"ADAP Watch," National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors: The report found that a total of 308 people in Alaska and South Carolina were on waiting lists for AIDS Drug Assistance Programs as of July 19 (ADAP Watch, 8/16). ADAPs are federal- and state-funded programs that provide HIV/AIDS-related medications to low-income, uninsured and underinsured HIV-positive individuals (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/26).
According to the report, there is approximately $35 million in FY 2007 ADAP supplemental awards that has not been distributed. ADAP estimated need for FY 2008 is $1 billion, an increase of $233 million over FY 2007. The House is considering a bill that would increase ADAP funding by $41 million for FY 2008, and the Senate is considering a similar bill that would increase ADAP funding by $25.4 million. According to the report, ADAP costs have increased by an average of $110.8 million annually since FY 1997 (ADAP Watch, 8/16).
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Saturday, August 18, 2007
New device to detect HIV infection faster
New Delhi: An Isreali biotech company, Smart Biotech is claiming that their new invention has the potential to save thousands of lives.
Invented by immunologist, Dr Tamar Jehuda-
Cohenm, the SMARTube treats a blood sample, stimulating it to produce antigens to HIV, if the blood is infected.
Normally it can take months for a person infected with HIV to produce antigens to the disease, says Dr Jehuda-Cohen. And it is the presence of the antigens that HIV tests check for.
"There is nothing like this in the world. It is a change of the way we ask a question in diagnostics. Instead of asking what there is in the body. We are using the tube in order to tell us what we would be able to see if we waited long enough. But usually we don't have that time to wait,” says Dr Jehuda-Cohen.
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Invented by immunologist, Dr Tamar Jehuda-
Cohenm, the SMARTube treats a blood sample, stimulating it to produce antigens to HIV, if the blood is infected.Normally it can take months for a person infected with HIV to produce antigens to the disease, says Dr Jehuda-Cohen. And it is the presence of the antigens that HIV tests check for.
"There is nothing like this in the world. It is a change of the way we ask a question in diagnostics. Instead of asking what there is in the body. We are using the tube in order to tell us what we would be able to see if we waited long enough. But usually we don't have that time to wait,” says Dr Jehuda-Cohen.
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HIV/AIDS task force seeking funds for clients
Partly because Harrison County has recently seen one of the largest increases in new HIV/AIDS cases in Mississippi, the South Mississippi AIDS Task Force's new director, Amanda Breckenridge, made the rounds on the Coast last week seeking extra funding from Community Development Block Grants at city council meetings.
Breckenridge started the job about three months ago, but said she has been working with the SMATF since its inception.
She said she is seeking increased funding because the cost of living has gone up so much here, greatly affecting those who can already barely pay for treatment drugs.
"We see a need to find increased funding so we can help clients with utility and rental assistance," Breckenridge said. "We also see a problem with people needing gas cards. It's difficult to go to doctors appointments or come here for case management. (Some) clients have to decide at the end of the month: 'Is it going to be food I pay for or medication I pay for?'
The State Department of Health's 2006 Mississippi Cumulative HIV Disease Report showed 1,126 people in the six southernmost counties served by SMATF to be living with HIV. The total for all of Mississippi was 8,540 for 2006read more
Breckenridge started the job about three months ago, but said she has been working with the SMATF since its inception.
She said she is seeking increased funding because the cost of living has gone up so much here, greatly affecting those who can already barely pay for treatment drugs.
"We see a need to find increased funding so we can help clients with utility and rental assistance," Breckenridge said. "We also see a problem with people needing gas cards. It's difficult to go to doctors appointments or come here for case management. (Some) clients have to decide at the end of the month: 'Is it going to be food I pay for or medication I pay for?'
The State Department of Health's 2006 Mississippi Cumulative HIV Disease Report showed 1,126 people in the six southernmost counties served by SMATF to be living with HIV. The total for all of Mississippi was 8,540 for 2006read more
HIV :: Nearly 70,000 children living with HIV virus in India
Indian Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said paediatric antiretroviral ARV drugs are available at 127 centres across the country.
She said as per the revised estimates, there are 70,000 HIV infected children in the country and nearly 21,000 new infections occur in children every year.
"Following the launch of paediatric ART initiative in November 2006, more than 18,000 infected children have been identified and currently nearly 6,500 eligible children are receiving ARV paediatric drugs," she said.
Denying that there was any shortage of ARV drugs, she said about 17,000 children are availing them.
