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth, will honor Emmy Award-winning actor Sheryl Lee Ralph with its Champion Award at the organization's annual fundraising event, Rise Up LA, at NeueHouse Hollywood.
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Georgetown Receives $27.5 Million to Address HIV/AIDS in Haiti
October 18, 2024 - Georgetown University Medical Center - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief have awarded Georgetown $27.5 million to expand its ongoing work in Haiti to address HIV/AIDS.
The funding builds on the work of the Center for Global Health Practice and Impact to provide medical care for Haitians living with HIV, particularly those who have dropped from treatment, and reduce barriers to treatment.
The award will provide funding for the next five years to expand the center’s data-based approach and innovate new models of care for the estimated 150,000 people living with HIV in Haiti — the highest number in the Caribbean, according to the United States Agency for International Development.
New York State Department of Health Recognizes International Infection Prevention Week
Albany, N.Y. (October 18, 2024) - New York State Department of Health - Week Emphasizes the Importance of Infection Prevention and Control Methods in Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections
“Moving the Needle on Infection Prevention” Marks This Year’s Theme
The New York State Department of Health recognizes International Infection Prevention Week, observed October 13-19 in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). The week highlights the critical role of Infection Preventionists in safeguarding public health by minimizing healthcare-associated infections and combating various infectious threats.
This year's theme, Moving the Needle on Infection Prevention, emphasizes the ongoing efforts to enhance infection prevention strategies and foster safety in healthcare settings.
Mpox in Africa was neglected during the previous outbreak, and requires urgent action and investment by leaders now to prevent global spread
October 17, 2024 - Mpox in Africa was neglected during the previous outbreak, and requires urgent action and investment by leaders now to prevent global spread, claim experts from The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, ex-NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark, former Liberian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and other global health specialists
Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS Honored Jennifer Hudson and Gap CEO Richard Dickson
October 17, 2024 - By Laura Schmidt - POZ - Jennifer Hudson received the first-ever Elizabeth Taylor Rowdy Activist Award for her ongoing advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) honored the multitalented Jennifer Hudson and Gap Inc. president and CEO Richard Dickson at the fifth annual Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala.
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HIV Diagnosis Linked to Higher Risk of Meth Use in Gay and Bisexual Men
Oct. 16, 2024 - By Olivia Dimmer - Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine - People assigned male at birth who belong to a sexual or gender minority group were twice as likely to use methamphetamine following an HIV diagnosis, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Methamphetamine use has been a concern for gay and bisexual men for decades, said Brian Mustanski, PhD, the study’s lead author and director of the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH) and the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research.
ViiV HEALTHCARE SHOWS MORE THAN 99% EFFECTIVENESS IN REAL-WORLD STUDIES FOR APRETUDE (CABOTEGRAVIR LONG-ACTING), THE ONLY APPROVED LONG-ACTING HIV PREP, IN DATA PRESENTED AT IDWEEK 2024
London, 16 October 202 - ViiV Healthcare - Studies from OPERA and Trio cohorts provide further real-world evidence supporting CAB LA for PrEP’s high effectiveness and adherence in preventing HIV acquisition
Patient-reported results for CAB LA for PrEP in the PILLAR implementation study showed a reduction in stigma and anxiety – common challenges associated with daily oral PrEP
ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Pfizer and Shionogi as shareholders, today announced the presentation of new real-world evidence and implementation data showing the effectiveness, adherence, and quality-of-life improvement of Apretude (cabotegravir long-acting (CAB LA)) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The data will be presented at IDWeek 2024, being held in Los Angeles, California from 16 – 19 October.
Kidney transplantation between donors and recipients with HIV is safe
October 16, 2024 - National Institutes of Health - NIH-funded study provides evidence on transplantation practice currently limited to research settings.
Kidney transplantation from deceased donors with HIV (HIV D+) to recipients with HIV (HIV R+) was safe and comparable to kidney transplantation from donors without HIV (HIV D-) in a multicenter observational study in the United States. The clinical outcomes observed were consistent with smaller pilot studies, but this National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded clinical trial was the first statistically powered to demonstrate noninferiority, which means that an approach being studied is as good as standard clinical practice. The results were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
AstraZeneca advances science of infectious disease protection at IDWeek 2024
16 October 2024 - AstraZeneca - Data demonstrate the importance of protecting against serious respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus and COVID-19
AstraZeneca will share new data across its Vaccines & Immune Therapies portfolio at the 13th annual IDWeek in Los Angeles, California, from 16-19 October 2024. The Company will highlight progress in advancing novel immunisations against infectious diseases of high unmet need and share real-world evidence showing the burden of respiratory viral infections and the continued need for protection.
