HIV & AIDS

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‘Overwhelming’ Evidence HIV Undetectable = Untransmittable Say US Experts

HIV positive people with an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit HIV. That’s the unequivocal conclusion from one of the leading health agencies in the US. Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) undertook a review of recent research. Their conclusion is simple: Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U). It’s the same message now backed by over 300 health agencies all around the world. The results of the NIAID review were published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). One of the reports co-authors is NIAID Director, Dr Anthony Fauci. He is widely regarded as […]

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Major Breakthrough: Scientists Succeed in Destroying HIV-infected Cells

Scientists have announced a potential major breakthrough in finding new HIV treatments. French researchers have revealed they have successfully destroyed cells infected with HIV. The scientists at Paris’ Institut Pasteur used metabolic activity inhibitors to eliminate ‘resevoir’ cells. Antiretroviral drugs are unable to completely remove the virus. Even when HIV is brought down to undetectable levels, a small amount of the virus is latent within certain cells. The virus can also multiply if people stop taking their medication. The virus remains in reservoirs, the CD4 lymphocyte immune cells, which are the main targets of HIV. Eliminating these hidden reservoirs of […]

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Trump Administration Suspends Study into HIV ‘Cure’

It’s been revealed that the Trump administration quietly shut down a study into a ‘cure’ for HIV in September. The study implanted human fetal tissue into mice in its quest to find effective new treatment for HIV. The human fetal tissue came from elective abortions. Although legal, anti-abortion groups oppose the research. According to a report in Science, the The Department of Health and Human Services forbid National Institute of Health (NIH) scientists from applying for any more fetal tissue to help with their studies. This impacted on two NIH laboratories. One of them, the National Institute of Allergy and […]

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HIV/AIDS Council Set to Hold Meeting — but Trump Still Hasn’t Appointed Members

The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS is set to hold a meeting in March, even though the council still has no members nearly a year after President Trump terminated its remaining advisers without explanation. According to an entry from Department of Health & Human Services set for publication in the Federal Register on Friday, PACHA “will be holding a meeting and will discuss recommendations regarding programs, policies, and research to promote effective prevention, treatment and cure of HIV disease and AIDS” on March 14-15, 2019. The meeting will be open to the public, the notice says, except the sessions will […]

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Trump Administration Suddenly Threatens Funding for HIV Research

Due to work and influence from pro-life and conservative figures, the Trump administrationhas created uncertainty around the future of HIV research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a contract with the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF). The school’s work relies on using fetal tissue for research into diseases like AIDS and Parkinson’s. Now, however, the future of this research is uncertain due to pro-life advocates against research using fetal tissue. According to the Washington Post, the contract between NIH and UCSF typically follows a year renewal with $2 million in funding. The researcher who runs the UCSF lab, […]

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Young Black Gay and Bisexual Men in US 16 Times More Likely to Acquire HIV

Young black American gay and bisexual men are 16 times more likely to acquire HIV than white gay and bisexual men, according to a new study. Northwestern University found black 16-29-year-old men who have sex with men (MSM) are the most at risk of HIV. This is despite reporting fewer sexual partners, more frequent testing and safer sex practises. Researchers said this is because of ‘more dense and interconnected social and sexual networks’ within the black community. There are also disparities with access to healthcare after an HIV diagnosis. The study warned if the trend persists, one in two black […]

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Gilead Accused of ‘Intentionally Withholding’ Safer HIV Drug

Pharmaceutical company Gilead is ‘intentionally withholding’ a safer drug used for HIV treatments, a lawsuit claims. The company holds the patent on Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF), an antiretroviral drug for people living with HIV. If routinely taken, this can regulate the viral load. However, a lawsuit filed in US federal court on 17 November alleges that the company is withholding a new version of the drug with fewer side-effects to exploit patent laws. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlit the new drug in November 2016. According to the lawsuit, the company plans to sell a safer version of the drug […]

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Is the “Ostrich Effect” Blocking 1 in 6 People From HIV Testing?

Testing for HIV is fast, confidential and freely available in many areas across the U.S. Yet an estimated 15% of people living with HIV—about 162,500 people—are living with HIV but have not received an HIV diagnosis. The CDC estimates that more than half of American adults have never been tested for HIV. What keeps people from finding out they are living with HIV, and what can we do to improve HIV testing rates everywhere? Research by Ananda Ganguly and Joshua Tasoff from Claremont McKenna College sheds light on one reason why people living with HIV may not get tested: some […]

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California Man on PrEP Medication Acquires HIV

Health care experts have been informed of a US man contracting HIV despite being on PrEP. He’s thought to be the first man in California – and only the third in the US – to contract HIV while adhering to a daily PrEP regime. PrEP is medication that mimimizes the chances of someone acquiring HIV, even if they do not use condoms. News of the case was presented at the annual IDWeek conference in San Francisco, which concluded over the weekend. The conference is run by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The man was HIV negative when he began […]

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Homelessness Linked to HIV Infection and Low Rates of Viral Suppression

San Francisco is making strides in reducing the number of new HIV infections that happen every year. But recent data released by the San Francisco Department of Public Health show that homelessness is a factor for HIV risk and in how people living with HIV receive treatment. Homelessness and HIV are tightly linked. People who are homeless experience higher rates of HIV infection, have a more difficult time staying in HIV care and adhering to HIV medications, and experience worse health outcomes as a result of HIV infection. With nearly 7,500 homeless people in San Francisco, and 3,840 people who […]

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