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Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News Archive - October 2023
Meet Gregory Darnell Victorianne, who has dedicated decades to HIV prevention and research in Los Angeles
October 31, 2022 - By UCLA Health - ‘I thought about all the friends I had lost to AIDS. This was my calling.’
Gregory Victorianne remembers a certain day when he was sitting down with one of his best friends on the porch drinking margaritas.
“That’s when he told me; he had AIDS,” Victorianne says. “It caught me off guard. My glass dropped.”
UCSF Honors Nancy Pelosi for Her Extraordinary Leadership on HIV/AIDS
October 31, 2023 - By Victoria Colliver - UCSF - U.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi was honored at UC San Francisco with the first ever Bay Area Global Health Alliance Leadership Award for championing policies supporting people living with AIDS/HIV throughout her career.
The Speaker Emerita received the award at an event on Oct. 30, 2023, hosted by the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences in collaboration with the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, Public Health Institute, San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
TB vaccine: WHO expert explains why it’s taken 100 years for a scientific breakthrough, and why it’s such a big deal
October 31, 2023 - Charles Shey Wiysonge, Stellenbosch University - The BCG vaccine for TB has been used for 100 years. It is largely effective for children under five, but less so in older people and can’t be used on patients who have certain medical conditions. Today we’re the closest we’ve ever been to discovering a vaccine that might replace or complement it. Charles Shey Wiysonge, the World Health Organization’s Regional Adviser for Immunisation, discusses the latest developments in the fight against one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Why has it taken so long?
We do not yet have a new vaccine for TB. But, for the first time, there are several vaccine candidates that are at advanced stages of clinical development.
Durbin Calls Out House Republicans For Dangerous Effort To Block Reauthorization Of AIDS Relief
WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 30, 2023 - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois - In A Speech On The Senate Floor, Durbin Slams Republicans For Falsely Claiming That PEPFAR Funds Abortions Abroad
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor emphasizing the positive impact of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved more than 25 million lives worldwide in conjunction with its companion effort, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. In his speech, Durbin criticized House Republicans for threatening to halt the reauthorization of PEPFAR despite the program’s effectiveness by falsely arguing that the program funds abortions abroad.
“I don’t agree with former President George Bush on many things, but I have given him credit repeatedly for making the United States a leader in stemming the HIV/AIDS pandemic in some of the poorest parts of the world… PEPFAR, and its companion effort, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, dramatically curtailed the AIDS epidemic that was ravaging the world,”Durbin began.
Pinpointing HIV immune response
OCTOBER 30, 2023 - Los Alamos National Laboratory - Refined understanding of T cells’ action in the body’s battle against the AIDS-causing virus will help improve treatments
New research combining computer modeling and experiments with macaques shows the body’s immune system helps control human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections largely by suppressing viral production in already infected cells while also killing viral infected cells, but only within a narrow time window at the start of a cell’s infection.
“To eliminate HIV, we have to understand how the immune system attempts to control the infection,” said Ruy M. Ribeiro, a theoretical biologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory who led the development of the model underpinning the research. Ribeiro is the corresponding author of the paper about the findings, published in Nature Communications.
Ronald ROSENES Obituary (2023) - The Globe and Mail
October 28, 2023 - RON ROSENES Loving friend, partner, advocate, embracer of life and all the good things in it, Ron Rosenes passed away peacefully, in Toronto, on October 21, 2023, at the age of 76. A key figure in the world of HIV/AIDS activism for over thirty years, Ron brought light, solace, hope, urgency and clarity to the cause that came to define him in the public eye. His name was, both here in Canada and abroad, synonymous with commitment, selflessness and fearlessness in the struggle to better the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and keep that struggle at the forefront of the public health agenda the world over.
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PrEP Usage in U.S. Hits Historic Highs, But Disparities Persist
October 27, 2023 - By Robert Kessler - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released preliminary data showing a continued increase in PrEP uptake in 2022. While the overall trend of expanded access to the HIV prevention tool may in part account for fewer reported infections overall, the numbers also show widening inequities between who can and cannot access the medication—and who remains at risk for HIV unnecessarily.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a biomedical intervention that is more than 99% effective at preventing sexual transmission of HIV. (Truvada for PrEP is also indicated for preventing transmission of HIV via injection drug use.) It is an important tool in bringing an end to the HIV pandemic, but, more than 10 years after FDA approval, many people who could benefit are still not able to access PrEP.
The Teresa Group supports youth, families impacted by HIV and AIDS
October 27, /2023 -By Nick Westoll - In the heart of Toronto’s Downtown Yonge East neighbourhood, The Teresa Group is doing important work with children and families impacted by HIV and AIDS by providing vital support to families that can be hard to come by elsewhere.
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From the Lavender Scare to the AIDS epidemic, 'Fellow Travelers' tells an epic gay love story
Oct 27, 2023 - By Max Gao - The Showtime limited series, starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, chronicles the romance between two men against the backdrop of key moments in queer history.Ron Nyswaner has long been interested in the ways in which human sexuality intersects with the law, having written the screenplays for “Freeheld,” “Soldier’s Girl” and “Philadelphia” (the groundbreaking legal drama for which Tom Hanks won the Academy Award in 1994). But with “Fellow Travelers,” the limited series that premieres Friday on Paramount+ and Sunday on Showtime, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter has spearheaded the ambitious adaptation of a decadeslong love story that marks the culmination of his life’s work.
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Elton John Praises Madonna for Her ‘Advocacy & Compassion’ With Celebration Tour AIDS Tribute
10/27/2023 -By Stephen Daw - The “Rocket Man” singer thanked the Queen of Pop for using her platform to bring visibility to an ongoing crisis.
As Madonna continues her monthslong journey across the globe and back through her career with her Celebration Tour, pop icon Sir Elton John is ready to give the “Ray of Light” singer her flowers..
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EACS 2023: HIV services in Ukraine resilient but under pressure, Friday 27 October 2023
27 October 2023 - Five cases of viral rebound on injectable treatment puzzle researchers
Although there is continuity in HIV prevention, treatment and care in Ukraine, the country is starting to falter in its provision of some services and has become reliant on external funding.
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Dalhousie and Memorial University of Newfoundland-led research team awarded CIHR grant for pharmacy-based sexual health services project
October 26, 2023 - by Josey Houle - Dalhousie University - Dr. Kyle Wilby, associate professor and associate director of program evaluation in the College of Pharmacy, is co-leading a much-needed and nationally-anticipated research project: Improving sexual health for Canadians through a pharmacy-based sexual health services model.
The research project has received a Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) Implementation Science Team (IST) Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The grant has a value of $1.9 million and will be distributed over a five-year period.
Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers identify key takeaways for AIDS service organizations to ensure resilience
October 26, 2023 - By Erin Bluvas - Arnold School of Public Health | University of South Carolina - The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed health care systems across the United States. More than 100 million cases and one million deaths later, clinicians and researchers are still unraveling the lessons learned from this global public health crisis.
In a recent publication in AIDS and Behavior, scientists from the University of South Carolina identified seven lessons regarding health care system resilience learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, these takeaways detail ways that AIDS service organizations in South Carolina were able to persevere through the pandemic. Taken together, these facilitators may offer a roadmap for organizational resilience when faced with the next public health crisis.
Viral reprogramming of cells increases risk of cancers in HIV patients
(SACRAMENTO) - October 26, 2023 - By Stephanie Winn - UC Davis Health - Viral infections are known to be a central cause of more than 10% of cancers worldwide. University of California researchers may have uncovered one of the key reasons why. Their findings were published today in PLOS Pathogens, a journal that reports groundbreaking work to advance understanding of how pathogens impact diseases such as cancer.
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher Yoshihiro Izumiya teamed up with Michiko Shimoda, who previously worked in the Izumiya Lab at UC Davis. Currently, she is a member of the Core Immunology Lab at UC San Francisco. Together, they led UC Davis researchers in the study of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). The herpesvirus is linked to AIDS-related Castleman disease and multiple cancers such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and lymphomas.
Long-acting injectable treatment highly effective in European cohort studies
26 October 2023 - Keith Alcorn - Five cases of viral rebound on injectable treatment puzzle researchers
Long-acting injectable treatment with cabotegravir and rilpivirine did not result in a higher rate of viral rebound, a study in the Netherlands shows.
But looking at five cases of viral rebound in the Dutch cohort, investigators observed the development of high-level drug resistance to one or both injectable agents that could seriously limit future treatment options.
The findings were presented last week at the 19th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2023) in Warsaw.
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Iris House Celebrates 30 Years Serving NYC Women and Families Facing HIV
October 26, 2023 - By Laura Schmidt - Iris House’s 30th anniversary comes shortly after it opened a new location in New Jersey, expanding its HIV services and programs. [VIDEO]
On October 19, Iris House, an HIV organization for women and families, celebrated 30 years of service with a party honoring its staff, supporters, state officials and more.
Founded in 1992, Iris House, named after AIDS activist, writer and performer Iris De La Cruz, provides comprehensive support, prevention and education services for women, families and underserved communities affected by HIV and AIDS.
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Guest Opinion: The AIDS crisis brought out the best in Dianne Feinstein
October 25, 2023 - by Sal Rosselli - The last time Dianne Feinstein, who died September 29, ran for U.S. Senate, the member-leaders of my union voted to endorse her opponent. At the time, the question seemed to be not so much why weren't we endorsing her in 2018, but why had we endorsed her in every election dating back to the San Francisco mayoral recall of 1983.
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Billions for life-saving AIDS program need to continue, George W. Bush Institute tells Congress
October 25, 2023 - By Amanda Seitz - The Associated Press - As billions of dollars for a global HIV/AIDS program credited with saving millions of lives remains in limbo, the George W. Bush Institute is urging the U.S. Congress to keep money flowing for it.
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Toronto HIV advocate leaves behind legacy of empowerment
Oct 25, 2023 - Rahma Shafi - CBC News - Remembering Ron Rosenes: a trailblazing LGBTQ+ activist
Ron Rosenes was an outspoken LGBTQ+ activist who challenged stigma around HIV/AIDS and advocated in support of marginalized communities.
He even declared his own HIV status openly at a time when that meant facing increased discrimination.
Despite misinformation and fear, the prominent Torontonian remained focused on living a good life, once saying, "it's not just how long you live, but how well you live."
On Saturday, Oct. 21, Rosenes died. He was 75.
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ECDC and WHO launch new surveillance tool for respiratory viruses to improve early detection
Stockholm/Copenhagen: 25/10/2023:- ECDC - The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe have jointly developed the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), an interactive surveillance data dashboard for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that also features a weekly epidemiological summary. The primary aim of the platform is to serve as a tool for the early detection and communication of signals of respiratory virus circulation in the EU/EEA and WHO European region.
Gilead Named Number One Overall Philanthropic Funder of HIV-Related Programs for Second Year in a Row by Funders Concerned About AIDS
October 24, 2023 - FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today was recognized as the number one philanthropic funder of HIV-related programs for the second year in a row, in a new report released by Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA). FCAA’s annual Philanthropic Support to Address HIV and AIDS report is widely regarded as the most comprehensive study of its kind, and analyzed data from more than 5,000 grants, disbursed by 187 funders and awarded to 2,800 grantee organizations. The 2023 report analyzed 2021 funding data – the most recent yearly data available – and found that Gilead distributed more than 1,000 HIV-related grants totaling almost $240 million in HIV-related projects, ranking the company once again as the number one overall funder of HIV-related programs both globally and in the U.S.
REMEMBERING OUR FRIEND RON ROSENES
October 24, 2023 - HIV LEGAL NETWORK - Derek Dangerfield and colleagues have been awarded a UG3 award entitled "Identifying socioecological profiles that impact changes in care outcomes among Black sexual minority men living with HIV". The project is a prospective cohort study that aims to identify the HIV care riskscape for Black sexual minority men living with HIV and examine how multilevel factors impact changes in retention in HIV care, treatment adherence, and viral suppression.
EN SOUVENIR DE NOTRE AMI RON ROSENES
October 24, 2023 - Réseau juridique VIH - Ron Rosenes était un amoureux de la vie et des gens. Il défendait les personnes vivant avec le VIH et le sida, ainsi que les droits de la personne au sein de la communauté 2SLGBTQ+. Il aimait les arts, avait une vivacité d’esprit qui se reflétait dans son style impeccable, et représentait une présence rassurante qui assurait la confiance pour beaucoup d’entre nous. Le monde était meilleur avec lui.
PCH Associate Professor Derek Dangerfield is awarded a UG3 award entitled “Identifying socioecological profiles that impact changes in care outcomes among Black sexual minority men living with HIV”
October 24, 2023 - George Washington University - Derek Dangerfield and colleagues have been awarded a UG3 award entitled "Identifying socioecological profiles that impact changes in care outcomes among Black sexual minority men living with HIV". The project is a prospective cohort study that aims to identify the HIV care riskscape for Black sexual minority men living with HIV and examine how multilevel factors impact changes in retention in HIV care, treatment adherence, and viral suppression.