COMMUNITY GEM: Area doctor recognized for his dedication to HIV/AIDS patients
October 16, 2024 - By Diane Erwin – Dayton Daily News - Dr. Bob Brandt Jr. has spent career offering primary and HIV-related care
Dr. Bob Brandt Jr. diagnosed his first AIDS patient in 1983, just three years after graduating from the charter class at Wright State University School of Medicine.
Over the following decades he would treat many more, watching as it took its toll on his patients and their families.
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Ending HIV and AIDS Requires Strong Political Leadership
Oct 16, 2024 - By Mark Lewis – TheBody - The scientific advances on HIV have been nothing short of miraculous. Over the past 40 years, we’ve seen the identification of the HIV virus itself, the development of effective medications, self-tests, the discovery that people on effective treatment can’t pass HIV on sexually, prevention tools like post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and the recent emergence of long-acting injectable treatments. While we have yet to develop a cure or vaccine, we already have all the tools we need to stop HIV transmissions and make the lives of those living with HIV immeasurably better.
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Diana Ross Will Headline the Inaugural amfAR Las Vegas
Event, Hosted at Wynn Las Vegas, to Coincide With Race Weekend
New York, NY, October 15, 2024 - amfAR - Sylvester and Jennifer Stallone to Be Honored
Diana Ross is confirmed to perform at amfAR’s inaugural Las Vegas benefit event on Friday, November 22, 2024. Academy Award-winning actor, writer, and director Sylvester Stallone and accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, and model Jennifer Stallone will be honored.
The Stallones will receive amfAR’s Award of Inspiration in recognition of their generous support of amfAR’s lifesaving work, in addition to numerous other causes related to health, education, and women’s rights. Previous recipients of the award include Richard Gere, Ava DuVernay, Cher, Miley Cyrus, and Charlize Theron, among many others.
Another Reason to Vaccinate Teens Against HPV
Newswise - 15-Oct-2024 - By Tufts University - The vaccine is known for its association with sexual health. It has long-term implications for oral health as well
In 2006, a vaccine became available to protect against infections associated with two strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). It was a potential game-changer: These strains cause 70% of cervical cancers, 90% of anal cancers, and about 75% of the cancers that affect the throat.
Newer generations of this vaccine are generally recommended for people ages 9 to 26. Although there is a focus on pediatricians vaccinating preteens and young teens prior to their becoming sexually active, catch-up vaccination is generally recommended through age 26 and, the vaccine has in fact been approved in the U.S. through age 45. Despite HPV’s prevalence—13 million Americans become infected with HPV each year—and the vaccine’s protective benefits, just 60% of American adolescents are up to date with their HPV vaccinations. By 2030, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aims to reach 80%, on par with Australia, the United Kingdom, and many European countries.
N.W.T. dental patients who may have been exposed to infections want to see improved care
Oct 15, 2024 - By Nadeer Hashmi – CBC News - Public health says risk of exposure to infections is very low and an investigation is underway.
Dental patients in the Beaufort Delta who may have been exposed to infection by visiting dental teams last spring say they deserve access to better care.
Joshua Oliktoak is the mayor of Ulukhaktok and one of several people in the community who were advised to get tested for several infectious diseases last week.
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United States Provides Over $4 Million to Support the Mpox Response in Uganda
October 15, 2024) - U.S. Mission Uganda - U.S. Embassy in Uganda - The U.S. government is providing $4.1 million, or approximately 15 billion Ugandan shillings, and 5,500 mpox tests to support the mpox response in Uganda.
HIV DISMAY
October. 15, 2024 - BY ALICIA DUNKLEY-WILLIS - Jamaica Observer - Relatives, male partners publicise and weaponise most patients’ health status
Rights watchdog Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) has voiced dismay that the majority of Jamaicans whose HIV status have been made public were outed by their own relatives and male partners “who weaponise their status”. As a result, several matters have been referred to the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigations Branch (C-TOC) in instances where the disclosure was made online and threats issued.
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October 15 is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day
October 15, 2024 - CDC - Today is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), a day to promote community mobilization, HIV testing, prevention, and treatment and reduce HIV stigma among Hispanic/Latino people in the United States. NLAAD was co-founded more than 20 years ago by the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Hispanic Federation.
