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Hanging out with “We the Geeks”

AIDS.gov — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:56:00 +0000

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.

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Hanging out with “We the Geeks”

HIV Vaccine Research Update and HVTN 505

AIDS.gov — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:14:00 +0000

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

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HIV Vaccine Research Update and HVTN 505

Discrimination, neglect and HIV incidence — we’re reading why every day…

ScienceSpeaks — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:10:00 +0000

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…)

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Discrimination, neglect and HIV incidence — we’re reading why every day…

FDA to Convene Meeting on HIV Patient-Focused Drug Development and HIV Cure…

AIDS.gov — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:59:00 +0000

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.

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FDA to Convene Meeting on HIV Patient-Focused Drug Development and HIV Cure…

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day Bulletin

AIDS.gov — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:41:00 +0000

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.

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HIV Vaccine Awareness Day Bulletin

May 19th is National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

AIDS.gov — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:36:00 +0000

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.

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May 19th is National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

The Lancet publishes a special issue to coincide with the upcoming Women…

Maternal Health Task force — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:25:00 +0000

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 →

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The Lancet publishes a special issue to coincide with the upcoming Women…

May 18th HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD): A Conversation with Dr. Carl…

AIDS.gov — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:42:00 +0000

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, .

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May 18th HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD): A Conversation with Dr. Carl…

Hepatitis Testing Day

AIDS.gov — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:24:00 +0000

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.

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Hepatitis Testing Day

Digital Storytelling: “Taking Root” to End Stigma and Raise Awareness

AIDS.gov — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:20:00 +0000

By Stephanie Goss, B.A., Communications Manager, Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness CenterThe Banyan Tree Project launched Taking Root: Our Stories, Our Community last year for May 19, the National Asian & Pacific Islander (A&PI) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Taking Root puts the power to end HIV stigma back in the hands of the community through a community-driven, community-owned digital storytelling initiative. Since then, we have held four workshops in California, Hawai’i, and Guam, where A&PIs living with or affected by HIV produced their own true, authentic, and unfiltered stories about their lived experiences with HIV and stigma. By the end of 2013, we will have completed three more workshops in San Francisco, San Diego and Cincinnati, OH. Asians & Pacific Islanders comprise over 50 different ethnic groups speaking over 100 different languages

Moving Forward on HIV Vaccine Awareness Day

AIDS.gov — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:23:00 +0000

By Nelson L. Michael, M.D., Ph.D., Colonel, Medical Corps, U.S. Army, Director, U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of ResearchCol.

Effect of HIV infection on pregnancy-related mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: secondary analyses of pooled community-based data from the network for Analysing Longitudinal Population-based HIV/AIDS data on Africa (ALPHA)

GHHub — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:06:00 +0000

Model-based estimates of the global proportions of maternal deaths that are in HIV-infected women range from 7% to 21%, and the effects of HIV on the risk of maternal death is highly uncertain. We used longitudinal data from the Analysing Longitudinal Population-based HIV/AIDS data on Africa (ALPHA) network to estimate the excess mortality associated with HIV during pregnancy and the post-partum period in sub-Saharan Africa.

via Effect of HIV infection on pregnancy-related mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: secondary analyses of pooled community-based data from the network for Analysing Longitudinal Population-based HIV/AIDS data on Africa (ALPHA) : The Lancet.

Maternal deaths and HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa

GHHub — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:48:11 +0000

In the past 30 years, reduction of maternal mortality has been a prominent focus in global public health. Improvements in women’s reproductive health and antenatal and obstetric services mean that Millennium Development Goal 5 (target A of which aims to reduce maternal mortality by 75% between 1990 and 2015) has come within sight in many countries, most notably in Latin America and Asia. Yet across sub-Saharan Africa, maternal mortality has been an intractable problem. More than 50% of all maternal deaths occur in Africa, and the maternal mortality ratio in sub-Saharan Africa is more than double the global average

via Maternal deaths and HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa : The Lancet.

