AIDS Treatment News, the world's first treatment newsletter for people with HIV, reports on mainstream and alternative treatment, access to care, Web resources, public policy, and political action.
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Flu Shot Reminder
A good time to get the annual shots is October or November, before the flu season begins. [2007-10-11]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/10/flu-shot.html
New Kind of Antiretroviral, KP-1461; Clinical Trial Recruiting. Interview with Stephen Becker, M.D. [final, October 11, 2007]
KP-1461, an experimental HIV drug already in a phase II trial, works so differently from other antiretrovirals that at first glance it looked like science fiction, and we found it hard to take seriously as a current possibility today. In fact this drug is highly credible, and based on elegant science that goes back at least 25 years. KP-1461 is the only antiretroviral in human use or testing that can eradicate HIV from laboratory cell cultures. No one knows how it will work in people -- but we might know by the second quarter of 2008, when the current phase II trial could be complete. AIDS Treatment News interviewed Dr. Stephen Becker, a leading AIDS physician and researcher who is vice president of clinical development at Koronis Pharmaceuticals, in Seattle, Washington. [2007-10-11]
Note: Only minor editing changes were made to the earlier draft.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/10/kp-1461.html
Isentress (Raltegravir) Pricing: Community Sign-On Letter
The Fair Pricing Coalition and others are collecting signatures until this important Merck drug (the first integrase inhibitor) is approved and launched. [2007-10-11]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/10/isentress-letter.html
AIDS Treatment NewsToll-Free Phone Number Discontinued
We can be reached at aidsnews@aidsnews.org
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/10/toll-free.html
AIDS Hotlines: 800-CDC-INFO, Toll-Free, 24-hr, English or Espaņol
Quick reference for telephone information. [2007-10-11]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/10/aids-hotlines.html
AIDS Treatment News Daily Alerts: www.aidsnews.org/now
See our selection of treatment news updated every day at www.aidsnews.org/now -- free, ad-free, and registration-free. You can scan AIDS treatment developments in a few minutes a week, right on the Web page -- or subscribe by email or RSS if you wish. For the latest background on this project, see www.aidsnews.org/doc [2007-10-11]
Full article: www.aidsnews.org/doc
Online Fundraising New Ideas
Fundraising isn't working well today and needs new business models. This writer developed several designs from an innovative approach to ecommerce: online financial accounts that can reproduce at their owner's command, creating new accounts that can inherit any number of capabilities, and evolve in grassroots community use (the idea is confusing at first, only because it is so different from current practice). From this basic idea come potential fundraising models that you never heard of before. In this series of four separate articles we put some of them on the table for public discussion and use. All our work is rights-free. [2007-07-14]
See the next four articles below. Or visit the annotated links to the same articles at http://www.aidsnews.org/fundr (this link is easiest to email or otherwise share).
Activism and Online Fundraising: Overview
Why is fundraising so hard when millions of people want to help, and have plenty of surplus money between them, thousands of times what AIDS and health activism would need? How could we provide better opportunities for giving? [2007-07-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/fundr-overview.html
"Fundathon": Toward Massively Multiplayer Online Fundraising Games
Fundraising campaigns could be elaborate local or global contests or games to raise money for good causes -- displaying financial results instantly, costing almost nothing, and letting donors, teams and individual fundraisers make their mark. [2007-07-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/fundr-fundathon.html
Selling Digital Art in Bulk through Prepaid URLs
Suppose a major donor anywhere in the world could sponsor tens of thousands (or any number) of copies of a song, video, or any other digital "content" -- letting tens of thousands of people in social networks just click to download free, with no registration ever, instantly paying the artists or a cause by the act of free downloading itself. And each sponsor can deliver a message to the thousands of anonymous end users who download from his or her contribution. We show how independent artists could market globally at no expense if people care about their work -- offering an alternative to corporate monoculture. Or they could donate their digital art to an organization that sells it this way to raise funds. [2007-07-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/fundr-url.html
Financial Accounts That Can Reproduce, Inherit, and Evolve
Here we show the power of this idea, and some unusual business and fundraising models it will make possible. [2007-07-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/fundr-reproduce.html
Major International AIDS Society Conference in Sydney, Australia, July 22-25
Watch for treatment and prevention research news late this month, and following. [2007-07-10]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/ias-syndey.html
Is Cure Possible for HIV?
The c-word is coming back due to new research, after a decade of banishment. [2007-07-11]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/cure-research.html
AIDS Search Engine Wanted: What to Do Now?
Simply adding 'HIV' to your search works pretty well to make any online search AIDS-related. [2007-07-10]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/search-engine.html
AEGIS: AOL Blocked Email; RSS Is Better Than Email for News
RSS works better than email for receiving or distributing online news, and AEGIS has suggested that its email users switch. [2007-07-10]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/rss-better.html
Sex and Drugs: New Government Data on U.S. Sexual Behavior, Drug Use
The most accurate information available provides a reality check in this highly politicized area. [2007-07-11]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/07/sex-drugs.html
New Approach to Mental Health: Interview with Jeff Hoeltzel, Community Living Room
A Philadelphia program for people with a mental health diagnosis who are HIV-positive has won national recognition. We interviewed its creator for ideas and approaches others can use. [2007-02-20]
CLR entrance |
CLR near entrance |
CLR living room |
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/clr-philadelphia.html
AIDS Treatment News Current-News Alerts, www.aidsnews.org/now
We select newspaper articles, medical-journal abstracts, and other online reports and information -- and provide the headlines and links all in one place, often on the first day the news appears. It's free, with no need to register or subscribe. [2007-02-20]
Full article: www.aidsnews.org/now
FUZEON: Avoiding Injection-Site Reactions
The FDA changed the FUZEON prescribing information to help avoid this common and unpleasant side effect of the drug. [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/fuzeon-isr.html
Sustiva: Revised Drug-Interaction Information
The FDA added new drug-interaction warnings to the prescribing information for Sustiva (efavirenz). [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/sustiva-interactions.html
Prisoner Death Rate Very High Immediately After Release
During the first two weeks after release, prisoners in Washington State had 129 times the death rate from drug overdose, compared to other state residents -- probably because they did not know how much less drug they could tolerate, after taking little or none of it prison. Cardiovascular disease, homicide, suicide, cancer, and traffic accidents also caused excessive deaths. [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/prisoner-deaths.html
Herzenberg Wins Kyoto Prize for Cell Sorter
The inventor of the machine used to count T-cells, collect stem cells, and measure or collect many other rare cells was awarded the prestigious Kyoto Prize for advanced technology, at a ceremony in Japan. [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/herzenberg-kyoto.html
Contest for Best Video Game Concept Against AIDS, Deadline March 16
The Kaiser Family Foundation and mtvU announced a contest for the best concept for a Web-based video game "to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among 15-24 year olds in the U.S. and to promote personal action in response to the epidemic." [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/game-concept.html
AIDS Treatment News Current-News Alert Service: You Can Help Us Improve It
This 7-question survey will help us improve our new service at www.aidsnews.org/now. We most want to know if you would prefer separate feeds for certain categories of news. [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/alert-survey.html
AIDS News Feeds: The Future
How news feeds can advance biomedical research -- as well as helping people follow specialized news. [2007-02-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2007/02/news-future.html
