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While antiretroviral drugs have significantly improved the life expectancy of people living with HIV, the virus - and often the ARVs themselves - can make people more susceptible to non-communicable diseases than the rest of the population.
Here are six non-communicable diseases that are more likely to affect people living with HIV:
Heart disease - Several studies have made the link between coronary disease and HIV infection: one presented at the 18th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in March 2011 found that HIV-infected participants had an increased risk of "acute myocardial infarction" - heart attack - compared with demographically and behaviourally similar HIV-negative study participants.
Another 2011 study found that HIV infection was a risk factor for heart failure, with ongoing viral replication associated with a higher risk of developing heart failure.
The link between ARVs and heart disease is less clear; one study, also presented at CROI, found that HIV infection increased the risk of coronary heart disease, but ARVs and higher CD4 counts – a measure of immune strength - significantly reduced this risk. However, a 2011 Canadian study found that several ARVs - abacavir, efavirenz, lopinavir, and ritonavir - were all associated with an increased risk of heart attack.
Cervical cancer - After breast cancer, it is the second most common cancer among women worldwide; more than 80 percent of new cases and deaths from the disease occur in developing countries.
Studies have found that HIV-positive women are at higher risk of human papillomavirus (HPV), a precursor to cervical cancer; women with low CD4 counts seem to be particularly vulnerable.
HPV can be prevented with a vaccine recommended for pre-adolescent girls before they reach their sexual debut but the vaccine is too expensive for most women in developing countries. In addition, cervical cancer screening levels remain very low in many poor countries; for instance, just 3.2 percent of Kenyan women aged 18-69 are tested every three years, compared with 70 percent of women in the developed world.
Other cancers - People living with HIV are more susceptible to several cancers, including Kaposi sarcoma, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, anal cancer, skin cancer and liver cancer - than HIV-negative people, a new study has found.
Published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, the study found that immunodeficiency was positively associated with all cancers examined except prostate cancer. The authors recommended starting antiretroviral therapy earlier to maintain high CD4 levels.
Mental illness - Studies show that the prevalence of mental illness among HIV-positive in-patients and out-patients in the US ranges between 5 and 23 percent compared with 0.3-0.4 percent in the general population.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), apart from the psychological impact of HIV, the virus has direct effects on the central nervous system, leading to neuropsychiatric complications, including HIV encephalopathy, depression, mania, cognitive disorders, and dementia.
Studies also show that depression can lead to high-risk behaviour, including transactional sex, partner abuse and low condom use.
However, depression is frequently overlooked by healthcare providers; a severe shortage of mental health professionals in developing countries means patients often suffer in silence.
Kidney disease - Known as HIV-associated nephropathy, kidney disease is relatively common in people living with HIV. The virus interferes with the kidneys' ability to function correctly, particularly in people with advanced HIV who have a low CD4 count and a high viral load, as well as older people.
Poorly functioning kidneys can cause other health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, bone disease, and anaemia.
Certain ARVs, tenofovir in particular, have also been associated with a decline in renal function.
Liver disease - A leading cause of morbidity and death among HIV-positive individuals, it is mainly caused by co-infection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C, alcohol abuse, insulin resistance or side-effects of medicines.
Experts say early identification and proper management of liver disease in HIV-infected people are crucial to improve long-term outcomes.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
KENYA: Stigma Hinders Participation In Clinical HIV Trials
Would-be participants in HIV research often refuse to volunteer out of fear of being labelled as HIV-positive and subsequently stigmatized by their communities, according to a recent study conducted in Kenya.
Conducted by the USA's Research Triangle Institute International and published by the US National Library of Medicine in November, the study involved over 130 participants - including current and former study participants, community leaders and study staff - at two research centres in Nairobi.
"Volunteers are often assumed by family and community members to be HIV positive because of their participation in vaccine research... HIV-related stigma is perceived as pervasive and damaging in the communities where volunteers live, thus they fear consequent stigma if people believe them to be HIV positive," the authors say in the study abstract. "Potential volunteers fear being tested for HIV, a prerequisite for participation, because of possible disclosure of HIV status in communities with high perceived HIV-related stigma."
According to Walter Jaoko, lead researcher at the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative, misinformation about HIV clinical research is one of the biggest impediments to people's participation in research, which is a crucial part of finding ways to combat the virus.
"People will tell you they will get infected with HIV if they participate in the study or some other people will tell them the same," he told IRIN/PlusNews. "This is mainly misinformation and it is a big problem getting people to willingly participate in clinical studies - not just for HIV but for many other diseases."
Protus Momanyi, a 33-year-old Nairobi resident, said the main impediment to his participation in HIV research was the requirement for an HIV test. "I have never been tested for HIV and I fear going for it for my own reasons," he said.
The study authors concluded that there was a need for "integration of stigma-reduction programming into education and outreach activities for volunteers and the communities in which they live".
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Conducted by the USA's Research Triangle Institute International and published by the US National Library of Medicine in November, the study involved over 130 participants - including current and former study participants, community leaders and study staff - at two research centres in Nairobi.
"Volunteers are often assumed by family and community members to be HIV positive because of their participation in vaccine research... HIV-related stigma is perceived as pervasive and damaging in the communities where volunteers live, thus they fear consequent stigma if people believe them to be HIV positive," the authors say in the study abstract. "Potential volunteers fear being tested for HIV, a prerequisite for participation, because of possible disclosure of HIV status in communities with high perceived HIV-related stigma."
According to Walter Jaoko, lead researcher at the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative, misinformation about HIV clinical research is one of the biggest impediments to people's participation in research, which is a crucial part of finding ways to combat the virus.
"People will tell you they will get infected with HIV if they participate in the study or some other people will tell them the same," he told IRIN/PlusNews. "This is mainly misinformation and it is a big problem getting people to willingly participate in clinical studies - not just for HIV but for many other diseases."
Protus Momanyi, a 33-year-old Nairobi resident, said the main impediment to his participation in HIV research was the requirement for an HIV test. "I have never been tested for HIV and I fear going for it for my own reasons," he said.
The study authors concluded that there was a need for "integration of stigma-reduction programming into education and outreach activities for volunteers and the communities in which they live".
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Fewer Newly Diagnosed People With HIV in New Zealand
A recent drop in HIV diagnoses in New Zealand has been attributed to a "sexy" new prevention campaign promoting condom usage, Voxy reports.
Data from the AIDS Epidemiology Group at the University of Otago show HIV diagnoses decreased from 71 in the first half of 2010 to 58 in the first half of 2011.
The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) attributes the decrease to the launch of its "Get It On" marketing campaign in 2009. As part of the campaign, the NZAF handed out 300,000 condoms in 2009. It anticipates distributing another half a million by the end of 2011.
To read the Voxy article, visit: http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/new-figures-show-signs-hiv-prevention-success/5/110974.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Data from the AIDS Epidemiology Group at the University of Otago show HIV diagnoses decreased from 71 in the first half of 2010 to 58 in the first half of 2011.
The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) attributes the decrease to the launch of its "Get It On" marketing campaign in 2009. As part of the campaign, the NZAF handed out 300,000 condoms in 2009. It anticipates distributing another half a million by the end of 2011.
To read the Voxy article, visit: http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/new-figures-show-signs-hiv-prevention-success/5/110974.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
HIV’s 'Pathogenic Landscape' Research Identifies New Drug Targets
A University of California at San Francisco (UCSF)–led team of researchers believes it has succeeded in mapping every apparent physical interaction HIV makes with components of the immune system cells it infects, work the researchers say should ultimately reveal new therapeutic and curative drugs. The encouraging findings are reported in two papers published in the December 21 issue of Nature.
As highlighted in one paper, authored by Nevan Krogan, PhD, of UCSF and his colleagues, HIV has a small genome, and therefore its replication relies heavily on the cellular machinery of its host, notably human CD4 cells. As the development of new therapies and curative approaches ultimately requires researchers to fully understand these interactions—and uncover ways to both prevent these interactions from occurring and disentangle them once the connections have occurred—it is necessary to first identify which cellular components come into physical contact with HIV’s proteins.
In its paper titled “Global Landscape of HIV-Human Protein Complexes,” Krogan’s group highlights the methods it undertook to discover 497 connections between HIV and 435 individual human proteins. Only a handful of these connections, the authors note, have been recognized thus far by scientists.
Disrupting these connections may interfere with HIV’s lifecycle, the authors note, and the existence of so many new connections suggests there may be several novel ways to target the virus.
In the second Nature paper, Krogan and his colleagues investigated one such connection in detail. They discovered that an HIV protein called Vif makes a physical connection with a human protein called CBF-β, hijacking its function. When this occurs, Vif is able to recruit CBF-β and, when working in tandem with other proteins in the body, can dismantle an enzyme called APOBEC3G, a natural defense against viral replication in the human body.
Another example, highlighted in the first paper, includes the Pol interaction network. The gene Pol is the source of several important viral proteins that are essential to HIV’s infectious lifecycle. Four major antiretroviral drug classes block Pol’s three major proteins: reverse transcriptase (RT), protease and integrase. Krogan’s group documented dozens of interactions between RT, protease and integrase and human proteins, most of which were not previously known to exist.
Multiple virus-host interactions involving other HIV proteins were also highlighted. According to Krogan’s group, there are numerous interactions between human proteins and proteins produced by the Gag gene, which help form the internal architecture of virus particles assembled inside infected cells. The same goes for HIV’s Env gene, which produces the large envelope proteins Gp160, Gp120 and Gp41 that protrude from HIV’s membranes and facilitate its entry into human cells—these proteins interact with dozens of human proteins, only a handful of which were previously known.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
As highlighted in one paper, authored by Nevan Krogan, PhD, of UCSF and his colleagues, HIV has a small genome, and therefore its replication relies heavily on the cellular machinery of its host, notably human CD4 cells. As the development of new therapies and curative approaches ultimately requires researchers to fully understand these interactions—and uncover ways to both prevent these interactions from occurring and disentangle them once the connections have occurred—it is necessary to first identify which cellular components come into physical contact with HIV’s proteins.
In its paper titled “Global Landscape of HIV-Human Protein Complexes,” Krogan’s group highlights the methods it undertook to discover 497 connections between HIV and 435 individual human proteins. Only a handful of these connections, the authors note, have been recognized thus far by scientists.
Disrupting these connections may interfere with HIV’s lifecycle, the authors note, and the existence of so many new connections suggests there may be several novel ways to target the virus.
In the second Nature paper, Krogan and his colleagues investigated one such connection in detail. They discovered that an HIV protein called Vif makes a physical connection with a human protein called CBF-β, hijacking its function. When this occurs, Vif is able to recruit CBF-β and, when working in tandem with other proteins in the body, can dismantle an enzyme called APOBEC3G, a natural defense against viral replication in the human body.
Another example, highlighted in the first paper, includes the Pol interaction network. The gene Pol is the source of several important viral proteins that are essential to HIV’s infectious lifecycle. Four major antiretroviral drug classes block Pol’s three major proteins: reverse transcriptase (RT), protease and integrase. Krogan’s group documented dozens of interactions between RT, protease and integrase and human proteins, most of which were not previously known to exist.
Multiple virus-host interactions involving other HIV proteins were also highlighted. According to Krogan’s group, there are numerous interactions between human proteins and proteins produced by the Gag gene, which help form the internal architecture of virus particles assembled inside infected cells. The same goes for HIV’s Env gene, which produces the large envelope proteins Gp160, Gp120 and Gp41 that protrude from HIV’s membranes and facilitate its entry into human cells—these proteins interact with dozens of human proteins, only a handful of which were previously known.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Isentress Now Approved for Children 2 and Older
Isentress (raltegravir), Merck’s integrase inhibitor, is now approved for children 2 years of age and older, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement. In addition, 100 milligram (mg) and 25 mg chewable tablets were approved for use in children requiring antiretroviral (ARV) therapy involving Isentress.
The approval recommendation is based, in part, on the successful completion of a clinical trial involving 126 ARV therapy-experienced children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 18. All study volunteers received Isentress in combination with other ARVs.
Of the 126 patients, 96 received the recommended dose of Isentress. In these 96 children and adolescents, the frequency, type and severity of drug-related side effects through 24 weeks of treatment were comparable to those observed in Isentress clinical trials involving adults.
Ninety-three of the study volunteers completed all six months of therapy; three discontinued because of non-compliance. At week 24, 54 percent had undetectable viral loads. The average CD4 count increase during the six-month follow-up period was 119 cells.
Isentress dosing for children is based on age and weight. Though Isentress is approved for children 2 years old and older, it should not be used by those weighing less than 22 pounds (10 kilograms). If the chewable tablets are used, the total daily dose should not exceed 300 mg used twice daily. If the traditional 400 mg Isentress tablets are used—recommended for all children 12 years old and older and an option for children between 6 and 12 years old weighing at least 55 pounds (25 kilograms)—the dose should not exceed one tablet used twice daily.
It is important to note that the Isentress chewable tablets contain phenylalanine, a component of the sugar substitute aspartame. The FDA notes that phenylalanine can be harmful to patients with phenylketonuria, a birth defect that can lead to a variety of health problems and requires a diet that limits the intake of phenylalanine. It is important to note, however, that babies born in the United States are routinely screened for phenylketonuria soon after birth.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The approval recommendation is based, in part, on the successful completion of a clinical trial involving 126 ARV therapy-experienced children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 18. All study volunteers received Isentress in combination with other ARVs.
Of the 126 patients, 96 received the recommended dose of Isentress. In these 96 children and adolescents, the frequency, type and severity of drug-related side effects through 24 weeks of treatment were comparable to those observed in Isentress clinical trials involving adults.