Social and economic determinants of unequal HIV care access among people…

GlobalizationAndHealth — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Background: Equity in access to health care among people living with HIV (PLHA) has not been extensively studied in Peru despite the fact there is significant social diversity within this group. We aimed to assess the extent to which health care provision to PLHA, including ARVT, was equitable and, if appropriate, identify factors associated with lower access. Methods: We conducted a survey among adult PLHA in four cities in Peru, recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS), to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, social network size, household welfare, economic activity, use of HIV-related services including ARV treatment, and health-related out-of-pocket expenses. Results: Between September 2008 and January 2009, 863 individuals from PLHA organizations in four cities of Peru were enrolled. Median age was 35 (IQR = 29–41), and mostly male (62%)

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Social and economic determinants of unequal HIV care access among people…

Viral Hepatitis Action Plan Celebrates 2nd Anniversary, Looks Toward Future

AIDS.gov — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:33:00 +0000

By Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesDr. Howard K. Koh This month marks the second anniversary of Combating the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis – and over the past two years, with your support, we have been able to achieve: Improved federal coordination and collaboration – The Action Plan has fostered enhanced engagement and unprecedented collaboration across federal government.

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Viral Hepatitis Action Plan Celebrates 2nd Anniversary, Looks Toward Future

Highlights from the Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group’s annual meeting

Maternal Health Task force — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:10:00 +0000

Written by Samantha Lattof, MHTF Senior Research and Evaluation Manager Despite encouraging progress, coverage of malaria control efforts among pregnant women remains low. Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) continues to be a substantial contributor to maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in … Continue reading →

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Highlights from the Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group’s annual meeting

Cross Post: How multiple small steps change lives: Inside P&G’s…

PSIHealthyLives — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:34:21 +0000

Procter & Gamble’s flagship social initiative has helped save the lives of 30,000 children globally. Katharine Earley explores how the firm is using the program to engage consumers and meet its goals. This originally appears on 2 Degrees Network here. As the global water crisis intensifies, some 780 million people lack access to safe water, while nearly 2,000 children under the age of five die from water and sanitation-related diarrheal diseases every day. That is more than from HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. Increasingly, major companies are tackling fundamental health and development issues, including safe drinking water, as they move beyond cutting their own impacts to make a positive contribution to society

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Cross Post: How multiple small steps change lives: Inside P&G’s…

Twin epidemics: HIV and Hepatitis C in the urban Northeast

GHHub — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:19 +0000

A new Yale study looks at the scope and consequences of a burgeoning health problem in the cities of the U.S. Northeast: concurrent infection with both HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV). The study appears online in the May 14 issue of the Public Library of Science (PLoS One).

via Health News – Twin epidemics: HIV and Hepatitis C in the urban Northeast.

World: Emergency Medical Director ER-018 (source: Relief Web)

Eldis Jobs — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:25:00 +0000

Organization: International Medical Corps Country: World Closing date: 21 Jun 2013 NOTE – THIS POSITION IS TO APPLY TO A STAND BY ROSTER FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (ERT). Candidates selected for this position will be placed on the ERT standby roster and may be called when the International Medical Corps ERT responds to an emergency. This position is not compensated unless candidates are responding to an emergency response. When catastrophe hits, International Medical Corps is often one of the first humanitarian aid organizations on the scene—providing rapid and effective aid that saves lives, reduces suffering, and promotes self reliance. International Medical Corps has established an International Emergency Roster to ensure that emergency positions are filled in a timely manner with professionally qualified, gender balanced, geographically diverse, linguistically able and a highly motivated corps of professionals.

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World: Emergency Medical Director ER-018 (source: Relief Web)

HOPWA Demonstration Projects Seek Improved Coordination of Housing and Care…

AIDS.gov — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:17:00 +0000

By Amy Palilonis, M.S.W., Community Planning & Development Specialist, Office of HIV/AIDS Housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentAmy Palilonis Projects underway in seven communities around the nation are providing permanent and transitional housing and other support services to more than 200 households with families and individuals living with HIV/AIDS and informing the development of new cross-program approaches in HIV care. Seeking to better integrate and coordinate non-housing supportive services for people living with HIV (PLWH) with housing assistance, the projects advance the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). In September 2011, HUD awarded nearly $9 million in Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) competitive grant funding to projects in seven states

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HOPWA Demonstration Projects Seek Improved Coordination of Housing and Care…