Dr. Anthony Fauci to be awarded 2024 Inamori Ethics Prize by Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence
Newswise — CLEVELAND, OH - 24-Oct-2023 - Physician, immunologist and infectious disease expert has saved millions of lives through dedication to research and public health
The Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University will award Dr. Anthony Fauci, a physician, immunologist, and infectious disease expert, with the 2024 Inamori Ethics Prize.
“Dr. Fauci has cared not only for the nation’s health, but also the health of the world,” said Case Western Reserve President Eric W. Kaler. “As a scientist, research leader and public health advisor, his contributions to scientific discovery have truly improved lives. His leadership through one of the most challenging times in history—the COVID-19 pandemic—serves as a model for us all.”
HIV-positive parents in Zimbabwe struggle to manage their children’s education – study shows how
October 24, 2023 - Over the past three decades researchers have explored various aspects of the impact of the HIV pandemic. One focus area has been children who have lost their parents to AIDS. Less attention has been given to children who are raised by parents living with HIV. This group has become much bigger as more people have access to antiretroviral therapy and are therefore expected to raise their children.
Our research in Zimbabwe looked at the effects the HIV status of parents had on their children’s education.
Uganda to roll out injectable HIV drug
OCTOBER 24 2023 - The East African - In less than three months, Uganda is expected to join three other African countries where an injectable drug has been approved for HIV/Aids prevention.
News of the significant development was revealed yesterday by the Uganda Aids Commission (UAC), hailing it as an effective, safe and more user-friendly disease prevention measure compared to existing options.
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UM LEADS $12.3M CONTRACT TO ADVANCE TB VACCINE
MISSOULA - 23 October 2023 - University of Montana - The National Institutes of Health recently awarded a $12.3 million contract to the University of Montana to develop a novel vaccine adjuvant for use in a tuberculosis vaccine. Adjuvants are substances that boost the effectiveness of vaccines.
The five-year award went to UM’s Center for Translational Medicine and its partners. The contract is titled “Development of UM-1098: A Novel Synthetic Th17 Inducing Adjuvant and Delivery System.”
NETREACH - A New Website for Sexual Healthcare Access in India
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India - October 23, 2023 - NETREACH is a new website which now lets you book appointments for Sexual Health support anywhere in India. It helps users get support for a range of testing and treatment options for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV.
The Humsafar Trust (HST), India’s oldest LGBTQ+ organisation, has embarked on a nation-wide program to cater to the growing demand for seeking healthcare online. With the increasing number of people using online platforms to seek partners and dating applications, it's imperative that sexual healthcare also establishes a significant online presence to reach at-risk populations with information and access to services.
Examining the effects of climate change and extreme weather on HIV
October 23, 2023 - Harrison Tasoff - Two new grants from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases will support innovative research to advance the understanding of how climate change and extreme weather influence HIV-related health outcomes around the world.
A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), UC Santa Barbara, UC San Francisco and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine will examine the effects of extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall, hurricanes and drought, on short and long-term outcomes of over 2 million people living with HIV who have enrolled in HIV care at clinics in 44 countries around the world.
Report finds Canadian youth feel unprepared, scared to have sex
October 22, 2023 - Aaron Sousa - Sex education classes provided scientific information but lacked practical knowledge
Young Canadians aren't happy with the quality of sexual education and leave the classroom feeling awkward, unprepared and scared to have sex, a new report from a Toronto-based think tank suggests.
LetsStopAIDS, a youth-driven Canadian charity that raises HIV awareness among young Canadians, released the findings of its second Sex Lives Report this week, based on data collected in May through a survey sampling 1,090 Canadians aged 18 to 24.
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Former Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez has died at the age of 76
NASSAU, BAHAMAS - October 21, 2023 - Natario McKenzie - Gomez is known globally for his work on HIV/AIDS research, being the founder and director of the National HIV Programme of the Bahamas. Under his direction, the Programme had a major impact on decreasing the spread of the disease. HIV transmission rates in the Bahamas declined by more than 30 percent and HIV transmission from mother-to-child also decreased dramatically.
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How I gave birth to a HIV negative baby, while living with the virus
October 21, 2023 - By Winnie Kimani - Lydia Ekitela, a single mother living with HIV since 2012, did not know she could give birth to an HIV-negative child.
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Laying the path to a brighter future: Realize as a leader on HIV and aging in Canada
Monday, October 30, 2023
1-2pm EDT on Zoom
Join us for a walk down memory lane and a critical discussion on the need to re-think the current HIV response as the population ages. We’ll explore some of Realize’shistoric and current efforts to drive positive change for aging and older people living with HIV in Canada.
Ouvrir la voie à un avenir meilleur : Réalise en tant que leader sur le VIH et le vieillissement au Canada
Lundi 30 octobre 2023
de 13h00 à 14h00 ET sur Zoom
Rejoignez-nous pour un voyage dans le temps et une discussion critique sur la nécessité de repenser la réponse actuelle au VIH à mesure que la population vieillit. Nous explorerons certains des efforts historiques et actuels de Réalise pour susciter des changements positifs en faveur du vieillissement et des personnes âgées vivant avec le VIH au Canada.
Bryan Shepherd’s research to validate EHR data receives MERIT Award from the NIH
Oct. 20, 2023 - by Paul Govern - Bryan Shepherd, PhD, professor of Biostatistics and Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has received a MERIT Award, or Method to Extend Research in Time Award, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Mpox Outbreak Escalates in Europe
GENEVA (Precision Vaccinations News - OCTOBER 20, 2023 - The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced its 29th Situation Report for the multi-country mpox outbreak, which details the latest epidemiology of the global outbreak that began in May 2022 and has impacted 115 countries.
On October 20, 2023, the WHO confirmed a cumulative total of 91,123 laboratory-confirmed cases of mpox, including 157 deaths, have been reported to WHO.
New York State Department of Health Announces PrEP Aware Week to Promote Sexual Health and HIV Awareness & Prevention
ALBANY, N.Y. (OCTOBER 20, 2023) - This Year's Theme is: "PrEP is for Every Body"
Learn More About PrEP Aware Week Here
The New York State Department of Health has announced that the state's fifth annual PrEP Aware Week will take place on October 23-29, with a full week of virtual and in person events. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, is medication that can prevent HIV and promote sexual health for New Yorkers who are at risk of HIV.
"PrEP is a safe, affordable, and effective medication that prevents the sexual transmission of HIV and supports overall positive sexual health," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "PrEP Aware Week empowers New Yorkers to have open conversations with their sexual partners and medical providers. I encourage everyone to learn about this safe and accessible HIV prevention method."