The minister said the estimates for the year 2006 recently released by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), supported by UNAIDS and WHO, indicated that there are around two million to 3.1 million people living with HIV in the country.
Noting that the epidemic has stabilised at 0.36 per cent prevalence level during the last four years, she said in 2006 and 2005, the HIV figure in the country stood at 2.47 million.
By using the new method of estimation, she said the number of HIV infected persons in 2004 was found to be at 2.44 million.
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She said as per the revised estimates, there are 70,000 HIV infected children in the country and nearly 21,000 new infections occur in children every year.
"Following the launch of paediatric ART initiative in November 2006, more than 18,000 infected children have been identified and currently nearly 6,500 eligible children are receiving ARV paediatric drugs," she said.
Denying that there was any shortage of ARV drugs, she said about 17,000 children are availing them.
The minister said the estimates for the year 2006 recently released by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), supported by UNAIDS and WHO, indicated that there are around two million to 3.1 million people living with HIV in the country.
Noting that the epidemic has stabilised at 0.36 per cent prevalence level during the last four years, she said in 2006 and 2005, the HIV figure in the country stood at 2.47 million.
By using the new method of estimation, she said the number of HIV infected persons in 2004 was found to be at 2.44 million.
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US funds NGOs' HIV prevention efforts under PEPFAR
Nhan Dan Online - Under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Agency for International Development will provide six grants, ranging from US $20,000 to US $90,000 each, to support HIV/AIDS preventions efforts by local and international non-governmental organisations, through a Local Partnerships Initiative managed by Pact Vietnam, said the US Embassy in Hanoi.
NGOs should apply to Pact Vietnam, via email "asianguyen@pactvietnam.org" or phone (84-4) 719-5330, for the grants before the deadline of Thursday, September 6, 2007.
Successful NGOs will be awarded the grants to pilot innovative approaches and/or to extend proven community-based HIV prevention programming to not-yet-reached, inadequately reached, or hidden segments of at-risk populations, including sex workers and their clients, injecting drug users, male homosexuals, migrant workers, people living with HIV and vulnerable youth, in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Haiphong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, An Giang and Nghe An. Programming is expected to begin by the end of calendar year 2007.read more
NGOs should apply to Pact Vietnam, via email "asianguyen@pactvietnam.org" or phone (84-4) 719-5330, for the grants before the deadline of Thursday, September 6, 2007.
Successful NGOs will be awarded the grants to pilot innovative approaches and/or to extend proven community-based HIV prevention programming to not-yet-reached, inadequately reached, or hidden segments of at-risk populations, including sex workers and their clients, injecting drug users, male homosexuals, migrant workers, people living with HIV and vulnerable youth, in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Haiphong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, An Giang and Nghe An. Programming is expected to begin by the end of calendar year 2007.read more
HIV :: Youth touring world on bicycle to spread AIDS awareness
Somen Debnath from West Bengal's Sunderban reached here under his mission and had visited Kargil, Leh, Ganderbal and parts of Srinagar to campaign against the dreaded disease.
Talking about AIDS in Jammu and Kashmir, the 24-year-old PhD scholar said, "During my interaction, I found people here are simple and religious minded and are aware of the ill-effects of illicit relations and that is why there are less HIV infected patients in the state compared to other states." During his trip to Ladakh, Somen also trekked the highest motorable road in the world when he crossed 18,000 feet high Khardungla pass on bicycle.
Somen said he was moved by an AIDS related death in his neighbourhood 10 years ago and decided to go round the globe for HIV/AIDS awareness programme.
"I kicked off my journey on a bicycle on May 27, 2004 from my native village with just Rs 600 in the pocket," he said.
Somen claimed that so far he had visited five countries so far, including Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
He has toured 27 states and five u nion territories of the country and is in Kashmir for the past three days, from here he will leave for Punjab. He intends to enter Pakistan via Wagah border in November.
Aiming to complete his mission by 2020, Somen will tour 32 countries by flight and 28 nations by ship and the bicycle will be all along with me, he said.read more
HIV Delivers 'Double Whammy' to Brain
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, often infiltrates the brains of infected patients, causing everything from cognitive decline to death.
Now, new research in mice suggests the virus doesn't just kill brain cells but also prevents replacement cells from developing.
The new research is in mice, and many medical discoveries don't translate from rodents to humans. But Lipton said he expect humans to be similar to mice when it comes to this particular kind of research.