Despite representing 18% of the US population, in 2022, Hispanic/Latino people represented 33% of HIV incidence overallgay and bisexual men, Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men were most affected, with 39% of HIV incidence occurring in this group. Although rates of HIV incidence among Hispanic/Latino people remained stable, social, and structural issues—such as racism, xenophobia, transphobia, homophobia, poverty, and stigma affect access to healthcare and prevention services and continue to drive health disparities.
How Elizabeth Taylor fought against AIDS - BBC
Oct 15, 2024 - BBC - It calls for compassion, not blame.
Elizabeth Taylor’s story was often told as a soap opera. Now, in this landmark biographical series from BBC Arts, unheard recordings of Taylor herself along with the testimony of close friends and family, reveal her as a great actress, free spirit, entrepreneur and activist.
Executive Produced by Kim Kardashian, the series reveals the life and times of a superstar who transformed not just Hollywood but fame itself. Contributors include Dame Joan Collins, Sharon Stone, Paris Jackson, son Chris Wilding, granddaughter Naomi Wilding and leading scientist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who worked alongside Elizabeth in the fight against AIDS.
Nation's first AIDS walk marches toward 40: What we've learned and what we've forgotten
Oct. 12, 2024 - By Marc Ramirez - USA TODAY - This weekend, AIDS Walk Los Angeles will hold its 40th annual gathering in a world much different from the one it faced four decades ago: While there is still no cure, a once deadly diagnosis is now a manageable condition, with the focus more on helping people live with HIV rather than helping people die with dignity.
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Six transplant patients in Brazil contract HIV from infected organs
RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Six transplant patients tested positive for HIV after receiving infected organs from the Rio de Janeiro organ donation service, state officials said on Friday.
The Rio Health Secretary's office said a laboratory responsible for conducting tests on donated organs had been suspended after the organs from two donors were transplanted into six people on the states waiting list for transplants.
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Greg Louganis Recalls Thinking He Was 'On My Way Out' on His 33rd Birthday Following 1988 HIV Diagnosis (Exclusive)
October 11, 2024 - By Angela Andaloro - People - Greg Louganis is recalling the hopelessness he felt during the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
Appearing in the NBC News Studios’ documentary series My Generation, Louganis opens up about Generation X and living through the countless deaths brought by the illness in a clip shared exclusively with PEOPLE.
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UNM College of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Speaks at National Summit on HIV in Hispanic/Latino communities
October 10, 2024 - By Luis Galarza - UNM Health Sciences Center - The University of New Mexico - At the summit, Aragon emphasized how Truman Health Services aligns with the national strategy to reduce HIV rates. As a Ryan White-funded clinic, the organization provides HIV care, prevention, and gender-affirming services. For Aragon, this alignment is not just about following guidelines, it’s about embodying a culture of care that places the needs of HIV-positive individuals and those at risk at the forefront of every decision.
During the summit, she also felt the need to advocate for the role of pharmacists in the national strategy.
“Pharmacists can play a vital role in increasing access to HIV preventative services,” she noted. “In rural areas like New Mexico, pharmacists are often the only health care providers available, and we need to leverage their expertise to improve HIV prevention efforts, especially among Hispanic/Latino communities.”
HPTN 091 study shows encouraging uptake and adherence to oral PrEP among transgender women
DURHAM, N.C. - October 10, 2024 - HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) - Researchers from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) presented results from HPTN 091 (“I Am Study”) at the HIVR4P 2024 conference in Lima, Peru. The study examined the acceptability and feasibility of an integrated multicomponent strategy to enhance daily oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and adherence among transgender women in a randomized immediate versus deferred design. The integrated care strategy included the provision of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) and co-located structured peer health navigation sessions (PHN) along with oral PrEP. Participants in the deferred arm received case management and referral to GAHT. Once participants reached week 26, they all received the integrated care strategy. The primary outcome measured at week 26 showed an increase in PrEP uptake and an encouraging level of PrEP adherence; however, PrEP uptake and adherence levels were the same between study arms.
Cluster of drug-resistant mpox identified in five states, US officials report
CHICAGO, Oct 10 (Reuters) - U.S. health officials have identified a cluster of cases caused by an mpox variant that are resistant to Siga Technologies' (SIGA.O), opens new tab antiviral tecovirimat, branded as TPOXX, in five U.S. states, federal and state researchers reported on Thursday.