Daily News Alerts Selected by AIDS Treatment News: www.connotea.org/group/aidsnew
Now you can follow treatment news as it happens at AIDSNEW, a free service of AIDS Treatment News. We select important, quality reports in medical journals, AIDS treatment sites, and the general press, and publish Web links to them, all in one place at www.connotea.org/group/aidsnew -- often on the first day the news is available anywhere. No need to subscribe, register, or log in. Just visit http://www.connotea.org/group/aidsnew -- then scroll down and click any of the titles for more information. You can use almost any computer and Web browser. [2006-12-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/alerts/
Resveratrol: Why It Matters in HIV
Large doses of resveratrol (found in small amounts in red wine) made headlines recently for extending the lifespan of mice on an unhealthy diet. This and other substances found in some wines and foods may protect against cardiovascular disease or diabetes, and improve the functioning of mitochondria in cells (which could reduce certain adverse effects of HIV or the drugs used to treat it). [2006-12-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/12/resveratrol-hiv.html
Lung Cancer: Very High Death Rate with HIV, Huge Reduction Possible with CT Screening for Early Diagnosis
Lung cancer has a high death rate, especially with HIV in one group of patients studied recently. Researchers are finding that most of the fatalities are due to late diagnosis; as many as 80% of the deaths from lung cancer in the general population might be prevented by CT screening to find the tumors early. The patients with HIV were often relatively healthy, so doctors did not suspect that they had cancer. [2006-12-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/12/lung-cancer.html
U.S. Guidelines: Adult/Adolescent Revision Published October 10, 2006; Perinatal October 12; Pediatric October 26
Three U.S. HIV treatment guidelines were revised in October. [2006-12-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/12/us-guidelines.html
AIDSNEW Treatment Alerts: Appendix
Here are details on our AIDSNEW service (see first article, above) that most users will not need to know. [2006-12-19]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/12/alerts-appendix.html
AIDS Information Overload: What You Can Do Now
New software called Connotea, free and available to everyone, could connect people immediately with the most important work and resources in a wide variety of medical, scientific, service, and activist fields.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/information-overload.html
Integrase Inhibitor MK-0518: Merck Opens Expanded-Access Program
Patients resistant to at least one drug in all three oral classes may qualify for this new kind of antiretroviral -- which still must be combined with other active drugs.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/mk-0518-ea.html
Long-Term Non-Progressors -- International Study Recruiting
The Elite HIV Controller Study wants a single blood sample from long-term non-progressors anywhere.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/non-progressor.html
ICAAC Conference In San Francisco, September 27-30
This 12,000-person antibiotics conference has significant updates on HIV treatment research this year.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/icaac-2006.html
Retroviruses Conference: Important Deadlines Soon
Community Educator application deadline October 12; abstract deadline (for doctors and scientists) October 3; Community Press application deadline December 8; others deadlines.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/retroviruses-deadlines.html
Genetic Testing May Avoid Abacavir Hypersensitivity Reaction
An experimental genetic test may almost eliminate the hypersensitivity reaction, which occurs in about 5% of patients starting abacavir, by identifying those at risk in advance.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/genetic-testing.html
Toronto AIDS Conference: Calm Surface Deceptive?
The August 2006 Toronto conference of about 25,000 people had no major controversies -- but serious concerns about problems and inadequacies in the response to the global epidemic.[2006-09-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/09/toronto-conference.html
Prezista (Darunavir, TMC-114) Approved; May Be Important Treatment Advance
A major new antiretroviral has been approved, for patients resistant to more than one protease inhibitor. There is no information yet on risk/benefit compared to standard treatments for first-line use. Tibotec, which developed the drug and is now part of Johnson & Johnson, showed price restraint and avoided setting a new record high price, which other companies have done. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/prezista-approved.html
Study Finds 3,000,000 Years of Life Saved by HIV Treatment in the U.S.
A research study published 25 years after the first report of AIDS found that at least 3,000,000 years of life have been saved in the U.S. by AIDS treatment. The study and accompanying editorial are free online from the Journal of Infections Diseases. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/life-saved.html
Vaccine Improves Survival in Monkey Tests
A vaccine tested at the U.S. NIAID clearly improved the survival of monkeys, a benefit not predicted by T-cell and viral load tests. It was predicted by measurements of memory T cells in the first few months of infection -- giving important insights into how HIV disease develops, and how to test HIV vaccines early so that only the best candidates will go into large human trials. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/vaccine-survival.html
XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto, August 13-18, 2006; Record Number of Abstracts: India, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Uganda Strongly Represented
India had the 2nd most abstracts accepted at the International AIDS Conference; Nigeria was 4th, Uganda 7th, and France 12th. We list the top 21 countries and number of accepted abstracts. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/2006-abstracts.html
AIDS History Research: New ArchiveGrid Available
A newly available online service allows anyone to locate private historical collections at more than 3,000 institutions, mostly in the U.S. A search for "ACT UP" found 61 collections of papers, videos, and other materials. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/archivegrid-available.html
Improving Medical Communication Online
Medicine has not made full use of online information -- and doing so might save thousands of lives. Part I looks at what has been most successful online in other fields, for background on how medical information could be improved. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/medical-online1.html
Brain Drain Adds To AIDS Crisis in Developing World
Thousands of desperately needed doctors and other medical professionals leave poor countries because no one there can pay them, or provide safe and effective working conditions. Many go to English-speaking countries that do not train enough medical professionals themselves -- such as the U.S., where a quarter of the doctors are foreign trained. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/brain-drain.html
Brazil: Gilead Cuts Tenofovir Price in Half
A U.S. activist campaign, centered in the San Francisco area near Gilead's headquarters, helped get this major price reduction for Brazil's model HIV treatment program. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/tenofovir-price.html
AIDS Treatment News Returns
After five months we are publishing again. [2006-06-29]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/06/atn-returns.html
Major United Nations Meeting, Major Demonstration This Week in New York
At the United Nations a four-day series of meetings will evaluate successes and failures so far in implementing the historic Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, adopted five years ago by 189 countries, and will plan for the future. For the first time, a person known to have HIV will address the United Nations General Assembly. Major controversies exist, mainly because the starting draft document of this meeting lists lofty goals in a way that will not lead to action; "what gets measured gets done," but here the measures are absent. On the first day of the meeting, a demonstration sponsored by 12 organizations and endorsed by over 70 more will call for better access to treatment and prevention. [2006-05-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/05/ungass-review.html
Medicare Prescription Nightmare: Overview January 28, 2006
Hundreds of thousands if not millions of patients had problems getting their Medicare Part D prescriptions filled in January 2006, and many failures continue. Some states have provided emergency relief as a temporary measure. This article -- which applies only to persons eligible for MediCARE -- explains some of the major problems and what is being done to relieve them, and suggests online and telephone resources for information, and for reaching people who can answer questions when necessary. [2006-02-02]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/01/medicare-nightmare.html