Ninety-three of the study volunteers completed all six months of therapy; three discontinued because of non-compliance. At week 24, 54 percent had undetectable viral loads. The average CD4 count increase during the six-month follow-up period was 119 cells.
Isentress dosing for children is based on age and weight. Though Isentress is approved for children 2 years old and older, it should not be used by those weighing less than 22 pounds (10 kilograms). If the chewable tablets are used, the total daily dose should not exceed 300 mg used twice daily. If the traditional 400 mg Isentress tablets are used—recommended for all children 12 years old and older and an option for children between 6 and 12 years old weighing at least 55 pounds (25 kilograms)—the dose should not exceed one tablet used twice daily.
It is important to note that the Isentress chewable tablets contain phenylalanine, a component of the sugar substitute aspartame. The FDA notes that phenylalanine can be harmful to patients with phenylketonuria, a birth defect that can lead to a variety of health problems and requires a diet that limits the intake of phenylalanine. It is important to note, however, that babies born in the United States are routinely screened for phenylketonuria soon after birth.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
FDA Lacks Authority to Prevent Rising Number of Drug Shortages, Report Says
Pharmaceutical companies should be required to notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of situations that may lead to drug shortages, thereby allowing the agency to address production issues and enhance product availability, according to a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Though an increasing drug shortage problem in the United States primarily involves injectable generic medications and rarely involves brand-name oral antiretrovirals, some of the treatments now unavailable because of production issues are needed by people living with HIV-associated health complications.
According to its December 15 report, GAO says the number of drug shortages has grown substantially in recent years, a problem made worse by the fact that the FDA is constrained in its ability to protect the public health from the effects of these shortages.
Nearly 1,2000 shortages were reported from January 2001, through June 2011, the report notes, many of which were injectable generic drugs for cancer and infectious diseases for which no suitable alternatives are available. A record number of shortages—196 in total—were reported in 2010, the report authors point out, “and 2011 is on pace to surpass 2010’s record, with 146 shortages reported through June 20, 2011.”
The drug shortages reviewed by GAO were generally caused by manufacturing problems and exacerbated by multiple difficulties. Twelve of the 15 drug shortages analyzed in detail were primarily caused by manufacturing problems, including those that resulted in manufacturing shutdowns, according to information provided by FDA and manufacturers.
One drug shortage example that has affected people living with HIV involves Doxil (doxorubicin), a chemotherapy used to treat Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), produced by Ben Venue Laboratories, a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. On November 19, the company announced that it was temporarily shutting down its Bedford, Ohio–based production plant after metal particles were detected in some of its drugs. More than a month later, plans to reopen the facility have not been announced and Doxil remains largely unavailable.
Though it is unclear if the FDA would have been able to prevent the shortage of Doxil—Ben Venue notes it is working with the agency to remedy the problem—the agency’s response to drug shortages is often limited by its lack of authority to require manufacturers to report potential or current shortages to agency officials.
According to the GAO report, which analyzed FDA’s authority under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and a review of relevant FDA regulations, policies, procedures and documents, the agency can prevent the majority of such shortages from occurring. However, it does not currently have the authority to require manufacturers to provide it with information about potential or current shortages, and therefore it can only prevent the shortages that it becomes aware of through voluntary reporting.
FDA’s ability to protect the public health is also constrained by its own management challenges, the report suggests. The agency has not elevated the priority it places on its response to drug shortages—its Drug Shortage Program consists of only a small staff, for example—despite the rapid escalation of these shortages. “Not only have its resources not kept pace with this escalation,” the report states, “the agency has not developed the metrics to manage this growing public health problem.”
“The agency has not elevated the priority it places on its response to drug shortages, despite the rapid escalation of these shortages,” Marcia Crosse, director of the GAO health care office, told the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on December 15. “Although FDA recognizes the serious threat these shortages pose, we believe the agency can and must do more to protect the public health.”
In February 2011, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D–Minn.) and Senator Bob Casey (D–Penn.) introduced S. 296, the Preserving Access to Life Saving Medications Act, with a companion bill, HR 2245, introduced in the House in June by Representative Diana DeGette (D–Colo.) and 61 cosponsors. These pieces of legislation would require manufacturers to notify the FDA when they experience manufacturing problems or when a drug is to be discontinued. The bills would also provide the agency with improved capacity to prevent drug shortages.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Though an increasing drug shortage problem in the United States primarily involves injectable generic medications and rarely involves brand-name oral antiretrovirals, some of the treatments now unavailable because of production issues are needed by people living with HIV-associated health complications.
According to its December 15 report, GAO says the number of drug shortages has grown substantially in recent years, a problem made worse by the fact that the FDA is constrained in its ability to protect the public health from the effects of these shortages.
Nearly 1,2000 shortages were reported from January 2001, through June 2011, the report notes, many of which were injectable generic drugs for cancer and infectious diseases for which no suitable alternatives are available. A record number of shortages—196 in total—were reported in 2010, the report authors point out, “and 2011 is on pace to surpass 2010’s record, with 146 shortages reported through June 20, 2011.”
The drug shortages reviewed by GAO were generally caused by manufacturing problems and exacerbated by multiple difficulties. Twelve of the 15 drug shortages analyzed in detail were primarily caused by manufacturing problems, including those that resulted in manufacturing shutdowns, according to information provided by FDA and manufacturers.
One drug shortage example that has affected people living with HIV involves Doxil (doxorubicin), a chemotherapy used to treat Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), produced by Ben Venue Laboratories, a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. On November 19, the company announced that it was temporarily shutting down its Bedford, Ohio–based production plant after metal particles were detected in some of its drugs. More than a month later, plans to reopen the facility have not been announced and Doxil remains largely unavailable.
Though it is unclear if the FDA would have been able to prevent the shortage of Doxil—Ben Venue notes it is working with the agency to remedy the problem—the agency’s response to drug shortages is often limited by its lack of authority to require manufacturers to report potential or current shortages to agency officials.
According to the GAO report, which analyzed FDA’s authority under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and a review of relevant FDA regulations, policies, procedures and documents, the agency can prevent the majority of such shortages from occurring. However, it does not currently have the authority to require manufacturers to provide it with information about potential or current shortages, and therefore it can only prevent the shortages that it becomes aware of through voluntary reporting.
FDA’s ability to protect the public health is also constrained by its own management challenges, the report suggests. The agency has not elevated the priority it places on its response to drug shortages—its Drug Shortage Program consists of only a small staff, for example—despite the rapid escalation of these shortages. “Not only have its resources not kept pace with this escalation,” the report states, “the agency has not developed the metrics to manage this growing public health problem.”
“The agency has not elevated the priority it places on its response to drug shortages, despite the rapid escalation of these shortages,” Marcia Crosse, director of the GAO health care office, told the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on December 15. “Although FDA recognizes the serious threat these shortages pose, we believe the agency can and must do more to protect the public health.”
In February 2011, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D–Minn.) and Senator Bob Casey (D–Penn.) introduced S. 296, the Preserving Access to Life Saving Medications Act, with a companion bill, HR 2245, introduced in the House in June by Representative Diana DeGette (D–Colo.) and 61 cosponsors. These pieces of legislation would require manufacturers to notify the FDA when they experience manufacturing problems or when a drug is to be discontinued. The bills would also provide the agency with improved capacity to prevent drug shortages.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Swaziland: Failing Healthcare System Renews HIV Activism
A new wave of HIV activism is rising in Swaziland as people living with HIV take to the streets in protest, many for the first time in their lives, over continued shortages of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
Swaziland 's deepening financial crisis is taking a toll on service delivery, and the country is experiencing an unprecedented number of protests over issues such as school closures and a lack of HIV treatment. While Africa's last absolute monarchy does not allow formal political opposition to operate, a new brand of HIV activism may be taking hold as anger mounts over a lack of ARVs.
“People living with HIV and AIDS are more politically active," said Thandi Nkambule, director of the Swaziland Network for People with HIV and AIDS (SWANEPHA), an umbrella body. He noted that there are similarities between Swaziland's newfound HIV activism and established movements in neighbouring South Africa.
“The leaders of the HIV support groups are joining the marches because they know that [government] leadership lacks the political will to meet the needs of people living with HIV and AIDS.” About a quarter of all adult Swazis are living with HIV and about 47,000 patients nationally were on ARVs at the end of 2009, according to UNAIDS.
Shortages of HIV programme supplies in Swaziland began making headlines in mid-2011. Media reports have largely attributed stock-outs to reduced revenues from the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), but the country also opted not to apply for funding in Round 10 from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Instead, it chose to assume financial responsibility for HIV treatment itself, at a time when SACU revenues were already projected to decline. Domestic funding has proved insufficient to back this decision.
Thandi Khumalo has been on ARVs for a year. Earlier in 2011 she took part in her first trade union protest as part of a “Week of Global Action” to press for political reform in Swaziland.
“The clinic where I go has never run out of ARVs, like some other places that have been hit by the government financial crisis, but I know people in our support group who have experienced interruptions," she said during a demonstration.
"I have never been involved in politics... [but] we all live in fear that this will happen to us - that is why I am doing this political march. Something has to change in the way this country is run, or we will die,” Khumalo told IRIN/PlusNews. “This is survival for me."
The Ministry of Health has disputed allegations that Swaziland is experiencing sporadic shortages of ARVs, and Health Minister Themba Xaba recently said anyone experiencing stock outs should contact him personally. The minister also alleged that pro-democracy groups have used allegations of ARV stock-outs for political gain, but activists disagree.
“The shortages of medicines and basic supplies in hospitals are real - that is why the nurses staged a protest action this year," said SWANEPHA member Solomon Thwala, who added that SWANEPHA members have been verifying and reporting stock-outs that the government continues to deny.
In August the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) gave the country US$7 million in emergency funding, but this was only for first-line ARVs. Swaziland now has a buffer stock of first-line ARVs that should last until April 2012.
Prudence Simelane, a garment worker, also joined demonstrations to protest shortages of the drugs that she says have given Swazis hope, but which she feels can no longer be entrusted to government. “Swazis never cared about AIDS - they were told they would die if they got HIV and there was nothing they could do - but now we can live with HIV."
She surprised herself by joining in recent demonstrations. "We have hope because of the ARVs - people are thinking about their lives, and about the future,” Simelane said. “That is why we are so frightened - because we can’t trust government to keep us supplied with drugs."
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Swaziland 's deepening financial crisis is taking a toll on service delivery, and the country is experiencing an unprecedented number of protests over issues such as school closures and a lack of HIV treatment. While Africa's last absolute monarchy does not allow formal political opposition to operate, a new brand of HIV activism may be taking hold as anger mounts over a lack of ARVs.
“People living with HIV and AIDS are more politically active," said Thandi Nkambule, director of the Swaziland Network for People with HIV and AIDS (SWANEPHA), an umbrella body. He noted that there are similarities between Swaziland's newfound HIV activism and established movements in neighbouring South Africa.
“The leaders of the HIV support groups are joining the marches because they know that [government] leadership lacks the political will to meet the needs of people living with HIV and AIDS.” About a quarter of all adult Swazis are living with HIV and about 47,000 patients nationally were on ARVs at the end of 2009, according to UNAIDS.
Shortages of HIV programme supplies in Swaziland began making headlines in mid-2011. Media reports have largely attributed stock-outs to reduced revenues from the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), but the country also opted not to apply for funding in Round 10 from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Instead, it chose to assume financial responsibility for HIV treatment itself, at a time when SACU revenues were already projected to decline. Domestic funding has proved insufficient to back this decision.
Thandi Khumalo has been on ARVs for a year. Earlier in 2011 she took part in her first trade union protest as part of a “Week of Global Action” to press for political reform in Swaziland.
“The clinic where I go has never run out of ARVs, like some other places that have been hit by the government financial crisis, but I know people in our support group who have experienced interruptions," she said during a demonstration.
"I have never been involved in politics... [but] we all live in fear that this will happen to us - that is why I am doing this political march. Something has to change in the way this country is run, or we will die,” Khumalo told IRIN/PlusNews. “This is survival for me."
The Ministry of Health has disputed allegations that Swaziland is experiencing sporadic shortages of ARVs, and Health Minister Themba Xaba recently said anyone experiencing stock outs should contact him personally. The minister also alleged that pro-democracy groups have used allegations of ARV stock-outs for political gain, but activists disagree.
“The shortages of medicines and basic supplies in hospitals are real - that is why the nurses staged a protest action this year," said SWANEPHA member Solomon Thwala, who added that SWANEPHA members have been verifying and reporting stock-outs that the government continues to deny.
In August the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) gave the country US$7 million in emergency funding, but this was only for first-line ARVs. Swaziland now has a buffer stock of first-line ARVs that should last until April 2012.
Prudence Simelane, a garment worker, also joined demonstrations to protest shortages of the drugs that she says have given Swazis hope, but which she feels can no longer be entrusted to government. “Swazis never cared about AIDS - they were told they would die if they got HIV and there was nothing they could do - but now we can live with HIV."
She surprised herself by joining in recent demonstrations. "We have hope because of the ARVs - people are thinking about their lives, and about the future,” Simelane said. “That is why we are so frightened - because we can’t trust government to keep us supplied with drugs."
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Thursday, December 22, 2011
HIV Epidemic Grows, Florida City Grapples with Fear and Denial
In 2008, CDC statistics showed Jacksonville had the fifth-highest number of AIDS diagnoses among US cities. While the state says this could have been a statistical aberration due to changes in Florida’s reporting laws in 2007, local advocates say the problem is real and acute.
Social issues lie at the core of Jacksonville’s epidemic. “Here in Jacksonville, we’re kind of the buckle in the Bible belt,” said Donna Fuchs, director of the Northeast Florida AIDS Network. “HIV carries a huge stigma in our city.”
