You can only imagine the impact of the HIV epidemic on men who have sex with men in a country where institutionalized discrimination, bias and abuse is so extreme that sex between men is a felony that can lead to life in prison. You can only imagine, because in such an environment the data is not there.(Read more…)
By Lung Vu, Research Advisor, HIV & TB and Rena Greifinger, Technical Advisor, Sexual Reproductive Health and TB HIV has a devastating impact on men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria. “[B]ecause of stigma, discrimination, homophobia, and criminalization that MSM face in the course of their lives in many African countries, many are reluctant to access health care services and participate in research thus heightening their vulnerability to HIV infection,” says an article from the June 1 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immonudeficiency Syndromes (JSAIDS). Led by PSI’s Lung Vu, the researchers found MSM to practice very high-risk behavior: having more than one sexual partner and high rates of unprotected sex, as well as many who have sex with both men and women. Many of these men suffer with internalized homophobia and are therefore less likely to access HIV prevention and treatment services.
By GHHub
Mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) disorders occur frequently in patients with HIV and are associated with negative outcomes, including reduced adherence to antiretroviral medications (cART), and diminished quality of life. A review of PubMed and PsychInfo from 2001 to 2012 revealed a dearth of evaluated mental health services in HIV primary care, particularly in [...]
By GHHub
Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP) is this July launching another third Phase I trial to develop an HIV vaccine since 1999 when the first trial was launched. via allAfrica.com: Uganda to Conduct Another HIV Vaccine Trial (Page 1 of 2).
By GHHub
A new United Nations report says AIDS-related deaths in Africa are falling while the number of Africans getting treatment for the AIDS virus is on the rise. via UN: AIDS Deaths Down, Treatment Up in Africa.
By AIDS.gov
By Cristin Dorgelo, Assistant Director for Grand Challenges at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Cross-posted from Hanging out with “We the Geeks”Editor’s note: At AIDS.gov, we continue to look for ways to increase the reach of existing HIV/AIDS programs through technology and innovation. The White House is leading a Google+ hangout series about that very topic. Read more from the Office of Science and Technology Policy. This live event has concluded.
By AIDS.gov
By Miguel Gomez, Director, AIDS.gov, and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesMay 18th was HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, and we wanted to remind you of several posts we did last week on that subject. On Friday, we featured a guest post, Moving Forward on HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, by Dr. Nelson Michael, director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program
To the Most Vulnerable, The Least Reward: While the immense accomplishments of the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the governments that have worked with them have seen drops in HIV incidence as high as 73 percent in southern Africa, the benefits of these successes (Read more…)
By AIDS.gov
By Richard Klein, Patient Liaison Program Director, Office of Health and Constituent Affairs, Food and Drug AdministrationThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to talk to people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV/AIDS advocates. On June 14, under its Patient-Focused Drug Development initiative, FDA will ask PLWH to join an open public discussion about: the impact of HIV on daily your life, experience with currently available therapies to treat HIV, your views on issues related to HIV cure research, including perceived benefits and acceptable risk for participating in HIV cure research, and how best to ensure clear communication of potential benefits and possible risks through informed consent. This discussion is intended to help improve drug development and treatment, and get patients’ perspective into HIV cure research. The meeting takes place on June 14, 2013, from 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM at FDA’s White Oak Campus, located at: 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Building 31, (in The Great Room) Silver Spring, Maryland 20993 There is no cost to attend, but if you would like to attend, please register by June 5.
By AIDS.gov
By AIDS.gov Cross-posted from NIAID, NIHThe implementation of scientifically proven HIV prevention strategies is helping to reduce the number of new infections — the annual HIV infection rate globally fell by 22 percent from 2001 to 2011 — but a great deal more must be done. Significant scale-up of proven HIV prevention strategies coupled with the discovery of new HIV treatment and prevention interventions are needed to achieve an end to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. A safe, effective and durable HIV vaccine is an essential cornerstone to the long-term strategy to achieve this goal. Developing a safe and effective HIV vaccine has been a long and difficult process largely because HIV has proven to be an especially tough target. Recent developments with the HVTN 505 clinical trial and analyses from the HVTN 503 “Phambili” vaccine study have been disappointing, but they also provided clear answers about investigational vaccine strategies that, ultimately, were not effective.
By AIDS.gov
By Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesDr. Howard Koh As we celebrate Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month and the many accomplishments of AAPIs, we also want to recognize that these communities still face many barriers to health and health care, including HIV/AIDS. To recognize these challenges, May 19th has been designated as the National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
The Lancet has published a special issue, focused on maternal health, that comes just before the third Women Deliver conference to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This exciting issue includes several studies and comments that examine the critical factors … Continue reading →
By AIDS.gov
By Miguel Gomez, Director, AIDS.gov, and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesMay 18th is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD), led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health. We spoke to Dr. Carl Dieffenbach at NIH, who had this to say about HIV Vaccine Awareness Day: “[On Vaccine Awareness Day] we can take a moment to acknowledge the study participants who have given their time, their energy, .
By AIDS.gov
By Ronald Valdiserri, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Infectious Diseases, and Director, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesDr. Ronald Valdiserri This week, we mark the second annual observance of Hepatitis Testing Day. Establishment of this national health awareness day on May 19 was called for in the Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis as part of efforts to decrease health disparities by raising greater public and health care provider awareness, particularly among those populations most affected by hepatitis B and C infections. To achieve the goals of the Action Plan, we must address the fact that millions of Americans have chronic hepatitis, but most of them do not know they are infected.