Online "Smart Accounts" That Can Reproduce and Inherit: For Artists, Fundraisers, and Others
An accidental invention for selling online newsletters could help artists and service organizations raise money. [2006-01-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/01/smart-accounts2.html
FDA, Companies Test RFID Tracking to Prevent Drug Counterfeiting
The U.S. has an apparently growing problem with fake, counterfeit drugs entering the mainstream drug supply, and being fraudulently sold at full price in regular pharmacies and hospitals; some have no active ingredient, or too little, or substitute a cheap drug for an expensive one. The FDA has asked drug manufacturers to develop technology to track all shipments electronically as they move through the distribution chain; currently, RFID (radio frequency identification) is the preferred method for doing so. This article explains what is happening, and why we do not believe that this use of RFID is a privacy threat -- though other privacy issues are among the most important questions we face today. [2006-01-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/01/rfid-tracking.html
Bad Law in Congress This Week
We asked readers to call their U.S. Representative before the vote on February 1 to oppose a budget bill with huge Medicaid (Medical Assistance, Medi-Cal) cuts. Unfortunately the House passed the bill on that date, by a vote of 216-214. [2006-02-02]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/01/medicaid-cuts.html
Buyers' Club List, December 2005
Each year AIDS Treatment News publishes an updated list of buyers' clubs. [2006-01-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2006/01/buyers-clubs.html
Special Tax Break for Major Donors to Charities -- Only Through December 31
Attention fundraisers: Major donors might eliminate 2005 income tax through large gifts by December 31. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/tax-break.html
TMC125: New Results, Large Phase III Trial Begins
New data, new trials on "2nd generation" experimental NNRTI much less subject to viral resistance than efavirenz or nevirapine. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/tmc125-phase3.html
Integrase Inhibitors: First Clear Success in Human Trial
Ten-day trial showed clear reduction of viral load in volunteers. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/integrase-inhibitors.html
CCR5 Entry Inhibitor Problems: No Clear Answers Yet
This new class of antiretrovirals is alive and well despite recent problems. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/ccr5-problems.html
Failure of Tenofovir + Abacavir + 3TC Combination; Full Report Published, More Insight
Many researchers suspect that low genetic barrier to resistance allowed HIV to adapt to this seemingly powerful three-drug combination. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/regimen-failure.html
XVI International AIDS Conference, August 2006 in Toronto; Deadlines Approaching; Reduced Registration Fees
Important deadlines start February 22 for the world's largest and oldest AIDS conference. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/international-conference.html
AIDS Vaccine History on PBS Documentary; DVD, Book Available
Excellent 56-minute documentary explains HIV vaccine research to non-technical audience. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/vaccine-documentary.html
C2EA (Campaign to End AIDS): Statewide Organizing after the November Caravans
"The next step is state-wide coalitions in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C." [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/c2ea-statewide.html
International Drug Access: NGOs Urge Countries "Reject Bad Deal on Medicines"
The World Trade Organization may make permanent drug-export rules that have failed to help a single patient in the two years they have been in effect. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/wto-export.html
Prison Health Crisis -- What You Can Do
Some basics on informing oneself and helping others, in prison or after release. [2005-12-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/12/prison-health.html
Modern HIV May Be Slightly Less Virulent, Laboratory Study Suggests
We use this well-publicized research finding as a starting point for discussion of different kinds of immune-based therapy.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/less-virulent.html
Major U.S. Treatment-Access Problems Likely: Inadequate Political Response
2006 could be the worst year for U.S. access to HIV medical care since the development of lifesaving drugs. Our community needs to respond more effectively to this threat.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/access-problems.html
Retroviruses Conference Deadlines Start October 2005
If you are going to the Retroviruses conference February 5-9 in Denver, you must pay attention to deadlines that start in October.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/retroviruses-deadlines.html
U.S. Treatment Guidelines: New Version, October 2005
The new edition has a small number of revisions, which may be most important to treatment-experienced patients.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/treatment-guidelines.html
New California Law: Insurers Cannot Deny Organ Transplants Solely Because of HIV
California has become the first state to decide that a health insurer cannot refuse to pay for a liver or other organ transplant solely because the patient has HIV.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/transplant-hiv.html
One-Day HIV Treatment Meeting Near Boston, November 11
This meeting on new drugs, treatment strategies, and clinical trials will include talks by leading HIV physicians and researchers.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/sfac-meeting.html
HIV Treatment in Resource-Limited Settings: Call for Information
AIDS Treatment News needs fact sheets for people with HIV in resource-limited settings, such as developing countries, where many drugs and tests commonly used in rich countries are not available. Despite vast geographical and political differences in treatment and access, some critically important background and suggestions can be provided to people directly, or for local experts and organizations to change as they wish. We are asking readers for advice on what has proved useful.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/resource-limited.html
Got Medicare? What People Living with HIV Need to Know about the New Medicare Drug Benefit - "Part D" - Starting January 1, 2006
Here is practical background on the new drug benefit, for persons on Medicare or eligible for it -- including details on who can qualify for the major low-income help in paying the fees.[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/medicare-d.html
ALERT: Two Weeks to Save Key Programs for People with HIV/AIDS
Call Congress this week on Medicaid, AIDS programs [Action alert from C2EA, others].[2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/save-medicaid.html
Online-Payment, Fundraising Design Moved
Our design for online financial accounts that can reproduce, inherit potentially hundreds of automatic services and options, and evolve independently for fundraising and other purposes has moved to www.RepliCounts.org [2005-10-16]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/10/smart-a.html
Hurricane Katrina HIV-Related Information
We compiled some Web links and telephone numbers for HIV-relevant information, especially on medical care. Check online at www.aidsnews.org/katrina/ for the latest version. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/katrina/
Communication in a Disaster: Success of Text Messages
Text messages on cell phones got through when other communication was out -- as it has in other disasters. Governments, companies, and individuals should build on this success for future emergencies. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/katrina/#communication
Katrina: Disaster Notes
Notes on race, on how to respond when government does not, on ineffectual fundraising, and on misleading "official" figures. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/09/disaster-notes.html
Campaign to End AIDS Postpones Most Caravans, Some Events
The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) postponed many but not all of its scheduled events, at the request of local organizers affected by Hurricane Katrina. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/09/c2ea-katrina.html
U.S. Conference on AIDS Will Go Forward in Houston; New Scholarships, September 16 Deadlines
The National Minority AIDS Council extended the registration deadline and announced new scholarships in response to the disaster, and decided to go forward with its U.S. Conference on AIDS in Houston, September 27 to October 2. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/09/usca-katrina.html
Medicare HIV Fact Sheet: Caution re January 2006
About 20 percent of people in HIV care are on Medicare, and will need to decide on a Medicare drug plan by January 2006. It will be especially important for those who are also on Medicaid to avoid interruption of treatment in early 2006, when Medicaid will no longer cover their drugs and people might not be signed up for the Medicare drug benefit in time. A revised two-page fact sheet from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides a brief overview of the Medicare program -- helpful background for understanding the additional information needed for selecting a plan. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/09/medicare-kaiser.html