“You can go to Miami and you can put up a billboard, you can talk about condoms, AIDS, and sex. You can’t do that in Jacksonville,” said Todd Reese, associate director of Health Care Center operations at AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). “People will be offended. They don’t want to talk about it or see it.”
When AHF opened a Magic Johnson clinic in the city to serve HIV/AIDS patients a decade ago, organizers moved the ribbon-cutting ceremony indoors because visitors feared being associated with the disease. The clinic no longer bears Johnson’s name: “The only way we can get people to come through the door is to create a fictitious name,” Reese said. “No one walks into any building or floor that has any association with HIV.”
Dr. Bob Harmon, director of the Duval County Health Department, said the local population profile “is more like Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi than it is central and south Florida. That generally means higher rates of poverty, lower rates of completing high school and college, and higher percentage of African-American population.”
In the first half of 2011, Duval County saw a 33 percent increase in HIV cases. “This disease is ruining lives, and it’s still killing people, especially low-income people who don’t get tested enough and who don’t get treated early,” Harmon said.
“Denial is the biggest problem,” Reese said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Social issues lie at the core of Jacksonville’s epidemic. “Here in Jacksonville, we’re kind of the buckle in the Bible belt,” said Donna Fuchs, director of the Northeast Florida AIDS Network. “HIV carries a huge stigma in our city.”
“You can go to Miami and you can put up a billboard, you can talk about condoms, AIDS, and sex. You can’t do that in Jacksonville,” said Todd Reese, associate director of Health Care Center operations at AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). “People will be offended. They don’t want to talk about it or see it.”
When AHF opened a Magic Johnson clinic in the city to serve HIV/AIDS patients a decade ago, organizers moved the ribbon-cutting ceremony indoors because visitors feared being associated with the disease. The clinic no longer bears Johnson’s name: “The only way we can get people to come through the door is to create a fictitious name,” Reese said. “No one walks into any building or floor that has any association with HIV.”
Dr. Bob Harmon, director of the Duval County Health Department, said the local population profile “is more like Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi than it is central and south Florida. That generally means higher rates of poverty, lower rates of completing high school and college, and higher percentage of African-American population.”
In the first half of 2011, Duval County saw a 33 percent increase in HIV cases. “This disease is ruining lives, and it’s still killing people, especially low-income people who don’t get tested enough and who don’t get treated early,” Harmon said.
“Denial is the biggest problem,” Reese said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Planned Parenthood Offers Texts to Teens Seeking Advice About Sex
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has taken over a Denver-based text messaging service that provides sexual health information to teens. “In Case You’re Curious” (ICYC) is an offshoot of the Denver Teen Pregnancy Prevention Partnership, which began in Denver Public Schools in 2007.
Under the service, teens text “ICYC” to 66746. After receiving a confirmation, youths can then submit anonymous questions, which are answered within 24 hours by Planned Parenthood staffers. Responses are limited to 160 characters; agency staff often direct questioners to seek further advice from health and medical professionals.
“Our goal is to arm youth with medically accurate, age-appropriate information about what might be going on with their bodies,” said Alison Macklin, Planned Parenthood’s director of community education. “We’d rather have them have access to that information than wondering or relying on common myths, like ‘It’s better to use two condoms rather than one,’ when the reality is that doing so will actually increase the risk for an unplanned pregnancy or [an STD].”
“We always encourage youth to have conversations with their parents, but we also recognize that not everyone has that ability,” said Macklin. “We’re not trying to take the place of those conversations, of them providing firsthand knowledge, but rather we’re providing a way to help answer questions.”
Since assuming the service last year, Planned Parenthood has received some 500 inquiries. Macklin said the aim is to double that total next year. ICYC runs through 2012.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Under the service, teens text “ICYC” to 66746. After receiving a confirmation, youths can then submit anonymous questions, which are answered within 24 hours by Planned Parenthood staffers. Responses are limited to 160 characters; agency staff often direct questioners to seek further advice from health and medical professionals.
“Our goal is to arm youth with medically accurate, age-appropriate information about what might be going on with their bodies,” said Alison Macklin, Planned Parenthood’s director of community education. “We’d rather have them have access to that information than wondering or relying on common myths, like ‘It’s better to use two condoms rather than one,’ when the reality is that doing so will actually increase the risk for an unplanned pregnancy or [an STD].”
“We always encourage youth to have conversations with their parents, but we also recognize that not everyone has that ability,” said Macklin. “We’re not trying to take the place of those conversations, of them providing firsthand knowledge, but rather we’re providing a way to help answer questions.”
Since assuming the service last year, Planned Parenthood has received some 500 inquiries. Macklin said the aim is to double that total next year. ICYC runs through 2012.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Legalized Same-Sex Marriage May Boost Gay Men's Health
Gay men who live in states where same-sex marriage is legal are healthier, less stressed, and make fewer doctor visits for general medical care, hypertension, and STDs, according to a new study. Researchers tracked data from 1,211 sexual minority men at a large community-based health center serving many LGBT patients in Massachusetts, which legalized same-sex marriage in 2003.
During the 12 months following legalization of same-sex marriage, there was a statistically significant decrease in medical care visits, mental health visits, and mental health care costs among gay and bisexual men, compared to the 12 months before legalization. Health care visits dropped 13 percent and health care costs 14 percent.
The benefits were similar for single gay men and those with partners. HIV-related health visits did not drop among HIV-positive men, suggesting those in need of care continued to use health care services.
“These findings suggest that marriage equality may produce broad public health benefits by reducing the occurrence of stress-related health conditions in gay and bisexual men,” lead author Mark Hatzenbuehler, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, said in a foundation news release.
There were too few lesbians in the study to include for the analysis, but previous research suggests that not having the legal right to marry can have a stressful effect on lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, said the foundation release.
“This research makes important contributions to a growing body of evidence on the social, economic, and health benefits of marriage equality,” Hatzenbuehler said.
The full study, “Effect of Same-Sex Marriage Laws on Health Care Use and Expenditures in Sexual Minority Men: A Quasi-Natural Experiment,” was published in the American Journal of Public Health (2011;e1-e7.doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300382).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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During the 12 months following legalization of same-sex marriage, there was a statistically significant decrease in medical care visits, mental health visits, and mental health care costs among gay and bisexual men, compared to the 12 months before legalization. Health care visits dropped 13 percent and health care costs 14 percent.
The benefits were similar for single gay men and those with partners. HIV-related health visits did not drop among HIV-positive men, suggesting those in need of care continued to use health care services.
“These findings suggest that marriage equality may produce broad public health benefits by reducing the occurrence of stress-related health conditions in gay and bisexual men,” lead author Mark Hatzenbuehler, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, said in a foundation news release.
There were too few lesbians in the study to include for the analysis, but previous research suggests that not having the legal right to marry can have a stressful effect on lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, said the foundation release.
“This research makes important contributions to a growing body of evidence on the social, economic, and health benefits of marriage equality,” Hatzenbuehler said.
The full study, “Effect of Same-Sex Marriage Laws on Health Care Use and Expenditures in Sexual Minority Men: A Quasi-Natural Experiment,” was published in the American Journal of Public Health (2011;e1-e7.doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300382).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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One in Four Young Women Report Having Underage Sex
Results from the Health Survey for England indicate a greater proportion of young women report having been sexually active before age 16 than in any previous generation.
Among respondents ages 16-24, approximately 27 percent of females said they had had sex before reaching 16, while 22 percent of males said they were under 16 at first sex. For both males and female, the median age of sexual debut was 17. Twenty-six percent of females and 32 percent of males said they had not yet had sex.
One in five sexually active 16- to 24-year-olds, 27 percent of males and 13 percent of females, reported having had 10 or more sex partners. Seventeen percent of females and 24 percent of males reported only having had one partner.
“Society has changed dramatically in the last 50 years, and the nature of relationships has too,” said Rebecca Findlay, spokesperson for the sexual health charity FPA. “Education and information safeguard the sexual health needs of young people and help them resist having sex before they’re ready, which is why, given this data, there’s an overwhelming need for statutory sex and relationship education in schools.”
While the results tend to mirror those of other research on the issue, “we must remember that most young people under 16 aren’t sexually active,” said Findlay.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Among respondents ages 16-24, approximately 27 percent of females said they had had sex before reaching 16, while 22 percent of males said they were under 16 at first sex. For both males and female, the median age of sexual debut was 17. Twenty-six percent of females and 32 percent of males said they had not yet had sex.
One in five sexually active 16- to 24-year-olds, 27 percent of males and 13 percent of females, reported having had 10 or more sex partners. Seventeen percent of females and 24 percent of males reported only having had one partner.
“Society has changed dramatically in the last 50 years, and the nature of relationships has too,” said Rebecca Findlay, spokesperson for the sexual health charity FPA. “Education and information safeguard the sexual health needs of young people and help them resist having sex before they’re ready, which is why, given this data, there’s an overwhelming need for statutory sex and relationship education in schools.”
While the results tend to mirror those of other research on the issue, “we must remember that most young people under 16 aren’t sexually active,” said Findlay.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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MDs Oppose Jail for Unsafe Sex by HIV Carriers
Canadians living with HIV should no longer face a possible prison sentence for failing to disclose their infection to sexual partners, British Columbia health experts said in a new editorial. People with HIV, unlike people with other STDs, are being singled out because of stigma and fear, said Dr. Julio Montaner, director of the British Columbia Center for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.
A study published this year found that early antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients reduced the likelihood of sexual transmission by 96 percent.
Nonetheless, Canada “now ranks among the world leaders” in the rate of prosecutions of people for allegedly exposing sexual partners to HIV, Montaner and colleagues M-J Milloy and Thomas Kerr wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
“Do we place a burden on males infected with [human papillomavirus] to have to disclose every time that they have a sexual encounter that they have HPV?” asked Montaner in an interview. “We don’t, and that’s only one example.”
“To put the burden on the person infected with HIV that they have to disclose when they may be on treatment or using a condom, or doing both, is really not appropriate,” Montaner said. “We can’t have a discourse that, on the one hand, says things are different now - we can identify HIV, we can treat it, you can have a near normal life - and, on the other hand, says if you [do not disclose] to another person we are ready to put you in jail,” said Montaner.
“Let me be clear - I think that people who behave irresponsibly, they need to be judged accordingly and there are laws to address those issues. If you mislead somebody, if you misrepresent your status - but to have a policy that selectively targets HIV” is discriminatory and discourages testing and treatment, Montaner said.
The article, “Ending Canada’s HIV Trials,” was published ahead of the print edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (2011;doi:10.1503/cmaj.111848).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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A study published this year found that early antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients reduced the likelihood of sexual transmission by 96 percent.
Nonetheless, Canada “now ranks among the world leaders” in the rate of prosecutions of people for allegedly exposing sexual partners to HIV, Montaner and colleagues M-J Milloy and Thomas Kerr wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
“Do we place a burden on males infected with [human papillomavirus] to have to disclose every time that they have a sexual encounter that they have HPV?” asked Montaner in an interview. “We don’t, and that’s only one example.”
“To put the burden on the person infected with HIV that they have to disclose when they may be on treatment or using a condom, or doing both, is really not appropriate,” Montaner said. “We can’t have a discourse that, on the one hand, says things are different now - we can identify HIV, we can treat it, you can have a near normal life - and, on the other hand, says if you [do not disclose] to another person we are ready to put you in jail,” said Montaner.
“Let me be clear - I think that people who behave irresponsibly, they need to be judged accordingly and there are laws to address those issues. If you mislead somebody, if you misrepresent your status - but to have a policy that selectively targets HIV” is discriminatory and discourages testing and treatment, Montaner said.
The article, “Ending Canada’s HIV Trials,” was published ahead of the print edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (2011;doi:10.1503/cmaj.111848).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Human Clinical Trials of HIV Vaccine to Start in January
Canadian researchers announced on Dec. 20 that a Phase I trial of a vaccine to prevent HIV infection is set to launch in January. The experimental vaccine has been manufactured in the United States, and the research team - led by Dr. Chil-Yong Kang, a virologist at the University of Western Ontario - recently received US Food and Drug Administration approval to begin human trials.
The vaccine is unique in that it uses dead HIV-1 virus, an approach similar to that used for polio and influenza vaccines. The virus is genetically engineered not to cause HIV. Preliminary toxicology tests on animals did not show any adverse effects or safety concerns with the vaccine, called SAV001, and it can be produced in large quantities, Kang said.
“So we infect the cells with a virus and then the infected cells will produce lots of virus and we can collect them, purify them and then inactive them,” Kang said.
The Phase I safety trial will involve 40 HIV-positive individuals; it should take six months to complete and a year to evaluate results, Kang said. If the vaccine candidate proves safe, Phase II would be conducted with about 600 HIV-negative high-risk individuals to measure immune system responses. If it advances further, a Phase III trial involving about 6,000 HIV-negative high-risk people would test the vaccine’s efficacy using a vaccinated group and a non-vaccinated control group. Dosing schedules would be another variable to evaluate. It could take about five years for the vaccine to reach the market, Kang said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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The vaccine is unique in that it uses dead HIV-1 virus, an approach similar to that used for polio and influenza vaccines. The virus is genetically engineered not to cause HIV. Preliminary toxicology tests on animals did not show any adverse effects or safety concerns with the vaccine, called SAV001, and it can be produced in large quantities, Kang said.
“So we infect the cells with a virus and then the infected cells will produce lots of virus and we can collect them, purify them and then inactive them,” Kang said.