The cases involved a total of 18 individuals infected with clade II mpox between Oct. 6, 2023, and Feb. 15, 2024, who had never taken the treatment before, according to the report published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Social Work Professor Focused on HIV, Intimate Partner Violence Research Brings New Perspective
October 10, 2024 - Kimberly Phillips - UConn Today - University of Connecticut - ‘My work considers the intersection of social work, public health, psychology, and implementation science to see how I can utilize those interdisciplinary approaches to address the health issues this population faces’
Even though Chenglin Hong didn’t grow up locally and came to UConn via Beijing, Seattle, and Los Angeles, students in his classes might have more in common with him than they realize.
“I grew up in a very rural area in northeast China,” he says. “Neither of my parents went to middle school, so I had to navigate the education system and academia by myself. UConn has a very diverse student body. Many are from underserved communities or low-income families, and quite a few also are first-generation students.”
Faulty ‘Fight or Flight’ Drives Deadly C. Difficile
October 10, 2024 - UVA Health Newsroom - The portion of our nervous systems responsible for the “fight or flight” response can shape the severity of potentially deadly C. difficile infections, new research from the School of Medicine reveals.
The findings suggest that doctors may be able to save patients from the infections – a plague for hospitals and nursing homes – by using drugs to quiet the hyperactive nervous system response, the researchers say.
“Compared to how much we know about immune system influences in C. difficileinfections, the field is just scratching the surface in understanding neuronal contributions to disease,” said researcher William A. Petri Jr., MD, PhD, of UVA Health’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health. “Newly identifying components of the nervous system that worsen inflammation will allow us to determine potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for patients at risk of severe disease.”
Among people with HIV, mpox vaccine protects well
October 10, 2024 - UW Medicine - University of Washington - Long-awaited effectiveness data comes from a study of nearly 20,000 U.S. patients. Unfortunately the vaccine is in short supply.
After the mpox virus reemerged globally in 2022, people with HIV were identified as facing disproportionately higher risk and more severe consequences of infection. Doctors and public health specialists urged members of that population to pursue getting a smallpox vaccine thought to be effective against mpox, though little efficacy data existed for that use.
That changed this week. Research published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases indicates that vaccination against mpox is highly protective among people with HIV.
Urgent New Approaches Needed to End HIV/AIDS Crisis Among Latinos
Newswise - 9-Oct-2024, by Johns Hopkins School of Nursing - In a new paper published on October 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine, experts are urging all sectors of the health care community to urgently evolve their approaches to meet the continuing HIV/AIDS crisis among Latinos. This call-to-action comes at a time when the decades-long effort to end the epidemic in the U.S. is showing overall progress. “As we celebrate overall success in curbing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Latino HIV health inequities and the continuing HIV/AIDS crisis stand out as a failure that must be addressed urgently. The good news is that if we act now with a combination of existing and new approaches, we can achieve the kind of HIV prevention and care improvements for Latinos that we are seeing with other populations,” said lead author Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, executive director of the Institute for Policy Solutions at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and director of the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health. “To secure progress in ending the HIV epidemic for Latinos, we must address the structural drivers of HIV among Latino communities and engage a diverse set of stakeholders to rethink and improve our national response to this crisis.”
Dr. Peter Centre Announces National Growth and Key Leadership Appointments to Address Complex Frontline Healthcare Challenges
VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - The Dr. Peter Centre - The Dr. Peter Centre, a pioneer in frontline healthcare, today announced significant steps in expanding its national impact, including key leadership appointments and funding for strategic initiatives.
Expanding National Impact
For nearly three decades, the Dr. Peter Centre has been at the forefront of innovative healthcare, offering a unique model that combines comprehensive HIV care with attention to food insecurity, homelessness, mental health, and substance use. The Centre is now taking bold steps to expand its impact nationally to the 2% sidelined by society — the nearly 750,000 Canadians struggling with complex challenges, currently underserved by existing siloed systems.
The Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) in big data research: The Eng/aging project.
October 08, 2024 - Simon Fraser University - This article is co-authored by Wayne Campbell, Peggy Frank, Patience Magagula, Valerie Nicholson, Miriam Muirhead, Kathleen Inglis and Catherine Worthington. Wayne, Peggy, Patience, and Valerie are long-term survivors living with HIV.