PA-457, New Kind of Antiretroviral: Ten-Day Clinical Trial Results
A new kind of antiretroviral, called a maturation inhibitor, worked well in reducing viral load in a ten-day trial with HIV-positive volunteers. [2005-09-17]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/09/pa-457.html
Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) -- New National Mobilization
A new campaign seeks to empower AIDS activism by organizing networks in every U.S. state and territory; already it has trained at least 100 volunteers. Seven caravans will travel to Washington, DC to raise awareness across the country, and take part in five days of action in Washington, October 8-12, 2005. [2005-07-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/07/end-aids.html
Major Treatment Conference in Rio, July 24-27
The IAS Conference on Pathogenesis and Treatment has rapidly become an important international meeting; the third conference is happening in Rio de Janeiro. [2005-07-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/07/ias-rio.html
New Publications: Announcements in AIDS Treatment News
We are starting a new section to tell our readers about articles and other materials that may be important to them. In this issue we look at medical-journal articles, but we will include other kinds of publications in the future. The last three articles noted below examine industry influence and other problems affecting medical journals and what they publish. [2005-07-31]
- Major Study of "Discordant" Response -- Viral Control but Incomplete CD4 Response
- Immunology Study Finds Decreased Activation Markers Related to Better Viral Control
- Four Antiretrovirals Reduced to Three After 48 Weeks
- UK HIV Liver Transplant Guidelines Published
- HIV Protease Inhibitors vs. Malaria
- Hepatitis C and Unsafe Sex: There Is Some Risk
- "Medical Journals Are an Extension of the Marketing Arm of Pharmaceutical Companies"
- Major Medical Journals Will Require That Randomized Trials Be Registered
- Journal Will Require Clinical Trials to Summarize Earlier Results
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/07/new-publications.html [2005-07-31]
Fundraising New Idea: Online Payment "Smart Codes" That Can Reproduce
While exploring better ways to sell information online, we developed a design that we believe will be important in online commerce generally -- financial accounts each with its own Web control center, allowing each account to have its own settings for dozens or hundreds of options and services offered by the server, and also to reproduce children accounts without limit, through any number of generations. Each new account will inherit the options and services of its parent, and allow owners to make inherited changes if they wish -- leading to family trees of related accounts that can evolve through practical use. This article shows how organizations can let people give as much or as little as they choose, without breaking out of the moment to do all the steps usually necessary to pay money. [2005-07-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/07/smart-codes.html
Tipranavir (Aptivus): Approval Cautiously Recommended
A new protease inhibitor active against most HIV that is resistant to other protease inhibitors is likely to be approved in the U.S. soon, after an 11-3 vote of an advisory committee. [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/tipranavir-fda.html
ADAP Status Now: What You Can Do
This short review of the current state of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program tells how you can get involved. [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/adap-now.html
Medicaid: Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Access to Care
A 27-page report by the Kaiser Family Foundation examined 13 different studies showing how increased out-of-pocket costs keep people out of care. [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/medicaid-access.html
Lexiva: Blood Levels Not Lowered When Taken Simultaneously with Nexium
A study suggested that the two drugs might be used together, without lowering the blood level of Lexiva. But the timing of the doses may be critical. [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/lexiva-nexium.html
New Conference for Frontline Clinicians, September 15 - 18
Ten government agencies are organizing a four-day clinical conference for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals involved in HIV treatment. [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/conference-us.html
Medical Innovation Prize Fund: New Idea in Drug Development
This proposal, now introduced in Congress as HR 417, would replace current drug marketing with system better designed to reward effective innovation. All drugs would be treated as generics immediately when approved by the FDA, and patent holders would be rewarded from a $60 billion a year award fund for innovations that actually led to better health. [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/innovation-fund.html
Medical Innovation and Patent Gridlock
Is today's sheer multitude of biological patents (especially on genetics of human beings or human pathogens) killing medical innovation -- in addition to generating prohibitive prices for vital medical care? [2005-06-20]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/06/patent-gridlock.html
Involuntary Weight Loss: Interview with Lisa Capaldini, M.D.
This short overview looks at some of the major considerations in treating involuntary weight loss of people with HIV, in 2005. [2005-05-04]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/05/weight-loss.html
Medicaid Cuts Alert
Here are some of the real problems of cutting cost by denying care, instead of by improving the U.S. healthcare system, one of the most inefficient in the world. [2005-05-04]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/05/medicaid-cuts.html
Adult HIV Treatment Guidelines Updated
The U.S. HIV treatment guidelines were changed to include new drug safety and interaction information, and to include a table on obtaining new antiretrovirals not yet approved but available through expanded access (which only includes tipranavir at this time). [2005-05-04]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/05/hiv-guidelines.html
In-Depth Medical Reports on the Retroviruses Conference
The Clinical Care Options site now has six training modules summarizing practical information for physicians, from the Retroviruses conference in February. [2005-05-04]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/05/cco-reports.html
IOM: Nevirapine Study Is Reliable
The Institute of Medicine re-analyzed the key study that first showed prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission by single-dose nevirapine. The IOM released a 150-page report concluding that the study was properly conducted and its results are valid. [2005-05-06]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/05/iom-nevirapine.html
DHEA Access Threatened?
DHEA came close to being totally banned in the U.S. in January 2005, when a new law aimed at steroids in sports took effect. Even doctors would not have been able to prescribe DHEA, and medical research on its uses would have become far more difficult. A potentially important treatment could have been lost for a long time -- and could still be lost unless people are vigilant. [2005-05-04]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/05/dhea-access.html
HIV Travel Restrictions: Where to Find Help Navigating Them
Here are places to look if you need to find out about HIV travel restrictions and testing requirements of countries around the world. For example, a database of all countries is now being maintained in Europe, and made available through the Web in English, German, and French. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/travel-restrictions.html
Tipranavir: FDA Advisory Committee Will Meet May 19, Hear Experts, Public Comment
At a one-day public meeting in Gaithersburg, Maryland (near Washington D.C.), the FDA will hear from experts and members of the public on tipranavir, an important new protease inhibitor expected to be approved soon. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/tipranavir-hearing.html
Sculptra Facial Treatment: New Physician Locator
Dermik, the maker of Sculptra (a treatment for facial lipoatrophy, called New Fill in some countries) has created a database to help patients find physicians in their area who use the product. Our announcement also points to information from the recent Retroviruses conference on preventing the problem in the first place and avoiding the need for the treatment, by switching antiretroviral regimens if lipoatrophy starts to develop. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/sculptra-doctors.html
FDA AIDS Announcements, First Quarter 2005
Here are the eight announcements from the AIDS list serve of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, from January through March 2005. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/fda-announcements.html
Uganda Study Found That Death Reduced HIV Prevalence; Did the Public Take Home the Wrong Message?