The Phase I safety trial will involve 40 HIV-positive individuals; it should take six months to complete and a year to evaluate results, Kang said. If the vaccine candidate proves safe, Phase II would be conducted with about 600 HIV-negative high-risk individuals to measure immune system responses. If it advances further, a Phase III trial involving about 6,000 HIV-negative high-risk people would test the vaccine’s efficacy using a vaccinated group and a non-vaccinated control group. Dosing schedules would be another variable to evaluate. It could take about five years for the vaccine to reach the market, Kang said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Housing and HIV Go Hand in Hand
Philadelphia is beginning a needs assessment to better chart the intersection of HIV and housing issues for 2012-17. More than 140,000 HIV-affected US households struggle with unstable housing, according to the National AIDS Housing Coalition. Housing is a key factor to HIV treatment and long-term HIV risk reduction, it says.
“If you have a weakened immune system, shelters, which are often dangerous, can become just deadly,” said Max Ray, an ACT UP activist involved with housing issues. Many shelters confiscate medicines, so residents may have to disclose their HIV infection to access their medications. Such barriers can interfere with adherence, Ray added.
Philadelphia administers the federal housing programs Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and Shelter Plus Care. The city provides no funding for HIV/AIDS housing, said Michelle Sonsino Lewis, a spokesperson for the city’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), which administers HOPWA locally.
HOPWA, which provides subsidies for people with the disease who pay more than 50 percent of their monthly income on rent, has 229 city residents on its waiting list. While the homeless are prioritized and can wait an average of one to three months for subsidies, other patients can wait up to two years, said Sonsino Lewis.
The housing needs assessment will evaluate regional barriers, unmet needs and strategies to fill gaps, and it will involve at least one public forum before it is submitted to the city by July 31. It will update, review, and evaluate HOPWA efficacy and overall housing programs, policies, and other factors affecting HOPWA needs. OHCD’s deadline for assessment proposals is Dec. 22.
Chicago has a successful public-private HIV/AIDS housing program, Ray noted. A centralized AIDS housing office, partial rent subsidies, housing linked to medical care, and options for active drug users also would benefit Philadelphia, he said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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“If you have a weakened immune system, shelters, which are often dangerous, can become just deadly,” said Max Ray, an ACT UP activist involved with housing issues. Many shelters confiscate medicines, so residents may have to disclose their HIV infection to access their medications. Such barriers can interfere with adherence, Ray added.
Philadelphia administers the federal housing programs Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and Shelter Plus Care. The city provides no funding for HIV/AIDS housing, said Michelle Sonsino Lewis, a spokesperson for the city’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), which administers HOPWA locally.
HOPWA, which provides subsidies for people with the disease who pay more than 50 percent of their monthly income on rent, has 229 city residents on its waiting list. While the homeless are prioritized and can wait an average of one to three months for subsidies, other patients can wait up to two years, said Sonsino Lewis.
The housing needs assessment will evaluate regional barriers, unmet needs and strategies to fill gaps, and it will involve at least one public forum before it is submitted to the city by July 31. It will update, review, and evaluate HOPWA efficacy and overall housing programs, policies, and other factors affecting HOPWA needs. OHCD’s deadline for assessment proposals is Dec. 22.
Chicago has a successful public-private HIV/AIDS housing program, Ray noted. A centralized AIDS housing office, partial rent subsidies, housing linked to medical care, and options for active drug users also would benefit Philadelphia, he said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Rochester City School Board Discusses Sex Education, Condom Availability
Rochester City School District board members on Thursday began considering whether to allow access to condoms at high school clinics. In addition, school officials say the board is weighing changes to the comprehensive sex education curriculum to enable teachers to hold more in-depth discussions with students. Board members, who have been split on some of the issues, began the discussion after months of public feedback. A vote on condom access is expected in January. Parents would retain the right to opt their children out of the programs.
“The concept is: We need to do more than just make condoms available,” said Willa Powell, a board member. “We need to step up the instructional piece of it.”
Among the district’s ninth- through 12th-graders, 58 percent report being sexually active, including 21 percent who have had at least four partners, according to a youth behavior survey. Nearly half of reported HIV cases in 2010 were among people under age 25, health officials said. Since January, the Monroe County Department of Public Health and the Metro Council for Teen Potential have been urging the board to act to drive down city youth STD and pregnancy figures.
Thursday’s discussion mostly covered cost and the logistics of how condoms could be accessed. Potential changes to the sex education program are not yet clear. The district has been working with community health groups to better utilize their resources in the classroom.
The district could allow more in-depth lessons on areas where students have the most questions, said one teacher interviewed. Some students say the lessons, which begin in fourth grade and continue through high school, could be more involved or begin earlier.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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“The concept is: We need to do more than just make condoms available,” said Willa Powell, a board member. “We need to step up the instructional piece of it.”
Among the district’s ninth- through 12th-graders, 58 percent report being sexually active, including 21 percent who have had at least four partners, according to a youth behavior survey. Nearly half of reported HIV cases in 2010 were among people under age 25, health officials said. Since January, the Monroe County Department of Public Health and the Metro Council for Teen Potential have been urging the board to act to drive down city youth STD and pregnancy figures.
Thursday’s discussion mostly covered cost and the logistics of how condoms could be accessed. Potential changes to the sex education program are not yet clear. The district has been working with community health groups to better utilize their resources in the classroom.
The district could allow more in-depth lessons on areas where students have the most questions, said one teacher interviewed. Some students say the lessons, which begin in fourth grade and continue through high school, could be more involved or begin earlier.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Efficacy of an Emergency Department-Based HIV Screening Program in the Deep South
Residents of the Deep South, especially African Americans, continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. The current report describes an Emergency Department (ED)-based HIV screening program in the Deep South using CDC’s 2006 recommendations for rapid testing and opt-out consent.
From May 2008 to March 2010, patients presenting for medical care in the ED - from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday - were offered HIV screening. Those eligible for screening were patients age 18 or older who had no previous history of HIV tests, were English-speaking, and were not incarcerated, medically unstable or otherwise able to decline testing.
The OraQuick rapid HIV 1/2 antibody test was used to screen all patients. Patients whose results were nonreactive were referred to anonymous testing sites in the community for further testing. Patients whose tests were reactive had confirmatory Western blot and CD4 counts drawn and were brought back to the ED for disclosure of the results. All the patients who were confirmed HIV-positive via reactive Western blot were referred to the hospital-based infectious disease clinic or the county health department.
A total of 8,922 patients were approached, of whom 7,616 were tested (85.4 percent acceptance rate). Ninety-one percent of the patients tested were African American. Having recently been tested for HIV was the most common reason for declining. Of those tested, 1.7 percent were confirmed HIV-positive by Western blot; 95.2 percent testing positive were African American. Patients testing positive had an average CD4 count of 276 cells/µl; 42 percent of the positive patients had CD4 counts of 200/µl or less - consistent with an AIDS diagnosis. Of those patients with reactive oral swab results, 88.4 percent returned for Western blot results, and 75 percent of patients attended their first clinic visit.
“We have been able to successfully carry out an ED-based HIV screening program in a resource-poor urban teaching facility in the Deep South,” the authors concluded. “We define our success based on our relatively high test acceptance rate and high rate of attendance at first clinic visit. Our patient population has a relatively high undocumented HIV prevalence and are at advanced stage of disease at the time of diagnosis.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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From May 2008 to March 2010, patients presenting for medical care in the ED - from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday - were offered HIV screening. Those eligible for screening were patients age 18 or older who had no previous history of HIV tests, were English-speaking, and were not incarcerated, medically unstable or otherwise able to decline testing.
The OraQuick rapid HIV 1/2 antibody test was used to screen all patients. Patients whose results were nonreactive were referred to anonymous testing sites in the community for further testing. Patients whose tests were reactive had confirmatory Western blot and CD4 counts drawn and were brought back to the ED for disclosure of the results. All the patients who were confirmed HIV-positive via reactive Western blot were referred to the hospital-based infectious disease clinic or the county health department.
A total of 8,922 patients were approached, of whom 7,616 were tested (85.4 percent acceptance rate). Ninety-one percent of the patients tested were African American. Having recently been tested for HIV was the most common reason for declining. Of those tested, 1.7 percent were confirmed HIV-positive by Western blot; 95.2 percent testing positive were African American. Patients testing positive had an average CD4 count of 276 cells/µl; 42 percent of the positive patients had CD4 counts of 200/µl or less - consistent with an AIDS diagnosis. Of those patients with reactive oral swab results, 88.4 percent returned for Western blot results, and 75 percent of patients attended their first clinic visit.
“We have been able to successfully carry out an ED-based HIV screening program in a resource-poor urban teaching facility in the Deep South,” the authors concluded. “We define our success based on our relatively high test acceptance rate and high rate of attendance at first clinic visit. Our patient population has a relatively high undocumented HIV prevalence and are at advanced stage of disease at the time of diagnosis.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Pakistan's Shunned HIV Victims Fight Pariah Status
The charity group Pakistan Society provides support services to those diagnosed with HIV and works to reduce AIDS-related stigma across the southern city of Karachi and the wider Sindh province.
Pakistan, the second-largest country in South Asia, had an estimated 97,400 HIV/AIDS cases in 2009, according to UN data. The National AIDS Control Program there says Pakistan is a “low-prevalence, high-risk” country, meaning rates are low among the general population, but there is a high concentration of cases among groups such as injecting drug users.
State-run hospitals, clinics, and health centers across Pakistan provide free antiretroviral treatment, but stigma and ignorance continue to be problems.
Rubina Naz was diagnosed with HIV four years ago, following the death of her husband, a drug addict. They married when she was 16 and had two sons and two daughters together, but Naz did not know he had AIDS until after his death. “I didn’t know what it was until I was tested [HIV-] positive,” she said.
“My in-laws threw me out and took my kids. Even most of my own family treated me like a sinner and stayed away when I was desperate to be helped,” said Naz.
Naz now works as a kitchen assistant at Pakistan Society. The charity’s head, Dr. Saleem Azam, said her case is typical. “In our male-dominant society, women have fewer choices to save themselves from their HIV-positive husbands,” said Azam. “The majority have not heard of the disease and if they do, they cannot stop their husbands from afflicting them.”
The 2009 survey revealed that 15 percent of wives of injecting drug users in the Larkana district, home of the Bhutto political dynasty, were HIV-positive. Azam believes actual incidence may be much higher. There could be many women “who die of the disease without even knowing what happened to them,” he said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Pakistan, the second-largest country in South Asia, had an estimated 97,400 HIV/AIDS cases in 2009, according to UN data. The National AIDS Control Program there says Pakistan is a “low-prevalence, high-risk” country, meaning rates are low among the general population, but there is a high concentration of cases among groups such as injecting drug users.
State-run hospitals, clinics, and health centers across Pakistan provide free antiretroviral treatment, but stigma and ignorance continue to be problems.
Rubina Naz was diagnosed with HIV four years ago, following the death of her husband, a drug addict. They married when she was 16 and had two sons and two daughters together, but Naz did not know he had AIDS until after his death. “I didn’t know what it was until I was tested [HIV-] positive,” she said.
“My in-laws threw me out and took my kids. Even most of my own family treated me like a sinner and stayed away when I was desperate to be helped,” said Naz.
Naz now works as a kitchen assistant at Pakistan Society. The charity’s head, Dr. Saleem Azam, said her case is typical. “In our male-dominant society, women have fewer choices to save themselves from their HIV-positive husbands,” said Azam. “The majority have not heard of the disease and if they do, they cannot stop their husbands from afflicting them.”
The 2009 survey revealed that 15 percent of wives of injecting drug users in the Larkana district, home of the Bhutto political dynasty, were HIV-positive. Azam believes actual incidence may be much higher. There could be many women “who die of the disease without even knowing what happened to them,” he said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Feds Step In to Fight Broward's Stubborn AIDS Epidemic
Federal officials are bringing additional resources to help Broward County boost HIV testing, prevention education, and treatment to address its stubborn HIV/AIDS epidemic. Federal and county health officials are meeting with local health, political, and business leaders to push for bolder approaches, as part of a national effort targeting about a dozen large jurisdictions with high infection rates.
Once the local group has finalized a plan for CDC by June 30, federal agencies could channel as much as $2 million to Broward for expanded HIV/AIDS efforts. That would be on top of about $15 million the county already receives. Miami-Dade County started its own process in 2009, and its efforts are now underway.
Objectives being discussed include routinely testing almost everyone to reach the estimated 20 percent of HIV-positive people who do not realize they are infected. That requires buy-in from doctors, who can be reluctant to discuss HIV/AIDS, said Dr. Nabil El Sanadi, emergency medicine chief with the North Broward Hospital District.
HIV testing also will need to be conducted in unconventional settings, such as at stores, youth clubs, churches, and other community venues, said Dale Holness, a Broward County commissioner involved in the campaign. Prevention efforts will be audience-tailored, such as reaching young adults through social media and nightclubs, where substance use can lead to unsafe behavior, he said.
Initiating treatment earlier can help greatly, but some newly diagnosed patients still do not seek treatment, said Kathleen Cannon, COO of Broward House, which has participated in community gatherings regarding the campaign.
HIV affects everyone, through the illness directly and higher taxes for treatment, said Marsha Martin, an Oakland, Calif., prevention specialist working with CDC in Broward and other localities. “Someone in your family, someone you work with, someone on your street, someone you know has the virus,” she said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Once the local group has finalized a plan for CDC by June 30, federal agencies could channel as much as $2 million to Broward for expanded HIV/AIDS efforts. That would be on top of about $15 million the county already receives. Miami-Dade County started its own process in 2009, and its efforts are now underway.
Objectives being discussed include routinely testing almost everyone to reach the estimated 20 percent of HIV-positive people who do not realize they are infected. That requires buy-in from doctors, who can be reluctant to discuss HIV/AIDS, said Dr. Nabil El Sanadi, emergency medicine chief with the North Broward Hospital District.