Threat of Fungal Infections And Need for New Drugs Are Still Acute
OCTOBER 20, 2023 - By Myles Starr - Nearly three years after the FDA convened experts for a public workshop to address the unmet need for antifungal agents, the antifungal pipeline remains small due to a host of hurdles.
Vivent Health’s Food Pantries Help Keep HIV Clients Undetectable
October 20, 2023 - By Trent Straube - Vivent’s Denver and Kansas City clinics report increased demand at their food pantries. “Without food…people don’t take their medicine.”
Vivent Health, an HIV care provider with locations across four states, says its clinics in Denver and Kansas City have reported an increased demand at their food pantries—and that meeting that need is an important factor in helping people with HIV reach and maintain undetectable viral load levels.
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COVID-19 raises the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with HIV
20 October 2023 - Keith Alcorn - People with HIV who were diagnosed with COVID-19 had a 35% higher risk of a major cardiovascular event in the following year compared to other people with HIV, a Spanish study presented on Thursday at the 19th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2023) in Warsaw reported.
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Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS begins annual fall fundraising
October 20, 2023 - RUTHIE FIERBERG - Broadway News - Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has launched its six-week fall fundraising campaign. The bi-annual red bucket donation collection will kick off on Oct. 20 at performances across Broadway, Off-Broadway and national tours. The campaign will continue through Dec. 3 and culminate with the annual “Red Bucket Follies” event.
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10 Charged in $20 Million Scheme to Sell Black-Market H.I.V. Drugs
October 20, 2023 - RUTHIE FIERBERG - Broadway News - Federal prosecutors said the defendants encouraged low-income patients to sell their medication to them, then resold the drugs and used the money to buy luxury goods.
Federal prosecutors have accused 10 people of orchestrating a $20 million scheme to “get rich” by buying and selling black-market H.I.V. medications that in some cases had been purchased from low-income patients who risked their lives by selling it.
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New Data Presented at EACS 2023 Further Demonstrate Strong Clinical Profile of Twice-Yearly Sunlenca® for Adults With Multi-Drug Resistant HIV
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- October 20, 2023 - – Two-Year Resistance Analysis from CAPELLA Pivotal Trial Reinforces Sunlenca as a Person-Centered Option in Combination with an Optimized Background Regimen –
– Latest Research Highlights the Potential Impact of Lenacapavir on the Future of HIV Clinical Care –
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) presented new data today supporting Sunlenca® (lenacapavir) as an important treatment option for adults with multi-drug resistant (MDR) HIV who have extensive treatment history. These findings highlight the significance of lenacapavir, the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment medication administered twice-yearly, as a person-centric therapy option and its potential to help transform the future of coordinated HIV clinical care. The data were presented at the 19th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2023) in Warsaw, Poland, from October 18-21.
How ACT UP Changed the Face of AIDS and Activism
Oct 20, 2023 At Liberty Podcast - 2023 - October marks LGBTQ History Month, and this week on At Liberty we are honoring the legacy of LGBTQ activism throughout the AIDS epidemic.
Throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, AIDS claimed the lives of thousands of New Yorkers per year, with city, state, and national governments doing little to address the crisis. In response to government inaction and homophobia, a group of New York City activists founded ACT UP, a grassroots, queer-led protest movement to urge action, call for change, and stand in the gap as thousands of queer people died. Due to their dogged persistence, steadfast unity in diversity, and pointed demonstrations, ACT UP achieved lasting victories in medical treatment, health care access, and more.
Real-World Evidence Reinforces Biktarvy® as a Long-Term Treatment Option With a High Barrier to Resistance for People With HIV and a Range of Comorbidities
October 19, 2023 - – Three-Year Outcomes from the BICSTaR Study Further Demonstrate the Consistent Efficacy and Safety Profile of Biktarvy,Providing Insights for HIV Clinical Care –
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced today new long-term real-world data from the BICSTaR study highlighting the safety and efficacy profile of Biktarvy® (bictegravir 50 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg tablets, B/F/TAF) as a treatment regimen for a broad range of people with HIV, including those with a prior treatment history or comorbidities. These findings were presented at the 19th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2023), taking place October 18-21 in Warsaw, Poland.
ViiV HEALTHCARE TO PRESENT 23 ABSTRACTS FROM INNOVATIVE HIV TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PORTFOLIO AT EACS 2023
London, 18 October 2023 - Key data to be presented include long-term and real-world data from ViiV Healthcare’s portfolio of medicines, including long-acting and 2-drug regimens.
ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Pfizer and Shionogi as shareholders, today announced the presentation of key abstracts highlighting the breadth of its approved and investigational medicines at the 19th Annual European AIDS Conference (EACS2023) being held in Warsaw, Poland from 18-21 October 2023.
Gilead Sciences Announces New Clinical Trial in Europe to Assess Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention as Part of Landmark Purpose Program
October 18, 2023 - FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced PURPOSE 5, the first Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate an investigational long-acting HIV prevention option in Europe. The study will assess the persistence—defined as consistent and continuous use—of lenacapavir compared with emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF) in people who may benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and who are not currently taking PrEP. The study has an intentional focus on recruiting participants from groups across France and the United Kingdom that are disproportionally affected by HIV and often underrepresented in clinical trials.
HIV in the brain – does it correlate with neurocognitive symptoms?
18 October 2023 - Zekerie Redzheb - In some cases, HIV can bypass the barrier that encases the brain and cerebrospinal fluid which can contribute to brain inflammation and neurocognitive symptoms. However, diagnosing this viral ‘escape’ into cerebrospinal fluid is challenging due to its anatomical inaccessibility. Swiss researchers found that the presence of the virus did not clearly correlate with symptoms. In their paper published in the Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes, they also conclude that the only way to know whether the virus is present in the cerebrospinal fluid is taking a small amount of fluid directly from the spine.
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THE MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY LAUNCHES THE ‘KNOCKING OUT AMR’ PROJECT
October 17, 2023 - The Microbiology Society is pleased to announce the launch of the ‘Knocking Out AMR’ project, supporting feasible, effective solutions to AMR through international, cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The project aims to bring together everyone who works in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), whoever they are and wherever they are. If you work in AMR, register your interest on our website to keep up to date with opportunities to get involved.
Canadian study underscores need to build resilience in women with HIV
October 17, 2023 - The researchers called for interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination and build resilience
The Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Study (CHIWOS) has enrolled at least 1,422 women since 2013. Researchers with CHIWOS regularly survey participants about issues related to their health and well-being. Women in CHIWOS live in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. CHIWOS has collected a mass of data and has produced useful analyses in past reports.