Uganda has had a remarkable decline in HIV prevalence, and the question of what caused this decline is controversial. An intensive study of the Rakai region of Uganda from 1994 - 2003 found that much of the decreased prevalence resulted from death of people with HIV. But the incidence of new HIV infections was low throughout this study and did not change greatly, suggesting that the real cause of the success was a large reduction in new infections before the study began. The early data presented at the February 2005 Retroviruses conference also showed increasing use of condoms, and some backsliding on reducing the number of sexual partners. But neither change was big enough to greatly affect the incidence of new infections, at least in the aggregate data across the 50 villages studied. In summary, the big reduction in HIV prevalence occurred because of changes that happened before this study, not those measured within it. Therefore the new information does not contradict reduction in the number of sexual partners as a major cause of Uganda's success. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/uganda-rakai.html
Virginity Pledge Did Not Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections
A major U.S. study of sexually transmitted diseases in young people found that virginity pledges were associated with behaviors that would seem to be protective, and yet had no benefit in preventing disease. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/virginity-pledges.html
Prison Health Care: New York Times Series Brings Attention
A three-part series and an editorial in The New York Times, the result of a year's investigation, has brought attention to the bad medical care in prisons in the U.S. -- deficiencies that kill prisoners and allow epidemics to spread. The wrong funding arrangements, incentives to make money by reducing care, and the huge growth in the number of prisoners in the U.S. are major causes. We also comment on shortage of social space as a potential root cause of prison and other problems. [2005-04-08]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/04/prison-healthcare.html
Kidney, liver transplant study for people with HIV
A study of liver and kidney transplants for persons with HIV, at 19 U.S. transplant centers, is open to new patients. Those who may need a transplant later might benefit by getting into the system in advance to avoid delays. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/kidney-liver.html
HIV "New Strain" story: for more information
AIDS community groups have brought together background documents, explanatory writeups, and other information about the media stories that resulted from what is still a single, ambiguous case. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/hiv-strain.html
HIV: more voluntary testing recommended
Two research articles and an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine recommend routine HIV testing for most of the U.S. population. The goal is to start treatment early when it can be more effective -- and also to reduce transmission from the hundreds of thousands of Americans who do not know they have HIV. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/testing-needed.html
Early medicaid treatment: bipartisan bill in Senate with 32 cosponsors, Could Cut HIV Deaths on Medicaid in Half
A bill to allow states to treat HIV early under Medicaid, instead of waiting for disabling illness, could prevent half of the HIV deaths in that program. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/early-treatment.html
Tat inhibitors, a new approach: interview with Olaf Kutsch, Ph.D.
An important potential target for antiretrovirals is the HIV protein Tat (produced by the virus and essential for infection, but is not used by the human body). Years ago, a Tat inhibitor worked well in the laboratory but failed in patients. Modern biotechnology may have shown why -- and how to screen for drugs more likely to work. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/tat-inhibitor.html
If the condom breaks: new U.S. guidelines for non-occupational exposure to HIV
Finally there are U.S.-government guidelines for prevention of non-occupational HIV exposure, for example after rape or accident. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/condom-breaks.html
Global good news: many more treated
A combination of financing from rich countries, determination and effort by local governments, effective teamwork, and successful scale-up of treatment access despite obstacles, has doubled the number of people receiving treatment in sub-Saharan Africa (and also in East, South, and Southeast Asia) in six months. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/global-treatment.html
FDA advisory on nevirapine
The FDA summarized existing warnings against ongoing nevirapine treatment in women with a CD4 count over 250, due to a greatly increased risk of serious liver toxicity. (The warnings do not apply to single-dose nevirapine, which does not cause this problem.) [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/fda-nevirapine.html
Conferences and meetings calendar, 2005
We list some important AIDS treatment-related conferences for March through December 2005. [2005-02-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2005/02/conferences-2005.html
Behind "AIDS Breakthrough" headlines, December 2004: important research, not so new
The mid-December press reports about an AIDS drug breakthrough were exaggerated, but the research described is important. It concerns the development of a class of related experimental drugs that work like efavirenz or nevirapine, but appear to be more powerful and much less subject to resistance. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/dapy-drugs.html
Warning: do not combine Reyataz and Prilosec
The combination has been found to reduce blood levels of the antiretroviral to about a quarter of what they should be. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/reyataz-prilosec.html
India changes patent law to meet WTO treaty, making new medicines less available to most citizens, other countries
India changed its pharmaceutical patent law to conform to the U.S.-European system, just ahead of a Jan. 1 World Trade Organization deadline -- meaning that most new medicines (patentable in 1995 or later) will be priced out of reach of the great majority of people in India -- and in Africa and other poor regions as well.
"The real issue for the multinational corporations is not the poor-country markets, which are financially small and unattractive, but the poor-country examples. How would thousands of people in rich countries, especially the U.S., be persuaded to accept death from cancer and other diseases because they cannot pay tens of thousands of dollars a year for a new generation of treatments that could save their lives -- if companies in India could manufacture and sell the same treatments for a small fraction of the price?" [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/india-patent.html
Africa: children's access to prophylaxis may improve after medical study, new WHO recommendations
On November 22, 2004, days after The Lancet reported that the cheap antibiotic co-trimoxazole (Septra, Bactrim, and other brand names) had dramatically reduced death in a group of Zambian children with HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS and UNICEF released a statement recommending the drug for all children with HIV symptoms in poor countries. But activists say the global health authorities' seemingly quick action came years -- even decades -- late, and it will take a lot more work to actually deliver the drug's lifesaving promise. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/africa-prophylaxis.html
Treatment interruption: most patients could not maintain immune control
Some patients treated very early with an experimental protocol (that stopped and restarted antiretroviral treatment when certain conditions were met) were able to stop antiretrovirals entirely and control their viral load without the drugs for at least 90 days. But after two years, only three of fourteen were still able to control the virus without treatment. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/early-interruption.html
Retroviruses conference reminder: you must complete housing process to attend
Those accepted for the retroviruses conference in February must complete the housing-registration process even if they do not need housing, or their registration will be cancelled. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/retro-housing.html
Note:
The six articles above dated "2004-12-31" were uploaded January 18, 2005. We backdated them because they are part of our printed November/December 2004 double issue, and they need to be in the same year for both the printed and online editions.
Weekend Treatment Interruptions for Certain Well-Controlled Patients: Interview with Cal Cohen, M.D.
In a study by the Community Research Initiative of New England, certain patients whose virus is very well controlled (on certain antiretroviral combinations but not others) have been able to maintain a regimen of five days on antiretroviral treatment followed by two days off. The goal is to reduce drug toxicity and expense and improve quality of life while maintaining control of the virus -- not to try to use treatment interruption to enhance immune responses. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/cohen-foto.html
Sculptra (formerly New Fill) for Facial Wasting -- Where to Find Information on the Patient-Assistance Program
Dermik Laboratories is now starting a patient-assistance program that provides free or low-cost drug to patients that meet certain imcome and other eligibility requirements. Information is changing rapidly, so we provide Web, email, and telephone sources to check. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/sculptra-info.html
Missing Conferences Followup: Four Meetings' History Found
The abstracts of four major AIDS conferences that were unavailable online or in libraries around the world have now been found after AIDS Treatment News asked people to look for copies. Please check old files, boxes, bookshelves, and other archives for other missing conferences listed here. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/aegis-conferences2.html
Buyers' Club List, December 2004
Our annual list of AIDS buyers' clubs and related resources. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/buyers-clubs2004.html
Nevirapine Misinformation: Will It Kill?