HIV testing also will need to be conducted in unconventional settings, such as at stores, youth clubs, churches, and other community venues, said Dale Holness, a Broward County commissioner involved in the campaign. Prevention efforts will be audience-tailored, such as reaching young adults through social media and nightclubs, where substance use can lead to unsafe behavior, he said.
Initiating treatment earlier can help greatly, but some newly diagnosed patients still do not seek treatment, said Kathleen Cannon, COO of Broward House, which has participated in community gatherings regarding the campaign.
HIV affects everyone, through the illness directly and higher taxes for treatment, said Marsha Martin, an Oakland, Calif., prevention specialist working with CDC in Broward and other localities. “Someone in your family, someone you work with, someone on your street, someone you know has the virus,” she said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Safe Injection Sites Planned for Montreal
Montreal should open supervised injection sites to reduce overdoses and the spread of blood-borne diseases among injection drug users, Director of Public Health Dr. Richard Lessard said in a report released Friday.
If the suggestions are accepted by the Quebec Health Department, Montreal could launch three supervised injection sites and a mobile injection center as early as next year.
However, his recommendation is that most of the sites be housed in local community centers, rather than medical facilities. This is at odds with the approach taken by city government, which has stated a preference that the injection centers be located in hospitals or free community health clinics.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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If the suggestions are accepted by the Quebec Health Department, Montreal could launch three supervised injection sites and a mobile injection center as early as next year.
However, his recommendation is that most of the sites be housed in local community centers, rather than medical facilities. This is at odds with the approach taken by city government, which has stated a preference that the injection centers be located in hospitals or free community health clinics.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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MANNA Launches HIV Nutrition Program
The Philadelphia-based Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance is launching in January a nutrition-education and meals outreach for people recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. MANNA’s “Positively Nutritious” program involves a six-month meal-delivery service as well as six workshops, including nutrition- education classes in a group setting and three individualized sessions. Participants must have been diagnosed in the past year and have a CD4 cell count below 200.
About 28 percent of MANNA clients, or 555 of the individuals assisted in the past year, have HIV/AIDS. Many also “have food-insecurity concerns,” said Cyndi Dinger, MANNA’s director of nutrition and client services. “And that has an impact on things like if they’re going to the doctor and on the overall progression of their health.”
“Our meal program is what we’re best known for but it’s really only a small percentage of what we do because we focus a lot on education,” Dinger said. “This education will enable [clients] to be self-sufficient going forward.”
The number of participants will be limited to 20, Dinger said. “There will definitely be a peer element,” she added. “If we were to do a very large group, people can get lost in the crowd, but by keeping it smaller people can gel better and build relationships and support systems where they can turn to.”
MANNA hopes to schedule new Positively Nutritious sessions every few months, Dinger said. For more information, contact registered dietician Nicole Laverty at 215-496-2662, ext. 135.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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About 28 percent of MANNA clients, or 555 of the individuals assisted in the past year, have HIV/AIDS. Many also “have food-insecurity concerns,” said Cyndi Dinger, MANNA’s director of nutrition and client services. “And that has an impact on things like if they’re going to the doctor and on the overall progression of their health.”
“Our meal program is what we’re best known for but it’s really only a small percentage of what we do because we focus a lot on education,” Dinger said. “This education will enable [clients] to be self-sufficient going forward.”
The number of participants will be limited to 20, Dinger said. “There will definitely be a peer element,” she added. “If we were to do a very large group, people can get lost in the crowd, but by keeping it smaller people can gel better and build relationships and support systems where they can turn to.”
MANNA hopes to schedule new Positively Nutritious sessions every few months, Dinger said. For more information, contact registered dietician Nicole Laverty at 215-496-2662, ext. 135.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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AIDS in Central Minnesota: Advocates Combat Complacency
Some 50 people attended a recent service commemorating World AIDS Day at the Rural AIDS Action Network’s headquarters in St. Cloud. RAAN officials say they are worried by the growing number of HIV/AIDS cases they are seeing in the region.
“In rural Minnesota, many individuals are unaware of their HIV infection, and they may be symptom-free for up to a decade, continuing to unknowingly infect others,” said RAAN Executive Director Charles Hempeck. “Some people may not take precautions to protect themselves because there’s a stereotype that it’s mainly a gay men’s disease, and it’s not.”
“People often think of HIV as a gay disease, and it certainly affects a high number of gay and bisexual men, but there’s a growing number in Minnesota of women and minorities contracting HIV,” Hempeck said.
The statewide nonprofit conducts HIV awareness outreach, including testing, while providing support services to those living with the disease. “We’re especially seeing a growing need for services among those of Hispanic origin and African-born individuals, especially down in the southern part of the state,” said Hempeck.
The gathering featured a video documenting the first 30 years of HIV/AIDS including the deaths of actor Rock Hudson and teenage activist Ryan White, who would have celebrated his 40th birthday this December. “World AIDS Day is about taking time to remember those folks that have passed due to AIDS and to use that as a catalyst to think about the future and all the positive things that are going around about treatment and prevention of HIV,” Hempeck noted.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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“In rural Minnesota, many individuals are unaware of their HIV infection, and they may be symptom-free for up to a decade, continuing to unknowingly infect others,” said RAAN Executive Director Charles Hempeck. “Some people may not take precautions to protect themselves because there’s a stereotype that it’s mainly a gay men’s disease, and it’s not.”
“People often think of HIV as a gay disease, and it certainly affects a high number of gay and bisexual men, but there’s a growing number in Minnesota of women and minorities contracting HIV,” Hempeck said.
The statewide nonprofit conducts HIV awareness outreach, including testing, while providing support services to those living with the disease. “We’re especially seeing a growing need for services among those of Hispanic origin and African-born individuals, especially down in the southern part of the state,” said Hempeck.
The gathering featured a video documenting the first 30 years of HIV/AIDS including the deaths of actor Rock Hudson and teenage activist Ryan White, who would have celebrated his 40th birthday this December. “World AIDS Day is about taking time to remember those folks that have passed due to AIDS and to use that as a catalyst to think about the future and all the positive things that are going around about treatment and prevention of HIV,” Hempeck noted.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Project Headshot Targets AIDS
Project Headshot” is a unique campaign that uses stylized online photos to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among young people in the Philippines.
The effort is the brainchild of fashion and conceptual photographer Niccolo Cosme, who started it in 2007 as a way of merging online profile photos and advertising. After a friend declared himself HIV-positive, Cosme decided HIV/AIDS education would be the campaign’s central mission. “Profile photos can be potential online billboards,” he said.
Each year, the effort makes use of a unifying element to distinguish the campaign. This year, participants wore a red whistle around their neck to “sound the alarm” on the AIDS epidemic.
“You know how when you open your Facebook account and you get a notification that says ‘This many friends have changed their profile photos,’ and you see all the photos are the same. The impact is viral,” said Cosme.
Project Headshot is backed by UNAIDS. “Social media tools hold huge potential to help raise the awareness and mobilize the social action needed to turn the tide on the HIV epidemic,” the agency says on its website.
Participants have embraced the idea of having their photo taken for free by a professional photographer and being part of a high-profile campaign for a good cause. Prior to shooting, Project Headshot works with the nonprofit Take The Test to educate participants on HIV/AIDS in the Philippines and provide free voluntary screening.
According to new UNAIDS data, the Philippines is one of seven countries reporting a surge in HIV cases amid decreases in most other countries worldwide. As of March 2011, six new HIV infections were logged each day in the Philippines.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The effort is the brainchild of fashion and conceptual photographer Niccolo Cosme, who started it in 2007 as a way of merging online profile photos and advertising. After a friend declared himself HIV-positive, Cosme decided HIV/AIDS education would be the campaign’s central mission. “Profile photos can be potential online billboards,” he said.
Each year, the effort makes use of a unifying element to distinguish the campaign. This year, participants wore a red whistle around their neck to “sound the alarm” on the AIDS epidemic.
“You know how when you open your Facebook account and you get a notification that says ‘This many friends have changed their profile photos,’ and you see all the photos are the same. The impact is viral,” said Cosme.
Project Headshot is backed by UNAIDS. “Social media tools hold huge potential to help raise the awareness and mobilize the social action needed to turn the tide on the HIV epidemic,” the agency says on its website.
Participants have embraced the idea of having their photo taken for free by a professional photographer and being part of a high-profile campaign for a good cause. Prior to shooting, Project Headshot works with the nonprofit Take The Test to educate participants on HIV/AIDS in the Philippines and provide free voluntary screening.
According to new UNAIDS data, the Philippines is one of seven countries reporting a surge in HIV cases amid decreases in most other countries worldwide. As of March 2011, six new HIV infections were logged each day in the Philippines.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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UN Expert Urges Vietnam to Close Rehab Centers
A special rapporteur for the UN Human Rights Council recently urged Vietnam’s government to shutter its rehabilitation centers for drug users and sex workers. The compulsory detentions violate drug users’ rights, perpetuate stigma and discrimination against these populations, and hamper anti-HIV/AIDS efforts, said Anand Grover, who is also co-founder and director of the HIV/AIDS unit for India’s Lawyers Collective. Grover said he supports expanding alternative treatments for drug users and closing the centers, which he called “ineffective and counterproductive.”
“The detainees are denied the right to be free from nonconsensual treatment as well as the right to informed consent in all medically related decisions,” Grover said in a statement capping a 10-day visit to Vietnam. They “have no right to know about their case against them and challenge it at a hearing before the decision is made,” he said. “It’s essential to ensure that the considerable resources now invested in these centers are used instead to expand alternative treatments for injecting drug users.”
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In September, Human Rights Watch reported abuse, lack of due process, and forced work for little pay at rehabilitation centers, where HRW said hundreds of thousands were imprisoned over the past decade. At that time, ministry spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga called the report was “groundless” and said the centers are “humane, effective” and comply with international drug treatment principles.
For more information, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11685&LangID=E.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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“The detainees are denied the right to be free from nonconsensual treatment as well as the right to informed consent in all medically related decisions,” Grover said in a statement capping a 10-day visit to Vietnam. They “have no right to know about their case against them and challenge it at a hearing before the decision is made,” he said. “It’s essential to ensure that the considerable resources now invested in these centers are used instead to expand alternative treatments for injecting drug users.”
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In September, Human Rights Watch reported abuse, lack of due process, and forced work for little pay at rehabilitation centers, where HRW said hundreds of thousands were imprisoned over the past decade. At that time, ministry spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga called the report was “groundless” and said the centers are “humane, effective” and comply with international drug treatment principles.
For more information, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11685&LangID=E.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Liquid Prezista Formulation Approved for HIV-Positive Children 3 and Older
Good news for children and adults who cannot swallow Prezista (darunavir) tablets: A liquid version of the drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 16. According to an announcement from the agency, the drug’s package insert has also been updated to provide dosing information for children as young as 3 years old.
Like most antiretroviral dosing schedules for children, pediatric Prezista dosing—whether using the new liquid formulation or tablets—is based on weight and treatment history.
Adults who have difficulty swallowing Prezista tablets may also use the new liquid formulation. Treatment-naive adults and treatment-experienced adults with no evidence of HIV resistance to Prezista can take 8 milliliters (ml) of liquid Prezista with 1.25 ml of Norvir (ritonavir) once daily with food. The 8 ml dose should be taken as two 4 ml administrations with the included oral dosing syringe.
For treatment-experienced adults with HIV harboring at least one Prezista resistance mutation, the liquid Prezista dose is 6 ml with 1.25 ml Norvir, both taken twice daily with food.
The newly approved oral formulation contains 100 milligrams (mg) of active drug per milliliter of liquid.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Like most antiretroviral dosing schedules for children, pediatric Prezista dosing—whether using the new liquid formulation or tablets—is based on weight and treatment history.
Adults who have difficulty swallowing Prezista tablets may also use the new liquid formulation. Treatment-naive adults and treatment-experienced adults with no evidence of HIV resistance to Prezista can take 8 milliliters (ml) of liquid Prezista with 1.25 ml of Norvir (ritonavir) once daily with food. The 8 ml dose should be taken as two 4 ml administrations with the included oral dosing syringe.
For treatment-experienced adults with HIV harboring at least one Prezista resistance mutation, the liquid Prezista dose is 6 ml with 1.25 ml Norvir, both taken twice daily with food.
The newly approved oral formulation contains 100 milligrams (mg) of active drug per milliliter of liquid.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Supreme Court to Hear Health Care Reform Arguments in March
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the constitutionality of different aspects of the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. health care reform, from March 26 to 28, Bloomberg News reports.
The schedule will allow the justices to expand the 5.5 hours they already allotted for argument, a time span that has few precedents since argument is usually limited to one hour per case. The three days of hearings will center on distinct aspects of the health care bill, including the Anti-Injunction Act, which prevents judges from ruling on the requirement of an individual mandate until 2015.
In addition, the high court will hear arguments about the constitutionality of the individual mandate that requires Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty, now considered a main pillar of health care reform.
To read the Bloomberg article, visit: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-19/health-care-hearing-before-u-s-supreme-court-scheduled-for-march-26-28.html.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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The schedule will allow the justices to expand the 5.5 hours they already allotted for argument, a time span that has few precedents since argument is usually limited to one hour per case. The three days of hearings will center on distinct aspects of the health care bill, including the Anti-Injunction Act, which prevents judges from ruling on the requirement of an individual mandate until 2015.
In addition, the high court will hear arguments about the constitutionality of the individual mandate that requires Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty, now considered a main pillar of health care reform.
