Thursday, March 01, 2007 |
In this issue: |
Gates Foundation, Canadian Government Announce Joint Initiative To Develop HIV/AIDS Vaccine(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report)Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday announced a joint $139 million initiative to establish a research institute for the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine, Toronto's Globe and Mail reports. According to the Globe and Mail, the Canadian government will provide about $111 million over five years and the Gates Foundation will provide $28 million to the initiative, called the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (Galloway, Globe and Mail, 2/21). The initiative aims to develop a preventive HIV/AIDS vaccine within 10 years and will build a research facility to support Canadian scientists and other researchers worldwide (Duff-Brown, AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 2/21). According to the Globe and Mail, the funding will be used to develop vaccine candidates and bolster the ability to run clinical trials (Globe and Mail, 2/21). >> Click Here
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Scientists Discover Vulnerable Area on HIV That Could Lead to Development of HIV/AIDS Vaccine(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report)Scientists on Wednesday announced they had identified a vulnerable area on HIV that might be susceptible to antibodies and could prevent the virus from infecting human cells, Reuters Health reports. The findings are published in the Feb. 15 issue of the journal Nature. A team of researchers at NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, led by Peter Kwong, identified a protein called gp 120 on the surface of the virus that appears susceptible to attack by an antibody called b12. HIV enters CD4+ T cells through gp 120, but b12 could block the entry process and neutralize the virus, according to Reuters Health (Dunham, Reuters Health, 2/14). According to the San Francisco Chronicle, HIV continuously changes shape, making it difficult for an antibody to attach to the virus' surface (Russell, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/15). >> Click Here
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BMJ Publishes Opinion Pieces on HIV/AIDS Funding Levels(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report)BMJ in its Feb.17 issue published two opinion pieces examining funding levels for efforts to combat HIV/AIDS worldwide. Summaries of the opinion pieces appear below. Roger England, BMJ: Efforts to fight the spread of HIV are "receiving relatively too much money," much of which is used "inefficiently and sometimes counterproductively," England of the Health Systems Workshop in Grenada, West Indies, writes. He adds that HIV programs are not "so cost-effective that they justify this disproportionate" funding. According to England, the "success" of HIV lobbyists and advocates "promoting HIV as exceptional" has led to "excessive" funding to combat the virus. England says the disproportionate funding of HIV is having "deleterious effects" on health care, such as "aggravating chronic shortages" of health workers, who are pulled toward "well-funded HIV programs."
Paul de Lay et al., BMJ: Although HIV/AIDS has become one of the "make or break forces of this century," UNAIDS estimates the current funding pledges to combat the pandemic "are only half what is needed for a comprehensive response," de Lay -- UNAIDS director of evaluation -- Robert Greener -- UNAIDS economics adviser -- and Jose Antonio Izazola -- UNAIDS senior adviser for resource and finance analysis -- write. " >> Click Here
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HIV Testing Essential in Fighting Spread of Virus, NIAID Director Fauci Says(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report)People should get tested for HIV and seek treatment if they are diagnosed as HIV-positive because those who know their status are less likely to transmit the virus to others, Anthony Fauci, director of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said on Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the AP/Fresno Bee reports. Fauci said that although available antiretroviral drugs cannot eliminate the disease, they can suppress viral loads and help reduce the spread of HIV. He added that although it might be possible to reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence, it will take a long time, and elimination of the disease is unlikely. Because HIV can be transmitted through sexual activity, which is part of human behavior, it is not "going to be easy to shut it off," Fauci added. Fauci also discussed the use of triple-drug combination therapies in Africa. According to Fauci, such combination therapies have shown to be more effective than single- or two-drug regimens in reducing the development of drug resistance. Fauci said that there are several new antiretrovirals in development for use as second-line therapies among people who have developed resistance to current treatment options. >> Click Here
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2 New Drugs Offer Options in H.I.V. FightBy LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN and ANDREW POLLACK Published: February 28, 2007
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 — Two new AIDS drugs, each of which works in a novel way, have proved safe and highly successful in large studies, a development that doctors said here on Tuesday would significantly expand treatment options for patients. The two drugs, which could be approved for marketing later this year, would add two new classes of drugs to the four that are available to battle H.I.V., the AIDS virus. That would be especially important to tens of thousands of patients in the United States whose treatment is failing because their virus has become resistant to drugs already in use. >> Click Here
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Hepititis Medication may be Linked to Treatment Resistant HIVThe Western Star(Corner Brook), Thu 22 Feb 2007 The manufacturer of the antiviral drug Baraclude says the drug may be linked to the development of a treatment-resistant strain of HIV in one patient with the disease. Baraclude, the brand name for the drug entecavir, has been authorized for use in Canada since June 2006 for the treatment of adults with active chronic hepatitis B infection. But in an advisory issued Wednesday, Health Canada said the drug's manufacturer informed the federal department that a U.S. patient - infected with both HIV and hepatitis B - became resistant to one of the more commonly used HIV medications while taking Baraclude alone. The report is one of three from the United States submitted by Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada concerning HIV patients who experienced a decrease in their human immunodeficiency virus levels while using Baraclude, despite not being treated with HIV drugs. To date, studies do not suggest that Baraclude has any activity against HIV. Drugs which have effects against HIV may be associated with an increased risk of developing treatment-resistant forms of the infection. Canadians taking Baraclude should consult their physicians if they have any questions or concerns, said Health Canada,. Consumers requiring more information can contact Health Canada's public enquiries line at (613) 957-2991, or toll free at 1-866-225- 0709.