In mid December 2004 three Associated Press stories created widespread doubts about nevirapine, a well-known, critically important drug that can prevent HIV in many of the 1,800 babies now infected every day by their mothers in childbirth. The media allegations that went around the world grew out of a bitter personal and personnel dispute between two employees at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. No new information about nevirapine was released; doctors know that it still has the same risks and benefits after the newspaper stories as before. But many experts fear that the emotions released by the worldwide misinformation will result in many HIV-positive mothers getting no treatment and unnecessarily infecting their children with HIV. Here is background that has been missing in many of the news reports. [2004-12-31]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/12/nevirapine-ap.html
Saving AIDS Conferences Online: Interview with Sister Mary Elizabeth, Founder of AEGiS
Some of the most important AIDS conferences are not online, and even the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the conference organizers do not have a paper or electronic copy of the abstracts presented. Some may be lost forever. But they could be saved if a copy can be found, and you might be able to help. Here we interview the founder of AEGIS (www.aegis.org), the well-known AIDS database that has done critically important work in preserving conferences as well as making AIDS news and other information available around the world. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/aegis-conferences.html
Warning on Two Specific 3-Drug Regimens: Viread + Didanosine + Either Sustiva or Viramune
Two more three-drug antiretroviral regimens have unexpectedly failed to control HIV in many patients. But some related regimens do seem to be working well. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/bad-regimens.html
New Treatment Guidelines Published October 29
This edition of the guidelines includes information for special populations, as well as other changes to HIV treatment recommendations. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/new-guidelines.html
Retroviruses Conference: Community Deadlines, Nov. 23
Those planning to attend the Retroviruses conference in Boston in February must pay attention to its many deadlines. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/retroviruses-deadlines.html
World AIDS Day, December 1: Women and Girls
While the U.S. fights over abstinence vs. condoms, neither one is an option for many women, due to sexual violence -- throughout the world, from a fifth to half of all girls and young women report that their first sexual experience was forced. Women are twice as likely as men to be infected through a single act of unprotected sex. In parts of Africa, more than a third of all teenage girls have HIV. But going to school is protective. These are just a few of the facts about HIV and gender that need to be more widely known. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/aids-day.html
Prison Health Care: Activist Campaign Targets Hepatitis, HIV Care for Prisoners, and Continuity of Care After Release
A new activist group wants to force medical practices in prisons to meet national standards for treatment and care, especially for hepatitis C and HIV. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/prison-health.html
After the Election
It is too early to know exactly how the recent elections will affect people with AIDS. But clearly the community will have to do more to improve and support advocacy for treatment and care, and for policies that work. [2004-11-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/11/after-election.html
New Fixed-Dose Once-a-Day Starting Regimens: Interview with Cal Cohen, M.D.
A leading AIDS physician looks at the advantages and disadvantages of once-a day treatment with two new fixed-dose combinations of previously approved drugs, for patients who are first starting antiretrovirals. [2004-10-26]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/10/cohen-fdc.html
Depression: Louganis and Allen to Speak at Forums in New York, and San Francisco Oct. 27
Diver Greg Louganis and actor Chad Allen spoke in New York at a public forum to raise awareness of depression in the gay community. They will speak again in San Francisco. [2004-10-26]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/10/louganis-allen2.html
Warning Against Using Erythromycin (Even Orally) While Using Protease Inhibitors or Certain Other Drugs
A study of medical records found that combining the antibiotic erythromycin with strong inhibitors of the liver enzyme CYP3A increased the risk of sudden death from cardiac causes -- probably by abnormally raising the blood levels of erythromycin. [2004-10-26]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/10/erythromycin-warning.html
Kaletra Monotherapy Controversy: AmfAR Publishes Overview
The possibility of using Kaletra alone for selected patients instead of three or more antiretrovirals has led to controversy among HIV physicians, reviewed in a short article published by the American Foundation for AIDS Research. [2004-10-26]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/10/kaletra-monotherapy.html
Access to NIH-Funded Research Information -- Public Comment Period to November 16, 2004
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has proposed making reports of NIH-funded research freely available six months after their commercial publication. We show why this proposal is a step forward but far from a solution to the problem. We also refer readers to a micropayment idea we developed that might ease some of the remaining problems. [2004-10-26]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/10/access-nih.html
ADAP Activists Needed in All U.S. States and Territories
Despite recent short-term improvement, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program needs activist attention nationally to prevent thousands of Americans from going without the treatment they need. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/adap-needed.html
ACT UP: Enormous Worldwide Attention to New York Demos
Hundreds of major newspapers and broadcast media worldwide covered AIDS and debt demonstrations around the Republican National Convention in New York. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/actup-rnc.html
Medical Information from Bangkok Conference: Clinical Care Options Site
An excellent Web site, primarily for medical professionals but freely available to anyone, summarizes what doctors need to know from the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/cco-bangkok.html
AIDSVote: Election Information and Activism
A coalition of over 200 AIDS organizations is supporting a platform of policies for controlling the AIDS epidemic both in the U.S. and globally. It is encouraging voter registration, including absentee registration of people with AIDS when necessary, so that they will not miss voting due to illness. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/aidsvote.html
Elections: Widespread Misinformation on Who Can Vote
Due to persistent misinformation about voter qualifications in Pennsylvania, we looked up the facts on the official state Web site. Other states face similar problems. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/voter-info.html
Nutrition: Call for Information -- What Has Been Most Helpful to You?
You can help us prepare nutrition information by telling us what has worked best (or not worked) for you. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/nutrition-call.html
Medical Marijuana Rescheduling Rally, Washington DC October 5
Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana organization, is organizing a rally in Washington to urge the federal government to stop preventing doctors from prescribing marijuana as medicine. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/asa-hhs.html
Empty Antibiotic Pipeline Critically Endangers Public: IDSA Report
A huge decrease in the number of fundamentally new antibiotics -- driven by commercial not scientific problems -- seriously threatens public health in the near future, as bacteria develop resistance to the existing drugs, and previously treatable infections will often be fatal. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/antibiotic-pipeline.html
Clinical Trials: Philadelphia Hospitals Combine to Form "Supersite" and Reduce Delays
Major medical research institutions in Philadelphia are working together to allow pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in multiple institutions with a single contract and single approval, reducing paperwork and preventing unnecessary research delays. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/trial-supersite.html
AIDS Treatment and Related Conference Calendar (Starting September 2004)
Here are meeting dates and Web links for upcoming conferences most likely to interest our readers. [2004-09-15]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/09/conferences-2004.html
Chronically Depressed Women with HIV Almost Twice As Likely As Others to Die from AIDS-Related Causes; Those with Mental-Health Services Had Half the Death Rate of Those Without
New study strongly correlates mental state with HIV disease outcome, and shows the importance of mental-health services. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/depressed-progression.html
Cambodia Stops Important Tenofovir Prevention Trial
A study that could open the door to pharmacological HIV prevention until a vaccine is available was stopped in Cambodia, after sex workers objected to lack of health insurance after the trial. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/cambodia-tenofovir.html
Hepatitis C Co-Infection: Two Major Studies Published
Two large trials showing successful treatment of hepatitis C in persons with HIV were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/hepatitis-nejm.html
FDA Approves Two Combination Pills, Epzicom and Truvada; Comment on Commercial Race to Once-a Day-Nucleosides
Two combinations of currently available drugs, dosed for once-daily use, were approved by the FDA. We are concerned about too fast a rush to once a day. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/epzicom-truvada.html
Smarter Clinical Trials for Faster Drug Development
New studies are using modern technology early, to get important dosing, safety, and efficacy information about a new drug, starting with the first volunteer who takes it. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/smarter-trials.html
Retroviruses Conference Date Set
The 2005 Retroviruses conference will be February 22-25 in Boston. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/retroviruses-2005.html
HIV Treatment and Immunology Research: Current Ideas
Here are some leading scientific ideas for developing new kinds of HIV treatments. [2004-08-23]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/08/immunology-pathogenesis.html
Bangkok Conference, July 11-16; Getting News Online
Here are some Web sites for following news from the big international conference in July in Bangkok, Thailand. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/bangkok-online.html
U.S. Researcher Starts Treatment Fund in Uganda: Interview with David Bangsberg, M.D., M.P.H.