To read the Bloomberg article, visit: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-19/health-care-hearing-before-u-s-supreme-court-scheduled-for-march-26-28.html.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Suit Claims Patient Contracted HIV at Mississippi Cancer Clinic
Meera Sachdeva, MD—a Mississippi cancer clinic doctor arrested on charges of Medicare and Medicaid fraud and using watered-down chemotherapy drugs and old syringes—is now facing a civil lawsuit claiming that one patient contracted HIV from a dirty needle, The Associated Press (AP) reports.
Sachdeva’s Rose Cancer Center clinic in Summit, Mississippi, was closed on July 20 because of “unsafe infection control practices.” Since then, hundreds of patients have been tested for HIV and other diseases, but the Department of Health has not concluded that the Rose Cancer Center was the source of any viral infections.
However, James Ralph Patterson Sr., a 61-year-old man who allegedly contracted HIV while being treated by the clinic, died on July 3, before the Department of Health began testing clinic patients for its investigation. Patterson’s son filed the suit.
To read the AP article, visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45699053/ns/health-aids/#.TvCmdr8t0pS.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Sachdeva’s Rose Cancer Center clinic in Summit, Mississippi, was closed on July 20 because of “unsafe infection control practices.” Since then, hundreds of patients have been tested for HIV and other diseases, but the Department of Health has not concluded that the Rose Cancer Center was the source of any viral infections.
However, James Ralph Patterson Sr., a 61-year-old man who allegedly contracted HIV while being treated by the clinic, died on July 3, before the Department of Health began testing clinic patients for its investigation. Patterson’s son filed the suit.
To read the AP article, visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45699053/ns/health-aids/#.TvCmdr8t0pS.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Petition Against Dental Clinic HIV Discrimination Gains Support
A petition in support of James White—a Detroit man who alleges workplace discrimination because of his HIV-positive status—has thousands of signatures, according to a Change.org statement.
James Harris, a University of Oklahoma student who directs an HIV/AIDS action group on campus, started the petition on Change.org. Great Expressions Dental Centers denies any wrongdoing, but the Detroit office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that there was “reasonable cause” to believe that White was discriminated against because he has HIV. Attorneys for White are now preparing to sue the dental office.
To sign the petition, visit: http://www.change.org/petitions/great-expressions-dental-centers-must-apologize-for-harassing-and-firing-hiv-employee.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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James Harris, a University of Oklahoma student who directs an HIV/AIDS action group on campus, started the petition on Change.org. Great Expressions Dental Centers denies any wrongdoing, but the Detroit office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that there was “reasonable cause” to believe that White was discriminated against because he has HIV. Attorneys for White are now preparing to sue the dental office.
To sign the petition, visit: http://www.change.org/petitions/great-expressions-dental-centers-must-apologize-for-harassing-and-firing-hiv-employee.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Congress Bans Federal Funding for Needle Exchange Programs
Congress has restored a ban on using federal funding for syringe exchange programs, StoptheDrugWar.org reports.
The ban, which was voted on as part of the 2012 federal spending package, also bans the State Department from using funds for needle exchange in international programs.
Activists are now warning that the ban will increase the infection rates of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C.
The existing policy, signed into law by President Obama in 2009, allows states to use federal funds for syringe access when they consult with local law enforcement. That policy is credited with preventing thousands of new cases of HIV and hepatitis C. Numerous federal reports have found that increasing access to sterile syringes lowers rates of infectious diseases without increasing drug use.
To read the Stop the Drug War article, visit: http://stopthedrugwar.org/trenches/2011/dec/17/congress_restore_federal_syringe.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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The ban, which was voted on as part of the 2012 federal spending package, also bans the State Department from using funds for needle exchange in international programs.
Activists are now warning that the ban will increase the infection rates of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C.
The existing policy, signed into law by President Obama in 2009, allows states to use federal funds for syringe access when they consult with local law enforcement. That policy is credited with preventing thousands of new cases of HIV and hepatitis C. Numerous federal reports have found that increasing access to sterile syringes lowers rates of infectious diseases without increasing drug use.
To read the Stop the Drug War article, visit: http://stopthedrugwar.org/trenches/2011/dec/17/congress_restore_federal_syringe.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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Behavioral Interventions Increase Condom Use, Decrease STIs
Behavioral interventions aimed at reducing risky sexual behaviors can also successfully lower rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a report in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
A meta-analysis of 42 studies evaluating the effectiveness of HIV-related behavioral interventions found that these interventions were successful at improving condom use and reducing STI incidents for up to four years.
Researchers found that interventions were more successful at improving condom use when social, cultural and economic barriers were addressed and that participants were less likely to acquire STIs after the intervention if they were diagnosed with an STI or HIV when they entered the study. This is the first analysis that supports the theory that behavioral changes result in fewer STIs.
To read the Lifespan statement, visit: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/l-bic121511.php.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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A meta-analysis of 42 studies evaluating the effectiveness of HIV-related behavioral interventions found that these interventions were successful at improving condom use and reducing STI incidents for up to four years.
Researchers found that interventions were more successful at improving condom use when social, cultural and economic barriers were addressed and that participants were less likely to acquire STIs after the intervention if they were diagnosed with an STI or HIV when they entered the study. This is the first analysis that supports the theory that behavioral changes result in fewer STIs.
To read the Lifespan statement, visit: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/l-bic121511.php.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
HIV Education to Stop Homosexuality in Ghana
Paul Krampah, a public relations officer for Ghana’s Education Ministry, said he is “optimistic” that his department’s sex education programs will make homosexuality a “thing of the past,” according to PinkNews.com.
A statement by Krampah implies that by teaching about the health risks of being sexually active—such as the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections—the program will stop young people from being gay. The deputy director general of the country’s Education Service has said that homosexuality “started with single-sex schools. It has become prevalent, and so more people have become aware of it. This is just one of the many problem we have in our educational system.”
This past year, gay people have been persecuted in Ghana, with the country’s minister reportedly ordering the arrest of all LGBT people in the Western Region, and landlords and tenants asked to inform on people believed to be gay.
To read the PinkNews story, visit: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/12/14/ghanas-education-ministry-optimistic-it-can-stop-homosexuality/.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
A statement by Krampah implies that by teaching about the health risks of being sexually active—such as the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections—the program will stop young people from being gay. The deputy director general of the country’s Education Service has said that homosexuality “started with single-sex schools. It has become prevalent, and so more people have become aware of it. This is just one of the many problem we have in our educational system.”
This past year, gay people have been persecuted in Ghana, with the country’s minister reportedly ordering the arrest of all LGBT people in the Western Region, and landlords and tenants asked to inform on people believed to be gay.
To read the PinkNews story, visit: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/12/14/ghanas-education-ministry-optimistic-it-can-stop-homosexuality/.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Depression in People With HIV Often Overlooked in Africa
People living with HIV in Africa frequently suffer shame and depression, but the continent’s health care systems are ill-equipped to handle the issue; this can affect not only people’s quality of life, but also their adherence to HIV treatment regimens, according to PlusNews.
Although HIV programs focus heavily on reducing externalized stigma and discrimination of people with HIV, little is done to help them deal with their self-perception and how that might deteriorate following an HIV diagnosis. Experts have recommended integrating mental-health services into primary health care activities, ensuring a good supply of psychotropic medication and doing more research into mental health issue in Africa.
To read the PlusNews article, visit: http://www.plusnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=94410.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Although HIV programs focus heavily on reducing externalized stigma and discrimination of people with HIV, little is done to help them deal with their self-perception and how that might deteriorate following an HIV diagnosis. Experts have recommended integrating mental-health services into primary health care activities, ensuring a good supply of psychotropic medication and doing more research into mental health issue in Africa.
To read the PlusNews article, visit: http://www.plusnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=94410.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Rituxan Prolongs HIV-Related Lymphoma Survival
For people diagnosed with AIDS-related lymphomas, adding Rituxan (rituximab) to standard chemotherapy has a major positive effect on survival, according to new German cohort data published ahead of print by the journal AIDS. Importantly, the study found that Rituxan was beneficial in the setting of severe immune deficiency and that it was not associated with an increased risk of fatal infections.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially approved Rituxan in 1997 to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). It works by destroying both normal and cancerous B cells that have the CD20 molecule on their surface; therefore it’s used to treat diseases characterized by having too many B cells, overactive B cells or dysfunctional B cells—such as NHL.
Rituxan, in combination with CHOP chemotherapy—a combination of cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin (vincristine) and prednisone—has been proven superior to CHOP alone in the treatment of a variety of B-cell lymphomas in HIV-negative people. Its efficacy in people living with HIV, however, has a checkered history.
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial reported by the U.S. federally funded AIDS Malignancy Consortium in 2005 failed to find a statistically significant efficacy improvement among HIV-positive participants who received Rituxan plus CHOP, compared with those taking chemotherapy alone. In addition, that study found a significant increase in death due to infection, notably among those with low CD4 cell counts.
To further explore the potential benefits and risks of add-on Rituxan treatment, Christoph Wyen, MD, of the University of Cologne in Cologne, Germany, and his colleagues followed 156 people living with HIV treated for AIDS-related lymphoma at one of 25 clinics throughout Germany between 2005 and 2008. Roughly half of the patients were treated with Rituxan plus CHOP; the remaining participants received standard chemotherapy alone.
The overwhelming majority of cohort participants were men (92 percent), with an average CD4 count of 205 cells at the time of their lymphoma diagnosis. About 25 percent had a CD4 count below 100. Many patients had not received any antiretroviral (ARV) treatment before being told they had AIDS-related lymphoma.
Compared with those who received CHOP alone, overall survival was about 43 percent better for those who received Rituxan plus CHOP. In addition, Rituxan plus CHOP was associated with a 44 percent improvement in survival without signs of lymphoma progression.
To determine whether Rituxan increased the risk of infection-related fatalities, Wyen’s group focused on the 61 patients who died during the study’s average 15-month follow-up period. Twelve patients died of treatment-related infections, only three (25 percent) of whom were treated with Rituxan plus CHOP.
“[W]e did not observe an increased risk of fatal infections due to the use of rituximab in our cohort,” the authors wrote. However, the patients who died from treatment-associated infections had lower CD4 cells than the entire group. These findings emphasize the need for prospective trials evaluating the benefits of intensified supportive care (such as using anti-infective agents or the growth hormone G-CSF).
Wyen’s group noted that their study is not without limitations. “The uncontrolled design resulted in differences in baseline characteristics between patients with or without rituximab,” they conclude. “Although only further and larger randomized clinical trials can prove the efficacy and safety of rituximab in this setting, our study strongly indicates a positive effect.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially approved Rituxan in 1997 to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). It works by destroying both normal and cancerous B cells that have the CD20 molecule on their surface; therefore it’s used to treat diseases characterized by having too many B cells, overactive B cells or dysfunctional B cells—such as NHL.
Rituxan, in combination with CHOP chemotherapy—a combination of cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin (vincristine) and prednisone—has been proven superior to CHOP alone in the treatment of a variety of B-cell lymphomas in HIV-negative people. Its efficacy in people living with HIV, however, has a checkered history.
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial reported by the U.S. federally funded AIDS Malignancy Consortium in 2005 failed to find a statistically significant efficacy improvement among HIV-positive participants who received Rituxan plus CHOP, compared with those taking chemotherapy alone. In addition, that study found a significant increase in death due to infection, notably among those with low CD4 cell counts.
To further explore the potential benefits and risks of add-on Rituxan treatment, Christoph Wyen, MD, of the University of Cologne in Cologne, Germany, and his colleagues followed 156 people living with HIV treated for AIDS-related lymphoma at one of 25 clinics throughout Germany between 2005 and 2008. Roughly half of the patients were treated with Rituxan plus CHOP; the remaining participants received standard chemotherapy alone.
The overwhelming majority of cohort participants were men (92 percent), with an average CD4 count of 205 cells at the time of their lymphoma diagnosis. About 25 percent had a CD4 count below 100. Many patients had not received any antiretroviral (ARV) treatment before being told they had AIDS-related lymphoma.
Compared with those who received CHOP alone, overall survival was about 43 percent better for those who received Rituxan plus CHOP. In addition, Rituxan plus CHOP was associated with a 44 percent improvement in survival without signs of lymphoma progression.
To determine whether Rituxan increased the risk of infection-related fatalities, Wyen’s group focused on the 61 patients who died during the study’s average 15-month follow-up period. Twelve patients died of treatment-related infections, only three (25 percent) of whom were treated with Rituxan plus CHOP.
“[W]e did not observe an increased risk of fatal infections due to the use of rituximab in our cohort,” the authors wrote. However, the patients who died from treatment-associated infections had lower CD4 cells than the entire group. These findings emphasize the need for prospective trials evaluating the benefits of intensified supportive care (such as using anti-infective agents or the growth hormone G-CSF).
Wyen’s group noted that their study is not without limitations. “The uncontrolled design resulted in differences in baseline characteristics between patients with or without rituximab,” they conclude. “Although only further and larger randomized clinical trials can prove the efficacy and safety of rituximab in this setting, our study strongly indicates a positive effect.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Improper Use of a Neti Pot Can Be Fatal
Two Louisiana residents died of a rare brain infection after they used tap water instead of boiled or bottled water in neti pots. This news, accompanied by a warning on proper use of the devices, was issued by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals on December 6.
Neti pots are teapot-shaped devices, commonly made of plastic or porcelain, that irrigate the sinus passages. The pot is filled with warm salinated water, and the user inserts the spout into one nostril, tipping the head to allow the water to flow up one nostril and out the other side of the nose.
The deaths resulted from Naegleria fowleri, called the brain-eating ameba, which was present in the local tap water. The ameba generally infects people while they are swimming in freshwater lakes or rivers. It enters the body through the nose; drinking tap water does not carry a risk of infection. Between 2001 and 2010, there were 32 cases of Naegleria fowleri in the United States.