Man controls HIV for 23 years after a short course of treatment
16 October 2023 - Zekerie Redzheb - A very few people with HIV can control the virus without treatment; some of them can suppress the virus from the very beginning, while others achieve control with the help of initial antiretroviral therapy. This is the case of a man who has been effectively controlling the virus for 23 years after a short course of treatment. A team of Dutch researchers found that the virus is still present and intact in his cells and blood. They tried to explore the mechanisms by which he could maintain this control and described their findings in the journal AIDS.
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$11.3 Million Grant Funds CMV / HIV CAR T Cell Therapy Study for Adults with HIV
October 16, 2023 (Precision Vaccinations News) - An innovator of novel immunotherapies has partnered with one of the largest cancer research in evaluating a CAR T therapy for HIV in an early-stage clinical trial so that one day, more people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus might achieve long-term remission.
Helocyte, Inc. today announced that it executed an exclusive option agreement with the City of Hope for patent rights to use Triplex, a cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine, in combination with cytomegalovirus-specific, Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus ("HIV") Chimeric Antigen Receptor ("CAR") (collectively, CMV/HIV-CAR) T Cells for the treatment of adults living with HIV.
HIV stigma campaign 40 years after tombstone ads
October 16, 2023 - BBC - An advert aimed at tackling the stigma around HIV is to air on Scottish TV nearly 40 years after the "Don't Die of Ignorance" campaign.
The Terrence Higgins Trust, the charity behind the advert, said Scotland could be the first country in the world to end new cases of the virus.
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TaiMed Announces Significant Progress in Clinical Trials for New HIV Treatment
TAIPEI, Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Company champions long-acting HIV therapy with new biologic drug TMB-365/380 combination; after favorable results of Phase 1b/2a, company plans to accelerate Phase 2 clincial study to expedite path to market
TaiMed Biologics, an innovation-driven biotech company dedicated to serving unmet healthcare needs, has announced favorable results and the successful completion of the sentinel group in its phase 1b/2a clinical study evaluating its groundbreaking new treatment for HIV — Long-Acting TMB-365/TMB-380 mAb Combination Maintenance HIV Therapy — initially unveiled at its investor conference on September 6. Following a professional assessment of dosing selection, the company has confirmed the dosages required for the future administration of the two-month combination therapy, thereby achieving its original goals for the sentinel group clinical trial.
Latest Advances in Person-Centric HIV Treatment Research and the Impact of Global Collaboration
October 16, 2023 - Gilead - Gilead announced plans to present new long-term and real-world HIV treatment research data at the 19th European AIDS Conference (EACS) taking place October 18-21 in Warsaw, Poland and virtually, as part of the company’s leading efforts to drive person-centric advances in HIV through scientific research and its focus on forging community partnership to help end the HIV epidemic.
Eyewitness Newsmakers: HIV is no longer a death sentence - a look at new preventions, treatments
October 15, 2023 - By Marc Brown and Kristie R Bihn ABC7 - Long before there was COVID-19, the world feared another virus: HIV. The virus that causes AIDS has killed more than 40 million people worldwide. Today, however, nearly as many people are living with HIV as have died from it.
In the latest episode of Eyewitness Newsmakers, we discussed the prevention and treatments now available.
Cases of HIV cure
October 2023 - Keith Alcorn Gus Cairns - This page provides information on people who have been cured of HIV or appear able to control the virus without treatment. These cases have all been reported by scientists in medical journals or at scientific conferences. Sometimes, people are described as having long-term viral control without antiretroviral therapy (ART) or being in ‘remission’. This reflects uncertainty about whether HIV levels might eventually rebound.
While these cases are unusual, a major focus of HIV cure research involves finding out how these people manage to control their HIV, and developing therapies to help more people do the same thing.
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Madonna’s beautiful tribute to friends who died of AIDS on Celebration Tour has fans in tears
October 15, 2023 - by Amelia Hansford - Madonna, the Queen of Pop herself, dedicated an emotional performance on the opening night of her Celebration Tour to LGBTQ+ people who have lost their lives to AIDS.
The iconic pop star and LGBTQ+ ally kicked off her much-anticipated Celebration Tour at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday (14 October), and dedicated the performance of her acclaimed 1986 ballad “Live to Tell” to those who died during the HIV/AIDS crisis, including her personal friends.
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Theratechnologies Announces Results from Trogarzo® (Ibalizumab-uiyk) Intramuscular Administration Study
MONTREAL, Oct. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Theratechnologies Inc. (“Theratechnologies” or the “Company”)(TSX:TH)(NASDAQ: THTX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies, today announced results from a study evaluating an intramuscular (IM) method of administration for Trogarzo® (ibalizumab-uiyk), a monoclonal antibody antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the treatment of heavily treatment-experienced adults with multidrug-resistant (MDR) HIV-1 infection failing their current antiretroviral regimen.
The TMB-302 study, conducted in partnership with TaiMed Biologics, enrolled 21 subjects (7 HIV-positive and 14 HIV-negative) to assess the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of IM administration of Trogarzo® as compared to intravenous (IV) infusion.
UBC’s 2023 Partnership Recognition and Exploration fund boosts collaborative projects
October 13, 2023 - UBC Faculty of Medicine community members are co-leading three projects that received a funding boost from UBC’s 2023 Partnership Recognition and Exploration (PRE) fund, a collaborative community-university initiative.
The PRE Fund awards up to $1,500 to bridge small resource gaps, enabling community partners to forge reciprocal relationships with the university. Since 2017, the fund has invested more than $547,000 in 361 community-university partnerships, with approximately 50 per cent of the funding supporting IBPOC-led community organizations.
Long Beach to explore building an HIV/AIDS memorial
October 13, 2023 - By ALFREDO SANTANA - Long Beach will explore the feasibility of establishing an AIDS/HIV memorial to pay homage to the more than 700,000 Americans who have died of the disease since its outbreak in the 1980s.
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Janet Jackson to Headline 2023 World AIDS Day Concert: Exclusive
October 13, 2023 - By Gail Mitchell - The AIDS Healthcare Foundation's annual event is set for Dec. 1 at Houston's NRG Arena.
Music icon Janet Jackson is set to headline this year’s World AIDS Day concert. The five-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s full-length show — in support of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) annual event benefiting HIV/AIDS awareness — will take place Dec. 1 at NRG Arena in Houston.
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National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day 2023
October 13, 2023 - By Trent Straube - #NLAAD celebrates 20 years of Latino AIDS education on Sunday, October 15. This year’s theme focuses on various ways to prevent HIV.
Sunday, October 15, marks National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (#NLAAD) 2023. It’s the 20th anniversary of the campaign to promote HIV and AIDS education in the Latino community. NLAAD was created by the Latino Commission on AIDS (LCOA) and the Hispanic Federation.