$400 a year will save a life in Uganda. A U.S. scientist who works there has created a fund that has guaranteed five years of treatment for ten people so far. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/bangsberg-uganda.html
President Bush on AIDS: More Questions Than Answers
The president spoke on AIDS June 23 in Philadelphia. His comments looked great in headlines, but details raised major questions. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/bush-philadelphia.html
Abstinence, Abstinence-Only, Faith-Based, and the Psychology of Stigma
If abstinence is 100% effective in preventing sexual transmission, why does abstinence-only not work well? And what is the personal psychology of the stigma that prevents individuals, communities, and nations from protecting themselves against the epidemic? We offer some fairly obvious analysis that has been largely overlooked in public discussion. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/abstinence-stigma.html
Medical Marijuana: Important Vote Coming, You Can Help
Congress will vote soon on an amendment to stop Attorney General Ashcroft's crusade against medical marijuana, in states where laws recognize medical use. This amendment received 152 votes in Congress last year. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/hinchey-rohrabacher.html
ADVAX, New DNA Vaccine in Human Trial; HIV-Negative Volunteers Needed in New York City or Rochester, NY Areas
HIV-negative volunteers are needed for an important vaccine trial. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/advax.html
Drug Resistance Workshop (June 2004) Summaries Available
Two in-depth reports summarize the International HIV Drug Resistance Workshop, which occurred this year in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. [2004-06-30]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/resistance-workshop.html
New Medicare-Approved Prescription Drug Discount Card
Patients who are on Medicare and have income under 135% of Federal poverty level and are not on Medicaid probably should obtain one of the new Medicare discount cards that became available on June 1, 2004, because all these cards include $600 annual credit for prescription-drug purchases for persons within that income limit. Unfortunately this program is complex, no one yet knows how it will work in practice, and after choosing a card one is locked in and cannot change cards until November 15. The most difficult part of the choice of which card to get may involve how it interacts with other programs, including ADAP, and pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs. [2004-06-12]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/medicare-card.html
Institute of Medicine Urges Restructuring of U.S. Low-Income HIV Treatment and Care
The U.S. could prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths by creating a comprehensive HIV care program. It would be administered by the states under Federal standards of patient care and physician reimbursement, and replace Medicaid (for persons with HIV), ADAP, and much of Ryan White as well. [2004-06-12]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/iom-hiv.html
ADAP Crisis National Call-In Alert, Starting June 14
Over 1600 people are currently on waiting lists to receive antiretroviral treatment through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program -- a crisis predicted for two years. In the next few weeks, Congress will consider funding for next year. Starting now and during the summer it will be important for people to talk to their representatives and let them know why this program is important. [2004-06-14]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/adap-alert.html
Inexpensive Air Filter for Allergy Relief
We found a low-cost, efficient way to make homes more comfortable for many people, especially in hay-fever season. [2004-06-12]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/air-filter.html
Grants for Innovative Treatment, Vaccine, or Microbicide Research, Application Deadline July 31
GlaxoSmithKline is offering research grants to scientists for certain innovative projects involving the development of HIV treatment, vaccines, or microbicides. [2004-06-12]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/research-grants.html
Bangkok AIDS Conference May Be Largest Ever, July 11 to 16
The XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok next month is expecting 15,000 attendees and may be the largest AIDS conference ever. Anyone can receive free daily email updates during the conference, and many other reports will be presented later. Unfortunately the Bush Administration told about 80% of the U.S. government scientists expecting to go that they will not be sent. [2004-06-12]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/bangkok.html
Ronald Reagan Remembered
Here is a transcript of the first public mention of AIDS in the Reagan White House, after 200 people had died. [2004-06-12]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/06/reagan.html
TMC125: Important One-Year Trial Now Recruiting in U.S.
An new NNRTI that greatly reduces HIV resistance to this major class of drugs is now recruiting at about 50 U.S. medical centers. It is active against virus resistant to efavirenz and nevirapine. [2004-05-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/05/tmc125.html
Gonorrhea: New Treatment Recommendations for Gay Men, MSM
On April 30, 2004 the U.S. CDC changed the gonorrhea treatment recommendation for men who have sex with men, due to development of resistance to the oral antibiotics otherwise preferred. [2004-05-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/05/gonorrhea.html
May 20 "Time's Up!" AIDS Protest in Washington D.C.
Rallies at the Democratic and Republican headquarters will call for more serious attention to the disease that is now the leading cause of death worldwide for all people age 15 through 59. [2004-05-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/05/protest.html
2004-05-20: Photos of today's demonstration are at http://www.champnetwork.org/index.php?name=May20post (scroll down).
How to Network Action Alerts, So That Others Can Help
Future political action alerts will travel gracefully through existing networks of familiarity and trust, being re-focused as needed for each audience -- so that supporters you may never know can help your effort be successful. Most alerts today do not work this way. We explain why not, and show how to make action alerts work better. [2004-05-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/05/action-alerts.html
Online Glossaries of HIV/AIDS Terms
Here are four English glossaries, and three Spanish glossaries, that explain AIDS-related medical terms. [2004-05-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/05/glossaries.html
Checking Your Drug Interactions
Here are three HIV-related Web sites and one printed document that you can use to check for some of the interactions between HIV drugs and other drugs you are using at the same time. Some of them also have information on known interactions between AIDS-related drugs and some herbal treatments or foods. [2004-05-18]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/05/drug-interactions.html
Clinton Foundation Negotiates $140/Year HIV Treatment, But U.S. Won't Buy
The Clinton Foundation, World Bank, UNICEF, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria announced that they could negotiate prices as low as $140 per year for triple-combination antiretroviral therapy. But the Bush Administration is refusing to buy generic medicines for its major HIV treatment program.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/clinton140.html
Atherosclerosis Risk Increased with HIV; Treatment Effects Unclear
A major report on heart disease and HIV found that HIV infection itself is associated with increased risk, independently of other factors like age, cholesterol, and smoking. Another major report did find differences among antiretrovirals, but the information is hard to summarize.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/atherosclerosis.html
Abacavir Hypersensitivity Reaction Predicted by Genetic Test
Researchers in Australia found an accurate test to predict who cannot tolerate Ziagen (abacavir). This is still a research test, not in general use.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/abacavir.html
Update on Sculptra (New-Fill) Hearing
An FDA advisory committee unanimously recommended approval of this facial treatment for people with HIV -- with restrictions to prevent general cosmetic use, pending data to justify such approval.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/sculptra.html
Lessons from Two "Triple Nuke" Failures (New Training Module)
A CME (continuing medical education) module for physicians explains the problem with two antiretroviral regimens that failed last year. Several possible causes for the failure had been proposed. Now it appears that the problem was too low a genetic barrier to HIV developing certain resistance mutations.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/triplefailures.html
Retroviruses Conference: Summaries for Physicians
This collection of CME trainings for physicians gives an in-depth review of major reports from the Retroviruses conference (February 8-11 in San Francisco), focusing on what HIV physicians need to know. Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/retrosummaries.html
Medicines for the World: A Way Forward
For poor and middle-income countries we should negotiate large sales involving many countries, with all the interests at the table. Large deals and public consensus could make it viable for companies to develop treatments for diseases affecting poor regions.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/03/medicinesforworld.html
Atazanavir (Reyataz) New Recommendation with Tenofovir (Viread); Warning with Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra
On March 19 the FDA notified the public of new prescribing information and precautions for atazanavir (brand name Reyataz), if taken in combination with tenofovir (Viread) -- and warned of risks with Viagra or similar drugs.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/atazanavir.html
Action Alerts: Please Improve Them for Networking
Political action alerts could be much more effective if they were designed to be shared -- to be easily picked up by other interested organizations and sent to their members, or to other people and organizations that listen to them. From our experience we suggest five ways to make existing action alert work this way.