The Louisiana health department warning emphasized appropriate and safe methods of use for neti pots: “If you are irrigating, flushing or rinsing your sinuses—for example, by using a neti pot—use distilled, sterile or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution,” said Louisiana state epidemiologist Raoult Ratard, MD. “Tap water is safe for drinking, but not for irrigating your nose.”
The warning also urges people to rinse the neti pot after each use and leave it open to air dry. Rinsing regularly with a mild antibacterial soap is also sometimes advised, as is replacing plastic neti pots every few months.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Neti pots are teapot-shaped devices, commonly made of plastic or porcelain, that irrigate the sinus passages. The pot is filled with warm salinated water, and the user inserts the spout into one nostril, tipping the head to allow the water to flow up one nostril and out the other side of the nose.
The deaths resulted from Naegleria fowleri, called the brain-eating ameba, which was present in the local tap water. The ameba generally infects people while they are swimming in freshwater lakes or rivers. It enters the body through the nose; drinking tap water does not carry a risk of infection. Between 2001 and 2010, there were 32 cases of Naegleria fowleri in the United States.
The Louisiana health department warning emphasized appropriate and safe methods of use for neti pots: “If you are irrigating, flushing or rinsing your sinuses—for example, by using a neti pot—use distilled, sterile or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution,” said Louisiana state epidemiologist Raoult Ratard, MD. “Tap water is safe for drinking, but not for irrigating your nose.”
The warning also urges people to rinse the neti pot after each use and leave it open to air dry. Rinsing regularly with a mild antibacterial soap is also sometimes advised, as is replacing plastic neti pots every few months.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Chronic Hep B Doubles Risk of AIDS Illnesses and Death in People Living With HIV
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection almost doubles the risk of AIDS or death in people diagnosed with HIV infection, compared with those only living with HIV, according to a new paper published ahead of print in The Journal of Infectious Diseases (JID). These important findings, the authors write, “may have implications for many aspects of HBV coinfection, including early diagnosis and, foremost, prevention of hepatitis B.”
Much like in people coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), there is no shortage of evidence suggesting that HIV infection negatively affects HBV-related liver disease progression, including increased risks of end-stage liver disease and liver cancer. And while it is generally believed that chronic HCV infection doesn’t directly affect HIV disease progression—thought it can mean complex drug interactions between hepatitis C and HIV meds and hasten liver toxicity while using ARVs—it hasn’t been clear whether chronic HBV infection is an independent risk factor for HIV disease progression or death.
Unfortunately, the JID study results authored by Helen Chun, MD, of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and her colleagues confirm earlier suggestions that HBV does negatively impact HIV outcomes.
The results come from the U.S. Military HIV Natural History Study, which has the advantage of including people who test positive for HIV while receiving care through a variety of Army- and Navy-based medical facilities throughout the country. This allowed Chun and her colleagues to focus specifically on 2,352 individuals whose date of HIV infection could be estimated within three years—thereby allowing the researchers to circumvent a common problem in disease progression studies, notably accounting for significant variations in patient duration of HIV infection—and whose HBV infection status was known or determined with two years of becoming infected with HIV.
Each patient’s HBV status was classified as being chronic (active infection), resolved (earlier infection followed by clearance and immunity), or no evidence of past or current infection.
Of the 2,352 recent HIV seroconverters in the study, 20 percent had resolved HBV infection and 3 percent had chronic HBV infection. Roughly 74 percent had no evidence of HBV infection. An additional 3 percent tested positive for hepatitis B “core” antibodies (HBcAb) alone, in the absence of other antibodies, which comes with a number of possible interpretations and generally requires more extensive testing.
HIV-positive study subjects classified as having chronic HBV were twice as likely to die or develop an AIDS-defining illness, compared with those who were HBV negative. Even participants with resolved HBV infection or isolated HBcAb faced elevated risks of HIV disease progression or death, compared with HBV-negative individuals. Among those with resolved HBV infection, the relative risk was increased 35 percent. Among those with isolated HBcAb, the relative risk was increased 54 percent.
When Chun and her colleagues adjusted the data for confounding factors—for example, the date of HIV infection, given that nearly half of those included in the study were infected with HIV before 1996 when AIDS-related illnesses and death were much more common—the relative risk of developing an AIDS-related illness or dying among those with chronic HIV/HBV coinfection was still 80 percent higher compared with HIV-positive, HBV-negative individuals in the study. Increases in the relative risks of AIDS-related illness or death were also documented in those with resolved HBV infection and isolated HBcAB in the adjusted analysis, but these increases were not statistically significant; they could have been due to chance.
Of note, HCV infection was also associated with an increased risk of developing an AIDS-related illness or death in the study. However, resolved or chronic HCV infection was uncommon in the cohort—only 1.7 percent were positive for HCV antibodies—and, thus, no firm conclusions could be drawn from this finding.
The reasons for the higher risks of AIDS-related illnesses and deaths were not apparent to Chun’s team. Chronic HBV infection did not appear to increase average viral load levels, in the absence of ARV treatment, nor did it appear to be associated with lower CD4 cell counts. In turn, the authors note, it is still necessary to determine “whether hepatitis B is a surrogate of poorer outcome or whether it has a direct harmful impact on HIV disease progression.”
While key questions remain, there are important lessons to be learned from this study, according to an accompanying editorial written by Philip Peters, MD, and Barbara Marston, MD, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The analysis of [Chun’s group] moves us further toward an understanding of the increased mortality among persons with HIV/HBV coinfection. Although we remain with questions about whether HIV disease is indeed progressing more rapidly in these patients, there is no need to wait for answers before we amplify our response.”
Examples listed by Peters and Marston include stepped-up HBV vaccination efforts and the careful use of medications active against both HIV and HBV—such as Epivir (lamivudine), Emtriva (emtricitabine), Viread (tenofovir) or Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine)—in ARV drug regimens.
“There are undeniable barriers to achieving high rates of HBV vaccination and optimal treatment of HIV/HBV coinfection, both in the United States and internationally,” the CDC commentators note. “However, effective interventions exist and can be integrated into public health practice and clinical care.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Much like in people coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), there is no shortage of evidence suggesting that HIV infection negatively affects HBV-related liver disease progression, including increased risks of end-stage liver disease and liver cancer. And while it is generally believed that chronic HCV infection doesn’t directly affect HIV disease progression—thought it can mean complex drug interactions between hepatitis C and HIV meds and hasten liver toxicity while using ARVs—it hasn’t been clear whether chronic HBV infection is an independent risk factor for HIV disease progression or death.
Unfortunately, the JID study results authored by Helen Chun, MD, of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and her colleagues confirm earlier suggestions that HBV does negatively impact HIV outcomes.
The results come from the U.S. Military HIV Natural History Study, which has the advantage of including people who test positive for HIV while receiving care through a variety of Army- and Navy-based medical facilities throughout the country. This allowed Chun and her colleagues to focus specifically on 2,352 individuals whose date of HIV infection could be estimated within three years—thereby allowing the researchers to circumvent a common problem in disease progression studies, notably accounting for significant variations in patient duration of HIV infection—and whose HBV infection status was known or determined with two years of becoming infected with HIV.
Each patient’s HBV status was classified as being chronic (active infection), resolved (earlier infection followed by clearance and immunity), or no evidence of past or current infection.
Of the 2,352 recent HIV seroconverters in the study, 20 percent had resolved HBV infection and 3 percent had chronic HBV infection. Roughly 74 percent had no evidence of HBV infection. An additional 3 percent tested positive for hepatitis B “core” antibodies (HBcAb) alone, in the absence of other antibodies, which comes with a number of possible interpretations and generally requires more extensive testing.
HIV-positive study subjects classified as having chronic HBV were twice as likely to die or develop an AIDS-defining illness, compared with those who were HBV negative. Even participants with resolved HBV infection or isolated HBcAb faced elevated risks of HIV disease progression or death, compared with HBV-negative individuals. Among those with resolved HBV infection, the relative risk was increased 35 percent. Among those with isolated HBcAb, the relative risk was increased 54 percent.
When Chun and her colleagues adjusted the data for confounding factors—for example, the date of HIV infection, given that nearly half of those included in the study were infected with HIV before 1996 when AIDS-related illnesses and death were much more common—the relative risk of developing an AIDS-related illness or dying among those with chronic HIV/HBV coinfection was still 80 percent higher compared with HIV-positive, HBV-negative individuals in the study. Increases in the relative risks of AIDS-related illness or death were also documented in those with resolved HBV infection and isolated HBcAB in the adjusted analysis, but these increases were not statistically significant; they could have been due to chance.
Of note, HCV infection was also associated with an increased risk of developing an AIDS-related illness or death in the study. However, resolved or chronic HCV infection was uncommon in the cohort—only 1.7 percent were positive for HCV antibodies—and, thus, no firm conclusions could be drawn from this finding.
The reasons for the higher risks of AIDS-related illnesses and deaths were not apparent to Chun’s team. Chronic HBV infection did not appear to increase average viral load levels, in the absence of ARV treatment, nor did it appear to be associated with lower CD4 cell counts. In turn, the authors note, it is still necessary to determine “whether hepatitis B is a surrogate of poorer outcome or whether it has a direct harmful impact on HIV disease progression.”
While key questions remain, there are important lessons to be learned from this study, according to an accompanying editorial written by Philip Peters, MD, and Barbara Marston, MD, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The analysis of [Chun’s group] moves us further toward an understanding of the increased mortality among persons with HIV/HBV coinfection. Although we remain with questions about whether HIV disease is indeed progressing more rapidly in these patients, there is no need to wait for answers before we amplify our response.”
Examples listed by Peters and Marston include stepped-up HBV vaccination efforts and the careful use of medications active against both HIV and HBV—such as Epivir (lamivudine), Emtriva (emtricitabine), Viread (tenofovir) or Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine)—in ARV drug regimens.
“There are undeniable barriers to achieving high rates of HBV vaccination and optimal treatment of HIV/HBV coinfection, both in the United States and internationally,” the CDC commentators note. “However, effective interventions exist and can be integrated into public health practice and clinical care.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
New Plan Targets HIV/STDs
new state plan to prevent HIV and other STDs was presented to about 20 health care providers and community advocates on Dec. 8 at the Star Institute in Lubbock. The Texas HIV/STD Prevention Community Planning Group created the document; Ricky Waite, a local member, outlined key aspects of the approach for representatives from Amarillo, Midland-Odessa, El Paso and Lubbock.
The mission is to be “a community plan that speaks to people and provides a guide with recommendations for reducing HIV and STD infection, regardless of funding or lack of it,” said Waite.
The region must address issues such as policy, stigma, health care, criminal justice, and education as part of prevention planning, Waite said. “We can no longer just have [testing and treatment] as our only prevention. We have to start looking at ‘How does this affect HIV prevention?’ We have to look at community organizations such as schools . . . [and] stigma, from family and friends to social networks.”
Incorporating community input, linking prevention to care, and coordinating prevention efforts statewide are goals of the effort, according to Waite. The plan prioritizes outreach to nine population groups at particularly high risk for HIV infection.
Linda Brice, an RN and associate professor at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, said the presentation was helpful. As founder and director of programs for Teen Straight Talk, a sex education effort aimed at youths and their families, Brice noted the importance of nonprofits working together to share information and contacts. She believes community outreach is one of the answers to Lubbock’s problem of high STD/HIV rates. “We’ve got to be able to reach everybody,” she said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The mission is to be “a community plan that speaks to people and provides a guide with recommendations for reducing HIV and STD infection, regardless of funding or lack of it,” said Waite.
The region must address issues such as policy, stigma, health care, criminal justice, and education as part of prevention planning, Waite said. “We can no longer just have [testing and treatment] as our only prevention. We have to start looking at ‘How does this affect HIV prevention?’ We have to look at community organizations such as schools . . . [and] stigma, from family and friends to social networks.”
Incorporating community input, linking prevention to care, and coordinating prevention efforts statewide are goals of the effort, according to Waite. The plan prioritizes outreach to nine population groups at particularly high risk for HIV infection.
Linda Brice, an RN and associate professor at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, said the presentation was helpful. As founder and director of programs for Teen Straight Talk, a sex education effort aimed at youths and their families, Brice noted the importance of nonprofits working together to share information and contacts. She believes community outreach is one of the answers to Lubbock’s problem of high STD/HIV rates. “We’ve got to be able to reach everybody,” she said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
UTHSC Gives Teenagers 411 on Sex, STD Prevention
The University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and the Shelby County Health Department marked World AIDS Day by hosting some 250 teenagers for a special session, “The 411 on Sex.”
Andrea Williams, community development coordinator for the infectious-diseases division at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, noted that HIV is on the rise locally. “If we don’t reach the youth who could potentially contract the virus, then there may not be a future in Memphis,” she said.
Young people who attended the Dec. 4 session at UTHSC’s Student Alumni Center submitted anonymous questions about sex and STDs. Pamela Houston, the center’s special events director, said questions like “If I’m on the pill, can I still get an STD?” or “Can I get HIV from kissing?” indicate a lack of knowledge on the part of city youths.
“We are skating around the issue, acting like they are not going to have sex,” said Houston. “We’re not addressing the real issue to the real people who have the issue.”
Speaker Tameka Harrison worked to dispel some of the myths young people may have about HIV/AIDS. She asked the youths to close their eyes and imagine what a person with HIV looks like. “Most people think of a sickly, skinny person when they think of someone who is HIV-positive, but I get to show them that HIV looks just like me - like any person,” said Harrison, who learned a year ago she was HIV-positive.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Andrea Williams, community development coordinator for the infectious-diseases division at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, noted that HIV is on the rise locally. “If we don’t reach the youth who could potentially contract the virus, then there may not be a future in Memphis,” she said.
