NAPWA

A round-up of HIV-related news stories from the Australian and selected international media.

In this edition:

• Australia (1 item)
• Our Region (2 items)
• HIV Treatments (5 items)
• HIV Prevention (2 items)
• HIV Criminalisation (3 items)
• Health Policy (1 item)
• Infectious Diseases (1 item)
• GLBTI News (2 items)

 

Australia

Foul-mouthed doctor loses deregistration appeal

ABC News, 19 Aug

Tags: hiv general-practice deregistration nsw hccc nswmt

A Sydney doctor, who was deregistered for verbally abusing patients and failing to properly treat a man for skin cancer, has lost an appeal. [Also admitted revealing a patient's positive HIV status]

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/19/2987371.htm?section=justin

Our Region

Anger over "penguins and AIDS" comment

GayNZ (NZ), 17 Aug

Tags: hiv nz media vilification nzaf

Concern is being expressed about a column in the Southland Times, which insinuates AIDS is somehow funny.

Continues: http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_9199.php

Safe sex lesson wrapped in a gay drama

Bangkok Post (Thailand), 14 Aug

Tags: hiv thailand gay-men tv

With its raunchy scenes and dialogue, appealing male characters and realistic local settings, the mini-series, Love Audition, is a form of entertainment that the average gay man may find hard to resist.

Continues: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/190997/safe-sex-lesson-wrapped-in-...

HIV Treatments

Tenofovir treatment impairs kidney function, but clinical significance limited

Aidsmap (UK), 16 Aug

Tags: hiv treatments tenofovir kidney renal

Treatment with tenofovir has an adverse impact on kidney function, but the clinical significance of this is modest, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by an international team of investigators.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1502712/

New diagnoses among over 50s double in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Aidsmap (UK), 16 Aug

Tags: hiv late-diagnosis ageing uk

Almost half of older patients with HIV are diagnosed late, according to a study published in the August 24th edition of AIDS.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1503459/

Maraviroc potentially of benefit for many patients with late HIV diagnosis

Aidsmap (UK), 16 Aug

Tags: hiv treatments maraviroc late-diagnosis tropism

Almost two-thirds of patients whose infection with HIV was diagnosed late had virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. that uses the CCR5 co-receptor, and could therefore potentially benefit from taking a treatment regimen that includes maraviroc (Celsentri), Austrian investigators report

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1502487/

Traditional risk factors main cause of thickening of carotid artery in patients with HIV

Aidsmap (UK), 18 Aug

Tags: hiv cvd artherosclerosis cimt risk-factors lifestyle-factors fram

US researchers have found that thickening of the carotid artery in patients with HIV appears to be associated with traditional risk factors, rather than those connected with either the severity of HIV disease or the use of antiretroviral therapy.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1503438/

New Strategy Could Eradicate Latent HIV-Infected Cells

AIDSmeds (US), 19 Aug

Tags: hiv eradication latently-infected-cells reservoirs apoptosis ins-peptides inrs-peptides

Researchers report that they have taken the first step toward killing cells that are latently infected with HIV—cells that serve as a reservoir of persistent HIV reproduction and that current antiretroviral (ARVA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV.) drugs can’t reach.

Continues: http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/hiv_mix_dna_1667_18978.shtml

HIV Prevention

U.S. researchers develop new anti-HIV drug

Xinhua (China), 19 Aug

Tags: hiv drug-development pie12-trimer microbicides prevention

Researchers at University of Utah have developed a promising new anti-HIV drug that prevents HIV from attacking human cells.

Continues: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-08/19/c_13451375.htm

Seminal HIV Differs from Virus in Blood

MedPage Today (US), 19 Aug

Tags: hiv semen genes genetics

HIV in semen appears to differ markedly from HIV in the blood, according to researchers.

Continues: http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/21788

HIV Criminalisation

Singer with HIV admits endangering man

Boston Globe (US)/AP, 17 Aug

Tags: hiv criminal-law germany benaissa,nadja deliberately-infected

A German singer facing accusations that she infected a man with the virus that causes AIDS acknowledged in court yesterday that she had unprotected sex despite knowing she was HIV-positive.

Continues: http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2010/08/17/singer_with_...

German pop singer tried over HIV allegation

Washington Post (US).AP, 16 Aug

Tags: hiv criminal-law germany benaissa,nadja deliberately-infected

A German singer facing accusations that she infected a man with the virus that causes AIDS acknowledged in court Monday that she had unprotected sex despite knowing she was HIV-positive.

Continues: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/16/AR201008...

When it comes to HIV in this country, the law is a mess — and prejudice thrives

The Guardian (UK), 17 Aug (OPINION)

Tags: hiv criminal-law germany benaissa,nadja stigma op-ed uk power,lisa tht

The trial of Nadja Benaissa, the German singer accused of knowingly infecting a partner with HIV, has underlined that stigma about HIV is alive and well.

Continues: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/17/nadja-benaissa-hiv-in...

Health Policy

Gillard accuses Abbott on PBS

SMH/AAP, 19 Aug

Tags: pbs politics gillard,julia generics abbott,tony

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of wanting to rip $1 billion out of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme[Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme] The federal government program which subsidises medication costs in Australia. Anti-HIV drugs are part of a special part of the PBS called Section 100 (S100) which is used for expensive, highly specialised drugs., saying it would force up the prices of medicines.

Continues: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-accuses-abbott-on-...

Infectious Diseases

Predictive blood test for TB 'a step closer'

BBC News (UK), 18 Aug

Tags: tb diagnostics

International researchers say they have made a "significant step" towards a predictive blood test for tuberculosis.

Continues: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11012653

GLBTI News

Election 2010: GLBT taken for granted

SX News (Sydney), 18 Aug

Tags: glbt same-sex-marriage politics glbt-health national-lgbt-health-alliance martin,paul discrimination hiv rosenstreich,gabi

Just days out from the polls both major parties have been accused of having no plans to improve the health and wellbeing of the GLBTI community, let alone allow us to marry.

Continues: http://sxnews.gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/election-2010-glbt-taken-for-gr...

Our major parties' gay abandon

Dominic Knight/ABC The Drum Unleashed, 18 Aug (OPINION)

Tags: glbt same-sex-marriage op-ed politics

Why, pray tell, is there a bipartisan consensus against same-sex marriage?

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2986220.htm