Note: We rewrote this article as "How to Network Action Alerts, So That Others Can Help," published on this site in May 2004.
Full article: www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/alerts.html
FDA Advisory Hearing on New-Fill (Sculptra), March 25, 2004 in Gaithersburg, Maryland
The FDA will discuss U.S. approval for New-Fill, a facial treatment that Americans have had to go abroad for, although it is approved in Europe and has been used by about 100,000 people worldwide. Those who want to speak at the hearing should notify the FDA by March 15.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/sculptra.html
Antiretroviral Pipeline: New-Drug Reports from Retroviruses Conference
The three experimental drugs most discussed at the important 11th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (\ 8-11, San Francisco) were: BMS-488043, a new kind of entry inhibitor; Reverset, a nucleoside analog active against most resistant viruses; and Schering D, which blocks viral attachment to the CCR5 co-receptor on the cell.
Other compounds discussed included PA-457, SPD-754, GW873140, GW678248, SN1212/1461, TMC114, TNX-355, PRO140, UK-427,857, AK602, KRH-2731, mifepristone (RU-486), and chloroquine.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/newdrugs.html
Nevirapine Precautions Published
New instructions tell physicians who is most at risk for rare but serious side effects when starting this important drug -- for example, women with a CD4 count above 250.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/nevirapine.html
Micronutrient Supplementation Shows Promise in Placebo-Controlled Trial
A supplement containing 33 vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants seemed to help persons with HIV. This trial was organized by Jon Kaiser, M.D., who has specialized in combining mainstream and complementary HIV treatments, and is based in part on the work of Marianna Baum, Ph.D., who has studied nutritional deficiencies in persons with HIV.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/micronutrient
Lipodystrophy: Conference on Imaging Technologies in Clinical Management, Montreal, April 2-3, 2004
This new conference with leading HIV physicians will look at DEXA and other imaging technologies to measure the effects of lipodystrophy on the abnormal wasting or accumulation of body fat.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/lipo.html
"Poppers," Some Other Drugs, May Increase HIV Infection Risk
Users of amphetamines ("crystal"), hallucinogens, or inhaled nitrites ("poppers") had higher rates of HIV infection than non-users,(1) in an analysis of the Vaxgen trial data presented at the 11th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, February 8-11, 2004.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/poppers.html
New Testing for Very Early HIV Diagnosis
Because persons newly infected with HIV may be especially infectious before the body has created antibodies to partially control the infection, there is a new public-health push to also look for the virus itself in routine HIV testing. North Carolina has used this approach statewide for over a year, and discovered the first indications of a new HIV epidemic among college students, especially African-American men. Results were reported at the recent Retroviruses conference.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/earlytest.html
Prison HIV and Hepatitis C Sites
Of the hundreds of good Web sites on HIV, hepatitis C, and prison issues, AIDS Treatment News has chosen about 40 to help you get started in finding the information or resources you need. Annotated links are at: http://www.aidsnews.org/prison/
Improving AIDS Conferences with Online Information
Today, scientists and others arrive at major conferences without knowing whom they should meet and talk to outside of their own field. The whole medical-research enterprise is damaged when researchers miss these connections. The key to improvement is to have the main data presentations online, allowing conferences to focus on exploration and discussion, instead of lectures that must rush through the new data. We outline many other advantages, such as allowing researchers to update their online presentations before or after the conference if they wish.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/02/online.html
Institute of Medicine Calls for Universal Health Insurance by 2010
On January 14, 2004 the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) called for the U.S. to implement universal health care by 2010. Currently 43,000,000 Americans are uninsured, and lack of health insurance causes 18,000 unnecessary deaths each year in the U.S. Eighty percent of the uninsured are members of working families -- but a quarter of U.S. workers are not offered health insurance at all, and few Americans can afford to buy the expensive individual policies. These and dozens of other facts in the new report will help anyone who is making a case for change.
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2004/01/IOM.html
Remembering Greg Smith
In 1990 Greg Smith was sentenced to 25 years in prison for allegedly threatening and biting a prison guard while having HIV. For 13 years he advocated for better prison health care, and was often visited and helped by members of ACT UP Philadelphia and other prison activists. He died in prison in November 2003. On January 29 about 75 members of ACT UP Philadelphia held a memorial demonstration at the home of the sentencing judge in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
 Greg Smith in prison. |
Memorial, 2004. |
** December 2003 **
"Shy" Study Suggests New Treatment Mechanism
A study found that socially inhibited persons with HIV did much worse than others virologically. The researchers suspect that the biochemistry of chronically high anxiety could increase the growth of HIV; if so, these effects might be controlled with drugs already approved for other purposes. This theory should be easy to test in small clinical trials. If confirmed, it might lead to a new kind of treatment to reduce viral load and disease progression for some patients. [2003-12-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2003/12/Shy.html
Abbott Laboratories Increases Norvir Price Fivefold
On December 4, Abbott Laboratories increased the price of its drug Norvir fivefold -- possibly the largest out-of-the-blue overnight price increase for a life-critical medicine in history. [2003-12-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2003/12/Abbott.html
ADAP Washington Visit Feb. 23-25; Scholarship Deadline January 16
On February 23-25 you can join people from around the U.S. in Washington D.C. to tell your representatives about the importance of emergency funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which makes treatment possible for tens of thousands of people. If you want to apply for hotel, travel, and per-diem expenses, the deadline is next week. [2003-12-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2003/12/ADAP.html
African-Americans and AIDS Conference, Philadelphia, Feb. 23-24
Summary: This annual conference, primarily for medical professionals who treat African Americans with HIV, will take place this year in Philadelphia. We list highlights of the program. [2003-12-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2003/12/AfricanAmericans.html
AIDS Treatment News Will Publish Online, Print 12 Issues a Year
We will continue the print edition, but also publish preprints of articles online as news happens. [2003-12-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2003/12/ATN.html
Buyers' Club List, December 2003
Here is our annual update of AIDS-related buyers clubs and similar organizations. [2003-12-28]
Full article: http://www.aidsnews.org/2003/12/BuyersClubs.html
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