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PrEP, a Key HIV Prevention Tool, Isn’t Reaching Black Women
October 13, 2023 - By Sam Whitehead and KFF Health News - Black women face obstacles like lack of awareness about who would benefit from PrEP and medical professionals wary about prescribing it.
Alexis Perkins thought her OB-GYN’s office in Atlanta would be just the place to get a prescription for the type of drug that reduces a person’s risk of contracting HIV.
But during a recent visit, the medical assistant who greeted her had not heard of the medicines known as preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and she seemed uncomfortable discussing it, Perkins said. Her provider had heard of it but didn’t feel confident prescribing it.
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Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases and IAVI announce partnership to accelerate global translational research for infectious diseases
NEW YORK and TOKYO — October 13, 2023 - IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, and Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), the primary infectious disease research institute funded by the Government of Japan, have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen their international cooperation for research and development (R&D) to control infectious diseases.
The partners agreed to explore collaborative R&D programs to advance vaccine- and antibody -related technologies and products, including conducting trials of products developed or provided by NIID with IAVI’s network of clinical research center partners across Africa and India. Additionally, the partners will seek opportunities to develop human resources by exchange of scientists across the two organizations and their network of research and clinical facilities.
BC-Cfe Webinar:
The Interplay Between Pain and Addiction
BC-CfE webinar Learning Series Event
Cost: Free Registration
Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 12:00 – 1:00 PM (PST).
This webinar will be presented by:
Dr. Launette Rieb Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia;
Pain and Addiction Medicine Consultant, St. Paul's Hospital;
Pain and Addiction Medicine Consultant, ActumHealth.
Presentations will be followed by a discussion where participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive real-time responses from presenters.
Hoosen Coovadia, Medical Force in South Africa’s H.I.V. Fight, Dies at 83
Oct 12, 2023 - By Stephanie Nolen - An esteemed pediatrician, he overcame apartheid’s barriers to help make his country a global leader in H.I.V. care and research.
Hoosen Coovadia, a pediatrician who used science to fight for racial justice in apartheid South Africa and later transformed the approach to H.I.V. treatment for pregnant women in Africa and beyond, died on Oct. 4 at his home in Durban. He was 83.
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Hawaiʻi HIV/AIDS conference resumes in person with inspirational stories
OCTOBER 12, 2023 - University of Hawaiʻi News - HIV/AIDS continues to be an ongoing health issue internationally, nationally and locally as dozens of people are diagnosed each year with the virus in Hawaiʻi, according to the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH). Since 2021, 64 people have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the state.
Inspirational stories from people who have lived with the virus and discussions on finding a cure were among the highlights at the 5th annual Hawaiʻi to Zero Conference (H20) sponsored by various Hawaiʻi health partners including DOH, Hawaiʻi Center for AIDS (HICFA) at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and DOH in September. It was the first time the conference has been held in person since the COVID-19 pandemic.
IDSA Honors Infectious Diseases Leaders at IDWeek 2023
OCTOBER 11, 2023 - The Infectious Diseases Society of America is pleased to honor 11 infectious diseases leaders at IDWeek 2023 with Society Awards for their contributions to infectious diseases and public health.
“On behalf of the Society, I am proud to recognize each of these distinguished members for their outstanding contributions in furthering the field of infectious diseases,” said Carlos del Rio, MD, FIDSA, president of IDSA. “As we look toward the opportunities and challenges of the future, my hope is that the remarkable work of these award recipients will serve as an inspiration to the next generation of ID professionals.”
‘The start of the national Aids movement’: Act Up’s defining moment in queer protest history
11 October 2023 - Nora Neus - Desperate Aids patients and their allies in the 80s confronted the US government and ushered in a new era of forceful protests
On a chilly October morning in 1988, about 1,500 protesters descended upon a nondescript glass office building in suburban Rockville, Maryland. They were Aids patients, friends and queer activists from all over the country protesting what they saw as the failures of the US Food and Drug Administration to approve medications to fight Aids. The disease had already killed at last 45,000 Americans in less than a decade.
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HIV incidence rates are not decreasing for gay and bisexual men living in Africa
11 October 2023 - Felicia Bamgbose - Rates estimated at 27 times higher than for other men in eastern and southern Africa and 199 times higher than for other men in western and central Africa
A recent large review suggests that while testing and knowledge of status may be improving, there is no progress in terms of viral suppression and prevalence of HIV for gay and bisexual men in Africa. Overall the HIV incidence in Africa is falling but this is not being replicated for gay and bisexual men, so these inequalities need to be addressed if the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets are to be met for 2025. This systematic review from James Stannah and colleagues, published in Lancet HIV, evaluated HIV trends over almost two decades. The criminalisation of gay relationships in 32 African countries and stigma are likely to be barriers to HIV prevention for this group.
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Educational Videogame Intervention Encourages Teens to Get Tested for HIV
October 10, 2023 - CBC - Teenagers made up an estimated 20 percent of new cases of HIV infection in the United States in 2020. The actual percentage, however, is likely to be higher because it is known that adolescents are the least likely of any age group to be aware of their HIV status and may unknowingly transmit the virus to others. Only 9 percent of high school students in the United States report ever being tested for HIV.
The reasons for this are varied and include inadequate sex education, social and economic barriers, and ongoing stigma surrounding HIV, along with misconceptions about the safety of getting tested.
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Treatment-resistant infections, a “slow-moving catastrophe”
October 10, 2023 - By Carleigh Gabryel - UNC-Chapel Hill - From discovery to prevention to treatment, researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill are working to understand and mitigate the global rise of untreatable infections.
Nearly every one of us has had an ailment that was treated with an antibiotic. Think about what would happen if that treatment didn’t work. More than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant — or treatment-resistant — infections happen every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These range from infections of the skin due to staphylococcus bacteria (staph), sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea, and multiple illnesses caused by the Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria, including pneumonia.
Syphilis transmission in U.S. higher among transgender women and Black gay and bisexual men, study finds
October 10, 2023 - Northwestern University - As rates soar across the country, scientists grapple with addressing multiple populations and ‘curbing a potential epidemic’
Transgender women and Black gay and bisexual men in Chicago are nearly twice as likely to contract syphilis at some point in their lives as white gay men, according to a new study conducted by scientists at Northwestern University.
The study, “Syphilis prevalence, incidence, and demographic differences in a longitudinal study of young sexual and gender minority adults assigned male at birth,” is the first to examine syphilis over time among young sexual and gender minorities — a category which encompasses gay and bisexual men, trans women and non-binary individuals. They found meaningful demographic differences in prevalence, across participants’ lifetimes and during the six-month period of the study, leading to a more nuanced understanding of risk factors for the under researched group.