According to Lipton, the next step is to figure out a way to develop a drug with a "double bang" that would stop HIV from attacking both existing brain cells and stem cells that could become brain cells. Scientists are already working on drugs that target an enzyme that's involved in that process, he noted.read more
Now, new research in mice suggests the virus doesn't just kill brain cells but also prevents replacement cells from developing.
The new research is in mice, and many medical discoveries don't translate from rodents to humans. But Lipton said he expect humans to be similar to mice when it comes to this particular kind of research.
According to Lipton, the next step is to figure out a way to develop a drug with a "double bang" that would stop HIV from attacking both existing brain cells and stem cells that could become brain cells. Scientists are already working on drugs that target an enzyme that's involved in that process, he noted.read more
News - Row over HIV charity condom name
Sexual health group Yorkshire Mesmac issues condoms to gay and bisexual men under a scheme called Confi’doms.
But Britannia Medicare, which makes condoms under the Confident brand, has ordered the charity to sign away its name by Monday or end up in court.
The charity says it can prove it was using the Confi’dom name in late 2001, before Middlesex-based Britannia registered the Confident name in May 2002.
Leading trademark lawyer Lindsey Wrenn, based at the Leeds offices of solicitors Pinsent Masons, has offered her services free of charge to the charity.
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But Britannia Medicare, which makes condoms under the Confident brand, has ordered the charity to sign away its name by Monday or end up in court.
The charity says it can prove it was using the Confi’dom name in late 2001, before Middlesex-based Britannia registered the Confident name in May 2002.
Leading trademark lawyer Lindsey Wrenn, based at the Leeds offices of solicitors Pinsent Masons, has offered her services free of charge to the charity.
read more
Male Circumcisions May Not Reduce HIV Rate In SGL Males
What seemed like a possible strategy to combat AIDS is now being questioned. Men in Africa who have been circumcised reportedly have a reduced chance of contracting HIV from a HIV+ woman. However, men having sex with men show no such reduction. 1,427 HIV negative Australian men were studied starting in the year 2001 to 2004. In that time period, 49 seroconversions occurred with 29 being circumcised and 13 uncircumcised.
Researcher David Templeton of the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, reported no statistically significant "difference in the incidence of HIV infection between circumcised and uncircumcised men. This remained true when the analysis controlled for age, anorectal sexually transmitted infections, and insertive or receptive unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with someone who was HIV-positive." Story found on GayWired.com.read more
Researcher David Templeton of the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, reported no statistically significant "difference in the incidence of HIV infection between circumcised and uncircumcised men. This remained true when the analysis controlled for age, anorectal sexually transmitted infections, and insertive or receptive unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with someone who was HIV-positive." Story found on GayWired.com.read more
Drug Addicts Routinely Denied Anti-HIV Medicines
The strength or weakness of a person’s immune system is calculated on the basis of CD4 count. The normal range is between 600-1,500 cells per cu mm of blood. The count helps health providers decide when to put an HIV positive person on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
For the HIV prevention programmes to be effective, says Azam, these should reach out to IDUs specially.
In the last one year, ten people under his treatment died after they were refused treatment at the state-run hospitals. "About eight months ago, I had to bribe a doctor in Civil Hospital by paying him Rs 4,000 (66 US dollars)) just to operate on one of my clients which should have been done free of charge. Recently, one client died because the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre refused admission on one pretext or the other and, without informing us, shifted him to a shelter run by the Edhi Foundation charity, where his condition deteriorated and he slipped into coma. This is nothing new and happening all the time," Azam said.
The vice-president of the National Association of People Living with AIDS Farid Ahmed Memon faces the same discriminatory attitude. ‘’The Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) told me I don’t need to get the CD4 test done. Imagine if it’s happening to me -- and I know most doctors there -- what the others must be going through."read more
For the HIV prevention programmes to be effective, says Azam, these should reach out to IDUs specially.
In the last one year, ten people under his treatment died after they were refused treatment at the state-run hospitals. "About eight months ago, I had to bribe a doctor in Civil Hospital by paying him Rs 4,000 (66 US dollars)) just to operate on one of my clients which should have been done free of charge. Recently, one client died because the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre refused admission on one pretext or the other and, without informing us, shifted him to a shelter run by the Edhi Foundation charity, where his condition deteriorated and he slipped into coma. This is nothing new and happening all the time," Azam said.
The vice-president of the National Association of People Living with AIDS Farid Ahmed Memon faces the same discriminatory attitude. ‘’The Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) told me I don’t need to get the CD4 test done. Imagine if it’s happening to me -- and I know most doctors there -- what the others must be going through."read more
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