The trend toward “big data” in research has largely excluded community engagement. This absence is acutely felt in the field of HIV research where 40 years of community activism and engagement has been crucial. The Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) is a principal about ensuring that People Living with HIV are central to the decision-making processes that affect their lives, in terms of research, services, funding, and policies.
In response, our project brings together People Living with HIV to lead big data research, specifically research that uses “administrative health data”— data generated at each encounter with the BC health care system for administrative or billing purposes, including medical and demographic information. Dealing with an emerging form of community engaged research while lacking a roadmap inspires and provokes us to examine our process. Our aim is to encourage and support researchers to include lived/living experience in big data research.
Canadian Youth Experiencing Surge in Unprotected Sex, Declining STI/HIV Testing and Unknown Disclosure Laws
TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - LetsStopAIDS - LetsStopAIDS Sex Lives Report 2024 calls for better sexual health education and awareness to help curb the alarming rise of HIV and STI Diagnoses
LetsStopAIDS, Canada's leading youth-led HIV charity dedicated to prevention and education, has unveiled its annual Sex Lives Report, revealing alarming gaps in sexual health knowledge among young Canadians. This year's findings underscore a critical need to address not only the use of condoms but also the broader context of sexual rights, STI and HIV disclosure laws, and the essential components of comprehensive sex education.
The national survey of Canadians aged 18-24 highlights significant deficiencies in sexual health education and awareness. The data shows that 96 percent of young Canadians do not feel very familiar with STI and HIV disclosure laws, contributing to Canada's troubling trend as the only G7 country with rising HIV rates. Despite the average age of first-time sexual intercourse being 15, discussions about STI and HIV testing typically occur two years later, at age 17. This delay has resulted in 7 in 10 of young Canadians never having been tested for STIs or HIV, despite 61 percent of youth indicating that they have had more than one sexual partner in the last three months. A chronic shortage of family doctors in Canada could also be a contributing factor.
Montefiore AIDS Center Awarded $1 Million to Curb Disproportionate Impact of HIV on Women of Color in the Bronx
BRONX, N.Y., Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Montefiore Health System - New York State Department of Health Funding Supports Healthcare Access and Employment Readiness
Montefiore AIDS Center, one of New York's largest HIV prevention and treatment programs, has been awarded a $1 million, five-year grant from the New York State Department of Health.
Funding will support engagement of approximately 200 women of color in the Bronx, ages 16 and up, by offering HIV testing, sexual and reproductive health workshops, mental health and supportive services as well as employment readiness opportunities, including vocational counseling, interview preparation, clothing vouchers and referrals to childcare resources.
Chris Beyrer Receives Desmond Tutu Award for HIV Research
October 8, 2024 - DUKE GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE - The honor recognizes DGHI director's lifetime of work on HIV prevention and advocacy.
The International AIDS Society (IAS), the world’s largest organization of HIV professionals, has recognized Duke Global Health Institute director Chris Beyrer, M.D., with the Desmond Tutu Award for HIV Prevention Research and Human Rights.
The award recognizes the efforts of an individual or an organization that has worked in an outstanding manner to advance both HIV prevention research and the human rights of people affected by HIV, according to IAS. Beyrer received the honor on Oct. 7 during IAS’ HIV Research for Prevention conference in Lima, Peru.
Study finds telehealth effective for HIV patients
7-Oct-2024 - Rutgers University - A Rutgers Health study suggests telehealth could be a viable long-term option for people living with HIV, potentially saving them time, effort and expense related to in-person medical visits.
The study found patients receiving in-person care before the COVID-19 pandemic adapted well to telehealth appointments, maintaining their treatment regimens and health outcomes during the early stages of the crisis.
New data on twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention announced at HIVR4P 2024
7 October 2024 (Lima, Peru) – IAS - International AIDS Society - Advances in PrEP options and HIV vaccine research unveiled at HIVR4P 2024, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference
New data from the PURPOSE 2 study of twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention are among the scientific highlights at HIVR4P 2024, tthe 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, taking place in Lima, Peru, and virtually from 6 to 10 October.
At the official HIVR4P 2024 press conference today, PURPOSE 2 principal investigator Colleen Kelley of Emory University announced new efficacy, safety and demographic data from the trial, in which only two HIV acquisitions occurred among 2,184 trial participants who were randomized to receive subcutaneous lenacapavir every six months (for details, see the press release issued today by Gilead Sciences, which developed lenacapavir). Kelley will formally present these data at HIVR4P 2024 on 8 October at a session starting at 11:00 Peru time (PET).
Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #39 - 6 October 2024
6 October 2024 | Emergency Situational Updates - World Health Organization (WHO) - Edition 39
This is the 39th situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides an update on the mpox epidemiological situation in Africa as of 29 September 2024. Fourteen countries on the African continent have reported mpox cases in the last six weeks and are considered to have active outbreaks. The most affected country in 2024 continues to be the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5610 confirmed cases, 25 deaths), followed by Burundi (853 confirmed cases, no deaths), and Nigeria (78 confirmed cases, no deaths).
Rwanda starts vaccine trials against deadly Marburg virus
6 October 2024 - Makuochi Okafor & Danai Nesta Kupemba - BBC News - Rwanda has said it will begin vaccine trials for the fatal Marburg virus, which has already killed at least 12 people in the country - most of them health workers.
The east African country has received 700 doses of the vaccine from the Sabin Vaccine Institute, a US-based non-profit organisation.
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Updated COVID-19 vaccines roll out at pharmacies
Oct 4, 2024 - Amina Zafar - CBC News - Health officials urging those at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 to get updated shot
As two new Health Canada approved vaccines start to arrive at pharmacies, public health officials are encouraging those who most need protection to get the updated vaccines to help protect against currently circulating variants that cause COVID-19.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are scheduled to arrive in provinces and territories by the end of next week. Pharmacies and public health units, or their local equivalents, will then distribute the products.
The updated mRNA vaccines target the Omicron subvariant known as KP.2. Based on Canadian viral sequencing data, KP subvariants continue to dominate.
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How Doxycycline for STI Prevention Affects the Gut Microbiome
October 3, 2023 - By Victoria Colliver - University of California, San Francisco - New study shows frequent doxy-PEP users maintained gastrointestinal health, although antibiotic-resistant bacteria increased – which might, over time, lessen treatment effectiveness.
Taking a dose of the oral antibiotic doxycycline after a high-risk sexual encounter has dramatically reduced the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in places where the strategy is being tried.
Despite its effectiveness, the new strategy, known as doxy-PEP, may come with risks, especially with chronic use. Experts worry about the impact on the community of gut bacteria, also known as the microbiome, and the potential that the antibiotic will give rise to resistant strains of bacteria.
Now, using metagenomic sequencing – techniques to analyze the total genomic material – to see the impact of doxycycline on the gut microbiome of those who took it frequently for six months, UC San Francisco researchers have found both reassurance and possible cause for concern.
Are you ready for AIDS Walk LA
Oct 3, 2024 - APLA Health
Graham Norton reveals devastation over loss of 'very good friend' during AIDS epidemic
3 OCT 2024 - By Sandra Mallon - Irish Mirror - The chat show king reflected on the epidemic and how people were warned not to sleep with anyone who had an "American accent"
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HIV prevention: why a new injectable drug could be such a breakthrough – podcast
October 3, 2024 - Gemma Ware, The Conversation - A new drug to prevent HIV infection is showing hugely promising results in clinical trials when injected every six months.
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to South African HIV doctor and scientist Linda-Gail Bekker about her involvement in one of the trials for lenacapavir and why she thinks it could be so groundbreaking.
CDC Confirms New Human Cases of H5 Bird Flu in California
October 3, 2024 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - CDC has confirmed two human cases of H5 bird flu from specimens submitted by California. The cases occurred in people with occupational exposure to infected dairy cows. An investigation led by California is ongoing. The identification of H5 in people with exposure to infected animals is not unexpected and does not change CDC's risk assessment for the general public, which continues to be low. At this time, there is no known link or contact between the first and second confirmed cases in California, suggesting these are separate instances of animal-to-human spread of the virus. CDC continues to collaborate closely with California and other state public health officials to support state-run efforts to control the spread of H5N1 from infected animals to humans; California's active monitoring highlights the steps being taken at the state level to lower the risk to farm workers who may be in contact with animals with H5N1.In the coming days, CDC will conduct additional characterization of the viruses, including sequencing, isolating and growing the viruses, if possible.
WHO approves first mpox diagnostic test for emergency use, boosting global access
3 October 2024 - World Health Organization (WHO) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the first mpox in vitro diagnostic (IVD) under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure, an important step in improving global access to mpox testing. The approval for emergency use of the Alinity m MPXV assay, manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc., will be pivotal in expanding diagnostic capacity in countries facing mpox outbreaks, where the need for quick and accurate testing has risen sharply. Early diagnosis of mpox enables timely treatment and care, and control of the virus.