Pitt TB Vaccine Discovery Paves Path to End No. 1 Killer of People Living with HIV
October 10, 2023 - By Allison Hydzik - Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered a tuberculosis (TB) vaccination strategy that could prevent the leading cause of death among people worldwide living with HIV.
The results, published this week in Nature Microbiology, showed that, when given intravenously, the only commercially available vaccine against TB successfully and safely prevents lung infection in monkeys infected with the simian, or primate, form of HIV, called SIV. This is despite the vaccine being contraindicated for people living with HIV.
WHO/Europe, the European Commission and the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention urge eligible groups to get vaccinated or boosted to save lives this autumn and winter
Stockholm, 9/10/2023:- ECDC - As autumn moves to winter, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission and the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) are issuing a clear, urgent message: people who remain unprotected against both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza – especially the most vulnerable and at-risk – should take up any offer for vaccination to prevent or mitigate the impact of these co-circulating respiratory infections.
Integrated health services in Africa can improve patient care and save money
6-OCT-2023 - UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON - Integrated health care for chronic high-burden conditions in sub-Saharan Africa is feasible and health services could deliver high-quality services for less cost than with the current approach of separate vertical care for each condition, a new study led
Presently, health care services for non-communicable conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are fragmented and the quality of care is inequitable when compared with services for HIV. Much less than half of the people who start treatment for diabetes or hypertension on the continent remain in care one year later and about 2 million premature deaths are attributed annually to the effects of these two conditions. In contrast, the vast majority of people living with HIV are in regular care and virally suppressed. Mortality rates of people with HIV have fallen over 5-fold since their peak in the early 2000s.
Integrated chronic care in Africa can improve outcomes and save money
6-OCT-2023 - LA TROBE UNIVERSITY - A cost saving option for chronic care in Africa
Across Africa about two million premature deaths each year are caused by the effects of diabetes and hypertension.
In contrast, most people living with HIV are in regular care and virally suppressed, and HIV mortality rates have fallen five-fold since their peak of 2 million deaths annually in the early 2000s to less than 500,000 in 2022.
Defective HIV particles may drive inflammation despite long-term viral suppression
6 October 2023 - Zekerie Redzheb - People with HIV experience ongoing low-level inflammation which may contribute to worsened health outcomes compared to the general population, however it has been challenging to pin it down on an exact cause. Findings of a collaboration of scientists from the US National Institutes of Health link the persistent inflammation seen in people with HIV to defective HIV particles. Their work also confirms the presence of the virus’ components despite undetectable status as described in the journal AIDS.
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HIV support groups in Manitoba struggle for funding as transmission rates rise
October 6, 2023 - CBC - A new program has launched to address a dramatic increase in HIV cases across Manitoba. The Manitoba HIV Program has a new outreach team called PATHS. They will visit encampments and other places to offer vulnerable people living with HIV — medication and support.
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The Fight Over AIDS-Relief Program PEPFAR Could Have Far-Reaching Consequences
October 6, 2023 - BY MATHIAS HAMMER - TIME - Congress narrowly avoided—at least for now—a federal shutdown thanks to a stopgap funding bill approved on Sept. 30. But throughout the whirlwind of activity on Capitol Hill to keep the government running, the deadline passed to reauthorize a vital global health program that’s been credited over the last two decades with saving more than 25 million lives across some 50 countries.
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Increasing The Number of People Protected Against HBV
OCTOBER 6, 2023 - By Cheryl Alkon - With the April 2022 recommendation that all U.S. adults between the ages of 19 and 59 years be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV), the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) hopes to significantly increase the number of people who are protected against this disease.
SUSTAIN Center at UH commemorates five years of combatting AIDS/HIV epidemic in Southern U.S.
6-OCT-2023 - UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON - SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center leadership reflects on accomplishments
The SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center of the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work has made a lasting impact in the fight against the HIV epidemic in the Southern U.S. over the past five years, particularly for Black and Latinx-led organizations. The SUSTAIN Center is one of four across the South funded by the Gilead COMPASS Initiative®, an unprecedented 10-year, more than $100 million effort to address the Southern HIV epidemic by collaborating with local community organizations and stakeholders to use evidence-based solutions to meet the needs of people living with and impacted by HIV/AIDS.
HIV Headlines Two Big Events During One Week in Chicago [VIDEOS]
October 6, 2023 - By Trent Straube - The AIDS Run & Walk Chicago raised $520,000, and Howard Brown Health opened its five-story LGBTQ and HIV clinic in Lakeview.
Chicago’s HIV community got a double dose of good news recently. During the last week of September, Howard Brown Health, which operates LGBTQ health centers, opened a five-story clinic in Lakeview. A few days later, the 32nd annual AIDS Run & Walk Chicago, which raises funds for AIDS Foundation Chicago and over 25 community partners, brought in $520,000.
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Vaccines: A few minutes now could spare you misery later
October 5, 2023 - Kara Gavin - A guide to the seasonal vaccines you should get as an adult
What are you looking forward to this fall and winter?
Getting together with friends to cheer for your favorite teams? Halloween parties? Going to concerts or that new restaurant you want to try? Family holiday traditions? Maybe a trip somewhere warm?
But wait!
Unless you act now, you could instead be looking at a week or two lying on the couch, miserable. A potential trip to the emergency room. Using up your sick time at work, or going without pay because you don’t get sick time. Excruciating pain. Long-lasting fatigue. Or maybe weeks in the hospital.
UNE professor awarded $1.7 million to study treatment for HIV nerve complications
October 5, 2023 - UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND - Ling Cao, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of biomedical sciences in the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to research the development of a novel drug to alleviate nerve pain in more than half of HIV patients.
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Celebrating Senator Dianne Feinstein, an Early Leader on HIV/AIDS
October 4, 2023 - Serving in the United States Senate for more than 30 years, Senator Dianne Feinstein enjoyed an illustrious political career and will be remembered for her pioneering achievements and her unstinting dedication to a range of important issues and causes, including HIV/AIDS.
The first woman from California to be elected to the Senate, Sen. Feinstein was also the first woman to be elected mayor of San Francisco in 1979. When the city became ground zero during the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s, she was among the first to call for funding for AIDS research, announcing a plan to invest nearly $300,000 in research in 1982, just a year after the first cases of AIDS had been reported.
Saskatoon AIDS Walk marks 30th anniversary
Oct 04, 2023 - Julia Peterson - The Star Phoenix - The last three decades have brought hard-fought victories, but there is much more work to be done to address HIV and AIDS in Saskatoon.