Young people who attended the Dec. 4 session at UTHSC’s Student Alumni Center submitted anonymous questions about sex and STDs. Pamela Houston, the center’s special events director, said questions like “If I’m on the pill, can I still get an STD?” or “Can I get HIV from kissing?” indicate a lack of knowledge on the part of city youths.
“We are skating around the issue, acting like they are not going to have sex,” said Houston. “We’re not addressing the real issue to the real people who have the issue.”
Speaker Tameka Harrison worked to dispel some of the myths young people may have about HIV/AIDS. She asked the youths to close their eyes and imagine what a person with HIV looks like. “Most people think of a sickly, skinny person when they think of someone who is HIV-positive, but I get to show them that HIV looks just like me - like any person,” said Harrison, who learned a year ago she was HIV-positive.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Heroin Deaths in Fort Collins Inspire a Need for Needle-Exchange Program
Following three reportedly heroin-related deaths within a month in Fort Collins recently, advocates there contend that the realities of drug use warrant a local syringe-exchange program. In 2010, Colorado passed a law authorizing counties to legally adopt SEPs.
Boulder now has a legal SEP, and Denver is following suit. Larimer County was expected to become the next logical site, but advocates say public discussion on an SEP is almost non-existent.
“We need approval from the local board of health, and we have been hosting these conversations since July,” said Jeff Basinger, executive director of the Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP), which leads a coalition in support of SEPs. “We’ve met three times and provided them with information.”
Pivotal to Boulder County’s approval was support from the local district attorney, law enforcement and a “very progressive” court system interested in taking a public health approach to drug offenses, said Carol Helwig, the county’s HIV/STI outreach coordinator. “After the change in law it takes a long time to build stakeholder support and to get all of your ducks in a row. Getting on an agenda for a local board of health takes time. It’s a big process,” she said. SEP clients are driving down from Greeley, Fort Collins and other northern areas, added Helwig.
“I would say it’s split, and I don’t know how it’s going to go,” Larimer County Board of Health member Adrienne Lebailly said of the board’s consideration of an NCAP SEP. “Probably in early 2012 there will be some sort of decision.” “We also have to consult with other entities,” including the district attorney and local law enforcement, she said. County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson said he is not yet taking any formal position.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Boulder now has a legal SEP, and Denver is following suit. Larimer County was expected to become the next logical site, but advocates say public discussion on an SEP is almost non-existent.
“We need approval from the local board of health, and we have been hosting these conversations since July,” said Jeff Basinger, executive director of the Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP), which leads a coalition in support of SEPs. “We’ve met three times and provided them with information.”
Pivotal to Boulder County’s approval was support from the local district attorney, law enforcement and a “very progressive” court system interested in taking a public health approach to drug offenses, said Carol Helwig, the county’s HIV/STI outreach coordinator. “After the change in law it takes a long time to build stakeholder support and to get all of your ducks in a row. Getting on an agenda for a local board of health takes time. It’s a big process,” she said. SEP clients are driving down from Greeley, Fort Collins and other northern areas, added Helwig.
“I would say it’s split, and I don’t know how it’s going to go,” Larimer County Board of Health member Adrienne Lebailly said of the board’s consideration of an NCAP SEP. “Probably in early 2012 there will be some sort of decision.” “We also have to consult with other entities,” including the district attorney and local law enforcement, she said. County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson said he is not yet taking any formal position.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Teen 'Sexting:' Less Common than Parents May Fear
The first study to look at the prevalence of “sexting” - sending sexually explicit pictures of oneself via digital media - among teens finds the practice is not as common as many parents fear.
The team surveyed 1,560 Internet-using children ages 10-17. When asked broadly about sexting, 2.5 percent said they had made or appeared in “nude or nearly nude pictures or videos” of themselves. However, just 1 percent of the youths said they had engaged in explicit sexting - pictures showing “naked breasts, genitals or bottoms” - during the past year. Older teens were far more likely than younger children to create, send, or receive sexual images.
Just 10 percent of youths who created sexually explicit images of themselves actually sent them to others, and 3 percent of kids who received such images forwarded them. The youths defined sexting in broader terms than adults.
Twenty-eight percent of youths making or receiving sexts reported them to adults or authorities or were caught getting or sending such messages. Most sexting is created in the context of a prank or an existing romantic relationship. Approximately three in 10 sexts occurred in situations where alcohol or drug use was an aggravating factor.
“The data suggest that appearing in, creating, or receiving sexual images is far from being a normative behavior for youth,” said investigators from the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center. Widespread reporting on the trend, legal actions against some who engage in it, and unfamiliarity with kids’ digital worlds can skew parents’ understanding of sexting, they said.
The study, “Prevalence and Characteristics of Youth Sexting: A National Study,” was published online in Pediatrics (2011;doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1730).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The team surveyed 1,560 Internet-using children ages 10-17. When asked broadly about sexting, 2.5 percent said they had made or appeared in “nude or nearly nude pictures or videos” of themselves. However, just 1 percent of the youths said they had engaged in explicit sexting - pictures showing “naked breasts, genitals or bottoms” - during the past year. Older teens were far more likely than younger children to create, send, or receive sexual images.
Just 10 percent of youths who created sexually explicit images of themselves actually sent them to others, and 3 percent of kids who received such images forwarded them. The youths defined sexting in broader terms than adults.
Twenty-eight percent of youths making or receiving sexts reported them to adults or authorities or were caught getting or sending such messages. Most sexting is created in the context of a prank or an existing romantic relationship. Approximately three in 10 sexts occurred in situations where alcohol or drug use was an aggravating factor.
“The data suggest that appearing in, creating, or receiving sexual images is far from being a normative behavior for youth,” said investigators from the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center. Widespread reporting on the trend, legal actions against some who engage in it, and unfamiliarity with kids’ digital worlds can skew parents’ understanding of sexting, they said.
The study, “Prevalence and Characteristics of Youth Sexting: A National Study,” was published online in Pediatrics (2011;doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1730).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Canadian Researchers' Device May Improve HIV Tracking
Canadian researchers are hoping to bring a small, cheap blood cell analyzer to HIV patients living in the developing world. The on-the-spot HIV blood testing device can monitor whether the disease has progressed, and it can be used outside the lab by a trained nurse, according to the team.
“There are tons of stories out there with people that walk half a day to a clinic to get blood [drawn], and that sample gets taken by bicycle or by truck to a bigger urban center,” said team leader Rakesh Nayyar of the University of Toronto’s University Health Network. “And then they’ve got hundreds of tests, so they don’t get to the tests for days. You don’t get results [because] to disseminate the data takes a long time.”
Most machines currently performing flow cytometry are larger than a microwave and smaller than a dishwasher, said James Dou, a University of Toronto student who also is working on the device with his research adviser, Stewart Aitchison.
The first prototype is about the size of a loaf of bread. However, the device is being downsized to a little larger than a smartphone, with similar capabilities, such as a camera, GPS and wireless communication. The team also is working on database linkage to enable doctors to keep track of patients in remote areas, Dou said.
The cost per device will be about $5,000-$10,000 (US $4,800-$9,600), and each test will cost only a few dollars to process. By March, the team hopes to have up to 100 units ready for field testing in Malawi and Thailand.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
“There are tons of stories out there with people that walk half a day to a clinic to get blood [drawn], and that sample gets taken by bicycle or by truck to a bigger urban center,” said team leader Rakesh Nayyar of the University of Toronto’s University Health Network. “And then they’ve got hundreds of tests, so they don’t get to the tests for days. You don’t get results [because] to disseminate the data takes a long time.”
Most machines currently performing flow cytometry are larger than a microwave and smaller than a dishwasher, said James Dou, a University of Toronto student who also is working on the device with his research adviser, Stewart Aitchison.
The first prototype is about the size of a loaf of bread. However, the device is being downsized to a little larger than a smartphone, with similar capabilities, such as a camera, GPS and wireless communication. The team also is working on database linkage to enable doctors to keep track of patients in remote areas, Dou said.
The cost per device will be about $5,000-$10,000 (US $4,800-$9,600), and each test will cost only a few dollars to process. By March, the team hopes to have up to 100 units ready for field testing in Malawi and Thailand.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Wisconsin Clinic Continues Testing for HIV, Hepatitis Exposure
Because of possible exposure during the past five years to HIV and hepatitis B and C, more than 1,500 patients at the Dean Clinic in Madison, Wisconsin, have been tested for the viruses, madison.com reports.
The potential exposures occurred between 2006 and 2011, stemming from a diabetes nurse educator’s improper reuse of the handles of insulin demonstration pens and finger stick devices.
Test results have not yet been released. Testing is still ongoing and will continue until February 2012.
To read the madison.com article, visit: http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/2a966a79-984c-5e39-944e-352cdf9a918c.html.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The potential exposures occurred between 2006 and 2011, stemming from a diabetes nurse educator’s improper reuse of the handles of insulin demonstration pens and finger stick devices.
Test results have not yet been released. Testing is still ongoing and will continue until February 2012.
To read the madison.com article, visit: http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/2a966a79-984c-5e39-944e-352cdf9a918c.html.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
LGBT Discrimination Fuels HIV Rate in Guatemala
Discrimination against LGBT people in Guatemala’s health care system keeps them from getting adequate HIV treatment, IPS reports.
Advocates claim that sexual minorities in Guatemala suffer systemic discrimination and that health care workers routinely divulge the results of HIV tests and stigmatize HIV-positive patients and colleagues. The advocates recommend that health workers receive mandatory HIV/AIDS education to dispel misinformation about how the virus is transmitted.
In 2010, 7.6 percent of men who have sex with men in Guatemala were HIV positive. An estimated 65,000 people out of the country’s 14 million are living with HIV.
To read the IPS article, visit: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106207.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Advocates claim that sexual minorities in Guatemala suffer systemic discrimination and that health care workers routinely divulge the results of HIV tests and stigmatize HIV-positive patients and colleagues. The advocates recommend that health workers receive mandatory HIV/AIDS education to dispel misinformation about how the virus is transmitted.
In 2010, 7.6 percent of men who have sex with men in Guatemala were HIV positive. An estimated 65,000 people out of the country’s 14 million are living with HIV.
To read the IPS article, visit: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106207.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
San Bernardino Gets $27M to Assist Ex-Prisoners With HIV, Hepatitis
To better handle cases of tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health has received nearly $27 million to connect with prisoners of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation immediately following their release, RedlandsDailyFacts.com reports.
The health department will identify infected inmates at Day Reporting Centers—an intensive supervision program that reduces overcrowding—that will fully open in March 2012.
The health department’s re-entry task force is still discussing other recommendations for setting up prisoners with medical care before their re-entry to life on the outside.
To read the RedlandsDailyFacts.com article, visit: http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/ci_19513240?source=rss.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The health department will identify infected inmates at Day Reporting Centers—an intensive supervision program that reduces overcrowding—that will fully open in March 2012.
The health department’s re-entry task force is still discussing other recommendations for setting up prisoners with medical care before their re-entry to life on the outside.
To read the RedlandsDailyFacts.com article, visit: http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/ci_19513240?source=rss.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
NYC AIDS Memorial Park Coalition Gains Support
New York City bold-faced names and leaders are stepping forward to support the Queer History Alliance’s proposal to turn St. Vincent’s Triangle Park in the West Village into an AIDS memorial, according to an AIDS Memorial Park (AMP) statement.
Fashion designer Kenneth Cole and Academy Award–winning actress Whoopi Goldberg have signed on to judge a competition to generate ideas for the memorial park design.
In addition, actresses Julianne Moore and Susan Sarandon have joined AMP as supporters along with interior designer Jonathan Adler, creative ambassador-at-large at Barneys New York Simon Doonan and director Todd Stephens.
To read the AMP statement, visit: http://www.poz.com/pdfs/AMP_additions_release_final.pdf.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Fashion designer Kenneth Cole and Academy Award–winning actress Whoopi Goldberg have signed on to judge a competition to generate ideas for the memorial park design.
In addition, actresses Julianne Moore and Susan Sarandon have joined AMP as supporters along with interior designer Jonathan Adler, creative ambassador-at-large at Barneys New York Simon Doonan and director Todd Stephens.
To read the AMP statement, visit: http://www.poz.com/pdfs/AMP_additions_release_final.pdf.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Time Names HIV Treatment as Prevention the No. 3 Medical Breakthrough of 2011
In its “Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs” of 2011, Time magazine has listed HIV treatment as prevention at number three, just behind the use of cloning to create stem cells and a first-ever malaria vaccine.
The magazine cites recent studies that show that an HIV-positive person who adheres to effective antiretroviral (ARV) treatment has less virus in his or her system, and therefore the likelihood of HIV transmission is reduced by 96 percent.
The “treatment as prevention” banner also includes pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, which is when an HIV-negative partner takes daily ARVs to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
These two breakthroughs in HIV treatment, experts say, offer more tools in the global battle against HIV. Treatment as prevention demonstrates that getting ARVs to HIV-positive people cannot only save lives but can curb the spread of the virus.
To read the Time article, visit: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2100769_2100760,00.html.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The magazine cites recent studies that show that an HIV-positive person who adheres to effective antiretroviral (ARV) treatment has less virus in his or her system, and therefore the likelihood of HIV transmission is reduced by 96 percent.
The “treatment as prevention” banner also includes pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, which is when an HIV-negative partner takes daily ARVs to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
These two breakthroughs in HIV treatment, experts say, offer more tools in the global battle against HIV. Treatment as prevention demonstrates that getting ARVs to HIV-positive people cannot only save lives but can curb the spread of the virus.
To read the Time article, visit: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2100769_2100760,00.html.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
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