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More Frequent Participation in Needle-Exchange Programs Does Not Increase Risk of HIV Infection, Study Says(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report) Contrary to an earlier study, more frequent participation in needle-exchange programs does not increase risk of HIV infection among injection drug users, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Medicine, Reuters Health reports. Evan Wood of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and colleagues examined possible associations between high HIV incidence and frequent use of a needle-exchange program in Vancouver, Canada. The study was designed to re-examine the results of an earlier study in Vancouver that found higher incidence of HIV infection among IDUs who more frequently used the needle-exchange program. The researchers found that in comparison with less frequent needle-exchange users, daily needle-exchange program attendees were more likely to be female; Aboriginal or American Indian; living in unsteady housing; involved in commercial sex work; and daily heroin or cocaine users. >> Click Here
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Two New Classes of Drugs Found To Control Viral Loads Among HIV-Positive People Who Have Developed Drug Resistance, Studies Say(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report) Two new classes of antiretroviral drugs, called CCR5 and integrase inhibitors, have been found to control the viral loads of HIV-positive people who have developed drug resistance, according to studies presented Tuesday at the 14th Annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reports (Chong, Los Angeles Times, 2/28). An estimated 40,000 HIV-positive people in the U.S. have developed resistance to available antiretrovirals and rely on a complex and changing combination of available drugs (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/2). According to the New York Times, the two new antiretrovirals if approved would represent the first new classes of HIV/AIDS drugs since 2003. They also would be the first new classes of oral antiretrovirals in 10 years. >> Click Here
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SPRING FOR LIFE
Edmonton’s favourite way to welcome Spring is back!!! Visit these locations Wednesday March 21st to buy your ‘Spring for Life’ bouquet for $5. Bellavita Hair Spa - 6112 194 St NW The Horses at Northlands - Northlands Park Mayfield Salon & Day Spa - 16627 109 Ave Students' Union Building - U of A For more information contact Holly at (780)488-5742, ext 240 or email development@hivedmonton.com. Click Here
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NOTICE OF HIV EDMONTON SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGPlease be advised that there will be a Special General Meeting on:
March 19, 2007 at 6:00 pmIn the Boardroom at HIV Edmonton Suite 300, 11456 Jasper Avenue The purpose of this meeting is to review and vote on a recommendation for the appointment of an Auditor to be employed to audit our 2006-2007 fiscal year statements.
Light refreshments will follow the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there. If you need additional information please contact the Executive Director at 488-5742 #236
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8th ANNUAL ALBERTA HARM REDUCTION CONFERENCE
MARCH 8 & 9, 2006 - Radsion Hotel Calgary Airport The 8th Annual Alberta Harm Reduction Conference planning is underway. The date has been set for March 8 & 9, 2007 in Calgary, Alberta. This event will continue to lead some of the most progressive harm reduction education and skill transfer opportunities in the country. The 2007 Conference is being hosted by AIDS Calgary Awareness Association and Safeworks Calgary. Click Here
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ALBERTA'S POSITIVE VOICE CONFERENCE
ADVOCACY TO ACTION: Developing Our Network This is a working conference, a departure from the retreats of past years. Some spaces are still available. For information and to register, please contact Sylvie at (780)488-5742. ext 229
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BEHIND THE PANDEMIC
Uncovering the Links between Social Inequity & HIV/AIDS Interested participants MUST R.S.V.P. before March 21st to Sue Ann at (780)488-5742 ext 221 or email contact7@hivedmonton.com
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OUTRIGHTS 2007
Bringing together diverse audiences of local, national, and international business and community leaders, academic scholars, students, activists, politicians, philanthropists, members of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) communities, their allies and the broader community from across North America, OutRights - a human rights conference on GLBT issues will be held in Calgary, in April 2007. OutRights will provide an unprecedented opportunity to share knowledge, create action and raise awareness on the human rights issues facing GLBT communities and their allies. Consider attending this exciting event being organized by AIDS Calgary in conjunction with the First North America OutGames 2007. Click below for Registration and Scholarship information. Click Here
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2007 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS FORUM & AGM
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SEXUAL PURSUIT: Not a Trivial Game
ON SALE NOW!!! You can order this CD-ROM by contacting Robert at (780)488-5742, ext 230 or by emailing men@hivedmonton.com
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