A lot has changed about the state of HIV and AIDS in Saskatoon — much for the better — since 1993, when the city’s first AIDS fundraising walk took place.
Read more...
UNAIDS welcomes new decision in Colombia allowing more affordable access to quality HIV medicines
BOGOTÁ/GENEVA, 4 October 2023 - Colombia makes landmark decision to declare the HIV medicine dolutegravir of public interest, allowing the country to purchase or manufacture more affordable, generic versions of the live-saving HIV medicine
UNAIDS applauds the government of Colombia for declaring the HIV medicine dolutegravir of public interest. This important breakthrough in public health measures will allow the government to issue a compulsory license, breaking the monopoly, and making it much more affordable for the Colombian government to purchase or manufacture. The new decision could mean that the price of the life-saving medicine is reduced by as much as 80%.
The United Nations welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision to decriminalize same sex relations in Mauritius
GENEVA, 4 October 2023 - This will speed up progress to end the AIDS pandemic and save lives.
he United Nations in Mauritius—which includes UNAIDS, UNFPA, OHCHR, UNDP and WHO—welcome today’s ruling by the Supreme Court of Mauritius that a discriminatory law criminalizing consensual same sex relations is unconstitutional and will be immediately struck from the legal code. Previously, under Section 250 of the Mauritian Criminal Code (which dated back to 1898) anyone convicted could have faced up to five years in prison.
“The Supreme Court today overturned an obsolete colonial law and demonstrated its commitment to non-discrimination and leaving no-one behind,” said Lisa Singh, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mauritius. “The UN in Mauritius and internationally welcomes the decision of Mauritius to join the growing list of African countries protecting the human rights of everyone, including LGBTQI+ people.”
Unmet health needs for HIV, hypertension and diabetes in rural South Africa
October 04, 2023 - by Jeff Hansen - The burden of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes is increasing globally, especially in low-income and middle-income countries where they occur alongside epidemics of communicable diseases like HIV. A large public health survey in South Africa led by Emily Wong, M.D., has assessed the multimorbidity health needs of individuals and communities in rural KwaZulu-Natal and established a framework to quantify met and unmet health needs for individuals living with infectious and non-communicable diseases. The study is published in The Lancet Global Health.
Gilead to Present Latest Innovative Virology Data on Current and Potentially Transformative Therapies Across HIV and COVID-19 at IDWeek 2023
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- October 03, 2023 - – Latest HIV Treatment Research Reinforces Biktarvy Efficacy Data in a Broad Range of People with HIV and Highlights the Potential Impact of Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir on the Future of HIV Clinical Care –
– Data Reinforces Veklury’s Strong Safety Profile and Continued In Vitro Activity Against New Variants –
– Studies Evaluate Utility of Obeldesivir as a Potential Treatment for COVID-19 –
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced new data from its virology research and development programs that will be presented at IDWeek 2023, October 11-15 in Boston. These latest data demonstrate the company’s ongoing efforts to address the unmet medical needs of people and communities affected by HIV and COVID-19. Gilead will be presenting 16 abstracts, including real-world evidence, as the company continues to pursue the next wave of scientific discovery in virology.
The development of initiatives to support HIV-positive Ukrainians in Poland has started!
October 3, 2023 - AFEW International - 20 participants of the project “Ukrainian refugees with HIV living in Poland engaged in HIV policy and practice”, supported by VIIV Healthcare (GIPA Accelerator Fund) have started the most interesting stage – development of initiatives, aimed at supporting HIV-positive Ukrainians and representatives of vulnerable groups under temporary protection in Poland.
This is a unique experience of co-operation that unites Polish and Ukrainian activists in achieving common goals. Together Ukrainian activists and Polish mentors have prepared mini-projects and are conducting organisational activities to implement these initiatives. In the process of implementing these projects, we will share with you news and insights from our activists. And now – some feedback from the participants after the Training Programme.
HIV diagnoses in England increasing, but long-term trend uncertain
3 October 2023 - Keith Alcorn - HIV diagnoses rose in England in 2022, but much of the increase was due to the arrival of people with HIV already on antiretroviral treatment rather than an increase in HIV transmission, the UK Health Security Agency reported today in its annual report on HIV in England.
New HIV diagnoses (cases not diagnosed previously abroad) increased by 12% in heterosexual men and women but continued to decline in gay and bisexual men.
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Deadly, Treatment-Resistant Fungus Sees Notable Rise
October 2, 2023 - by Laura Kelley - UC Anschutz Medical Campus - As Hollywood portrays fictional fungi, the real Candida auris poses a severe threat to the immunocompromised
The fungus Candida auris is showing up more frequently in high-risk areas such as intensive care units at hospitals, posing a serious risk especially for immunocompromised patients. This fungul blood infection spreads quickly in the immunocompromised, and can kill one in three patients.
While the hit TV show “The Last of Us” depicts a fictional fungus, there is a real fungus causing concern in the healthcare community, and it can be deadly.
HIV self-test kits are meant to empower those at risk - but they don’t necessarily lead to starting HIV treatment or prevention
October 2, 2023 - HIV self-test kits were developed to make it easier for people to access HIV testing. However, our research team has found that many people who use self-test kits do not go on to receive needed HIV treatment or start preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, to prevent future infection.
In 2016, the World Health Organization recommended HIV self-test kits as a way for people to confidentially test for HIV in their homes or other private places. Each kit contains detailed instructions on how to administer the test and read the results without the help of a clinician. However, the instructions advise confirming results in a health facility to improve access to care, especially for those with a positive reading.
Saskatoon’s 30th Annual AIDS Walk takes place Sunday
Oct 1, 2023 - By Carol Thomson - One of the longest running AIDS Walks in Canada is Sunday in Saskatoon. It will be the 30th annual and is one of the few AIDS walks in Canada as well as the longest running according to Saskatoon City Councillor Hilary Gough. The walk is hosted by OUTSaskatoon, Saskatoon Sexual Health and Prairie Harm Reduction.
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POZ CRUISE –
HIV CRUISE RETREAT #18
POZ Cruise Oct 28 - Nov 05, 2023
Our 18th Cruise For People Living with HIV! Men, Women, Family & Friends Invited. Gay & Straight! Over 200 Expected!
This is the 18th cruise we are running for people living with HIV. The cruise is open to men and women, gay and straight, as well as family and friends. Cabin shares available. Over 200 expected!
Our 18th HIV Cruise Retreat will sail from Fort Lauderdale on the Celebrity Equinox to San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Tortola and Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), plus 2 and a half days at sea.
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