Limited testing capacity and delays in confirming mpox cases persist in Africa, contributing to the continued spread of the virus. In 2024, over 30 000 suspected cases have been reported across the region, with the highest numbers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Nigeria. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only 37% of suspected cases have been tested this year.
The Wistar Institute and University of Pennsylvania Scientists Identify Potential Target Gene within Certain HIV Reservoir Cells
PHILADELPHIA - (Oct. 3, 2024) - The Wistar Institute - Center Headquartered at New Wistar North Campus
New findings could lead to different research tactics for scientists investigating a cure for HIV. Results from The Wistar Institute’s Lieberman lab, led by Hilary Koprowski, M.D., Endowed Professor Paul M. Lieberman, Ph.D.,and researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine’s Center for AIDS Research and center director Ronald G. Collman, M.D. — have identified the RSAD2/Viperin gene as a potential HIV treatment target within certain HIV reservoir cells. Their results were published in the paper, “HIV-induced RSAD2/Viperin supports sustained infection of monocyte-derived macrophages,” in the Journal of Virology
HIV does not have a cure because there is no known method — yet — for eliminating the virus from the body once infected. Although HIV can be managed with antiretroviral therapy (ART), the virus persists in infected cells throughout the body, called “HIV reservoirs.” Reservoirs not only serve as the main barrier in HIV cure research, which focuses in large part on strategies to destroy these HIV reservoirs, but also contribute to chronic inflammation and comorbidities in people living with HIV.
IAS statement: IAS calls for global access as Gilead announces lenacapavir licensing
3 October 2024 (Geneva, Switzerland) – IAS - International AIDS Society - IAS – the International AIDS Society – applauds moves by Gilead Sciences to make generic injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention widely available, but cautions that the current agreements still leave out millions around the world.
Gilead announced on 2 October 2024 that it had signed royalty-free, non-exclusive licensing agreements with six generic manufacturers to increase access to lenacapavir for HIV prevention in 120 high-incidence, resource-limited countries.
“The licensing agreements enabling generic versions of the HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, in certain countries is an important step forward, but large parts of the world remain excluded, including countries where trials were conducted,” IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn said. “We are hopeful that the speed with which these agreements were reached will be maintained, and that the rest of the world will soon benefit from similar agreements to make lenacapavir more affordable and offer a further potent option in the HIV prevention toolbox.”
Hamilton to get harm-reduction vending machine that dispenses safe injection kits, other supplies
Oct 02, 2024 - By Samantha Beattie - CBC News - Some councillors raise concerns about unsupervised distribution of safe supplies
A vending machine will soon dispense free harm-reduction supplies in Hamilton — making naloxone, needles and inhalation kits available with the push of a button at any time.
Also called Our Healthbox, it will be set up at Hamilton General Hospital as part of a pilot run by the city's public health department and Greater Hamilton Health Network (GHHN), executive director Melissa McCallum at a board of health meeting Monday.
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ECDC advice on Marburg virus disease
2 October 2024 - European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) - On 2 October 2024, Germany reported that two travellers returning from Rwanda were isolated in Hamburg due to a history of exposure in a medical facility in Rwanda where Marburg virus disease patients were being treated. ECDC has been in close contact with German public health authorities. Negative test results were reported on 3 October 2024
On 27 September 2024, the Ministry of Health of Rwanda reported the first outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the country. As of 2 October 2024, a total of 36 cases, including 11 deaths, have been reported in the county. Epidemiological investigations, including contact tracing, strengthening of infection prevention and control protocols and other measures are being implemented by the government of Rwanda to control the outbreak. Among the investigated contacts in Rwanda, one that had travelled to Belgium has completed the monitoring period (21 days) and is not considered a public health risk.
Rare Case of Cutaneous Pneumocystis jirovecii Infection Identified
OCTOBER 2, 2024 - By Ethan Covey - Infectious Disease Special Edition (IDSE) - A case of cutaneous Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) has been confirmed in a 67-year-old man who underwent an allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT).
Only five cases of extrapulmonary PJP have been reported since 1997, and all five of those patients had HIV. This is the first cutaneous P. jirovecii infection (CPJ) to be reported in the last two decades (Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2024;11[7]:004615).
Ex-mayors, advocates slam safe drug consumption site closures as policy failure
Oct 01, 2024 - by Lane Harrison - CBC News - David Crombie and others say sites make communities safer
Two former mayors of Toronto, an addiction physician and other community advocates urged Premier Doug Ford's government to reverse its decision to close safe consumption sites in Toronto at a news conference in Queen's Park on Tuesday.
The Ford government is planning legislation that will shutter at least five Toronto supervised drug consumption sites by March 2025 because they are located within 200 metres of schools or daycares. It will also prohibit new ones from opening, as the province shifts its approach to the drug overdose crisis toward a model it says focuses on treatment, recovery and community safety.
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Rise in HIV diagnoses steepest among heterosexual men and women
1 October 2024 - UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK - Latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also highlights that testing remains lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest HIV surveillance data for 2023, published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today, show that the number of heterosexual men and women newly diagnosed in England with HIV has increased by more than 30% since 2022.
Diagnoses among heterosexual men rose by 36% (445 in 2022 to 605 in 2023) and among heterosexual women by 30% (602 in 2022 to 780 in 2023). The rise in cases was steepest for ethnic minority heterosexuals (excluding white ethnic minorities) with a 45% rise seen in this group compared to the previous year.
HIV, Health Advocates Try to Stop “Catastrophic” Closing of Key Drug Access Initiative
Oct 1, 2024 - By Tim Murphy - TheBody - Earlier this year, more than 100 civil society groups and several hundred individuals sent an open letter to the highly regarded global-health relief group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders) calling for MSF to reverse its decision to dismantle the 25-year-old Access Campaign at the end of 2024.
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Illinois HIV Care Connect’s Women and HIV Campaign Focuses on Often-Overlooked Group
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE) - October 01, 2024 - HIV Care Connect - To help women prevent and live healthy with HIV, Illinois HIV Care Connect today introduces its Women and HIV Campaign. About 18% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States occur among women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through website and social media content, including the Women and HIV Quiz, the campaign also aims to create awareness of HIV disparities relating to age, race and gender identity.
“Women are an often-overlooked part of the HIV population,” said Melissa Graven, assistant director for HIV programs, Illinois Public Health Association, which manages Illinois HIV Care Connect with funding from the Illinois Department of Public Health. “It’s important for women to prioritize their health. All too often, women prioritize the needs of their loved ones over themselves. Through this campaign, we hope to encourage, educate and empower women on what precautions to take to prevent HIV or, if living with HIV, what they can do to manage and minimize the health impacts of HIV as a chronic health condition.”
‘Fame’ Star Debbie Allen Recalls Early Days of AIDS Epidemic: ‘I Lost Half of My Dance Company’
October 1, 2024 - By Rance Collins - VARIETY - Allen delivered her remarks while being honored at Project Angel Food's Angel Awards gala in Los Angeles.
Debbie Allen took center stage at Project Angel Food’s Angel Awards Sept. 29 in Hollywood, honored with only the second Humanitarian Angel Award in the nonprofit’s history.
Project Angel Food was launched by activist Marianne Williamson in 1989 to help bring healthy meals to those afflicted with HIV/AIDS in the Los Angeles area. It has since expanded to provide medically tailored meals to people suffering for all types of illness and food insecurities.
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Over 600 HIV+ people come together in Surat to find a match; 13 attend virtually from abroad
October 1, 2024 - by Kamal Saiyed - The Indian Express - The participants included doctors, engineers, builders, businessmen and IT professionals
Over 600 HIV infected people looking for a match from different walks of life came together in Surat on Monday for the 13th edition of matchmaking event organised by the Gujarat State Network of People (GSNP). Of these, 13 attended the event virtually from other countries, including Canada, Australia, and Dubai in a first. This year also saw a new record with the highest number of participants, said the organisers.
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UNAIDS statement on anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Georgia
GENEVA, 1 October 2024 - UNAIDS - UNAIDS expresses deep concern over the recently adopted anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Georgia, which poses serious risks to public health and human rights.
UNAIDS supports the UN Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights' statement that these laws will “impose discriminatory restrictions on education, public discussion, and gatherings related to sexual orientation and gender identity.”
These discriminatory laws violate fundamental rights to autonomy, dignity, and equality, exacerbating stigma and hindering LGBTQ+ people's access to essential health services. This undermines Georgia’s efforts to end AIDS and combat other infectious diseases.
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