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Positive Living September 2008

Cover Story

AIDS 2008: Living with complexity

Positive Living article — Wednesday, 24 September 2008

There will be no simple solution to the HIV/AIDS crisis, delegates to the 17th International AIDS Society World AIDS Conference have been told. read more »

Tags: HIV prevention, International AIDS Conference, The global HIV epidemic

News

AIDS 2008: Criminalisation a hot topic

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

The criminalisation of HIV transmission or exposure was one of the burning issues at the World AIDS Conference and at a prior satellite meeting. South African Supreme Court Justice Edwin Cameron delivered a speech that called for an unambiguous rejection of the use of criminal law to regulate the sexual behaviour of those with or at risk of HIV. read more »

Victorian HIV transmission prosecutions

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

At the same time criminalisation issues were being discussed in Mexico City, two cases of HIV-transmission offences were being tried in Victoria. read more »

Feature

AIDS 2008: The Swiss Statement – the debate continues

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

The President of the Swiss Federal AIDS Commission, which produced the controversial statement on the effect of treatment of HIV transmission earlier this year, made some qualifications to the statement on a panel of experts at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. read more »

Liaisons with the dentist

Positive Living article • Adrian Ogier • 24 September 2008

If you are one of those people who hate the dentist then you just need to find one you really like. Adrian Ogier found a few he liked and discovered what good dental care is all about. read more »

Regular

What's Your Problem?

What's your problem?

Positive Living article • Dr Louise Owen • 24 September 2008

Your chance to ask an HIV-experienced doctor about any medical query you might have. We are grateful to Dr Louise Owen, medical director of the Centre Clinic in St Kilda, who will be answering your questions. read more »

US HIV travel ban to be lifted – but not yet

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

The long-standing ban on HIV-positive travellers entering the United States is expected to be lifted soon. read more »

The bones of the matter

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

Studies have shown markedly higher rates of osteopenia and osteoporosis in people with HIV compared with the general population and the exact causes of this and the best treatments to be used have been the subject of some debate. read more »

AIDS 2008: Is the HIV drug pipeline drying up?

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

The International AIDS Conference heard promising reports about the newer HIV treatments designed to help treat people with advanced and drug-resistantHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistant. HIV, all of which are now available in Australia. read more »

Treatments Briefs

Atazanavir switch doesn’t reduce belly fat

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

In a disappointing finding from the REAL studyA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. , little difference was shown in visceral fat levels from those who shifted to atazanavir/ritonavir versus those remaining on their existing boosted protease inhibitorA type of anti-HIV drug that works by preventing the production of an enzyme, protease, that HIV needs to replicate.read more »

News Briefs

Circumcision will halve HIV rates over decades

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

Mathematical modelling suggests that HIV incidence could be halved if circumcision were adopted in developing countries, however the impact would not be fully felt for many decades. read more »

Treatments Briefs

Treating earlier: at 500 T-cells?

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 24 September 2008

With increasing numbers of people with HIV developing non-AIDS illnesses, physicians are debating whether to start treatment earlier than is currently recommended. read more »

Treatments Briefs

New NNRTI shows early results

Positive Living article • John Daye • 24 September 2008

An experimental(Of a drug) Not licensed for use in humans, or as a treatment for a particular condition. Experimental drugs are studied in clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy, and are sometimes made available via Special Access Schemes prior to their approval. NNRTI, RDEA806, appeared to have strong antiviralA medication or substance which is active against one or more viruses. May include anti-HIV drugs, but these are more accurately termed antiretrovirals. activity and a favourable safety profile in a Phase IIA smaller clinical trial designed to establish whether a drug is effective. Phase II studies are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug for a particular indication or indications in patients with the disease or condition under study and to determine the common short-term side effects and risks. If there is evidence that the drug is effective, a Phase III study is undertaken, with a larger number of participaants, to confirm this. studyA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. presented at IAS 2008. read more »

Treatments Briefs

Growth hormone reduces deep belly fat in HIV

Positive Living article • John Daye • 24 September 2008

A possible new treatment for excessive abdominal fat associated with HIV-related lipodystrophy was presented at IAS 2008. read more »

Treatments Briefs

Rilpivirine (TMC-278)

Positive Living article • John Daye • 24 September 2008

Follow-up results from a Phase IIA smaller clinical trial designed to establish whether a drug is effective. Phase II studies are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug for a particular indication or indications in patients with the disease or condition under study and to determine the common short-term side effects and risks. If there is evidence that the drug is effective, a Phase III study is undertaken, with a larger number of participaants, to confirm this. studyA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. of rilpivirine (TMC-278), Tibotec’s experimental(Of a drug) Not licensed for use in humans, or as a treatment for a particular condition. Experimental drugs are studied in clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy, and are sometimes made available via Special Access Schemes prior to their approval. next generation NNRTI, indicate that when combined with Truvada or Combivir, rilpivirine has comparable results to the leading NNRTI, efavirenz. read more »

Treatments Briefs

Nanosuspension: a new treatment breakthrough?

Positive Living article • John Daye • 24 September 2008

A presentation at the International AIDS Conference looked at nanosuspension, a formulation of very small crystals which have been reduced to approximately twice the diameter of an HIV particle. read more »

Treatments Briefs

A next generation NNRTI

Positive Living article • John Daye • 24 September 2008

New data about IDX899, an experimental(Of a drug) Not licensed for use in humans, or as a treatment for a particular condition. Experimental drugs are studied in clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy, and are sometimes made available via Special Access Schemes prior to their approval. next generation NNRTI, was presented at the International AIDS Conference, showing reduced viral loadA measurement of the quantity of HIV RNA in the blood. Viral load blood test results are expressed as the number of copies (of HIV) per milliliter of blood plasma. in test tube studies both in wild-type HIV and strains with NNRTI-resistanceHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistant. mutations. read more »

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Positive Living is NAPWA's national HIV treatments publication, published four times a year. More information.

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HIV Clinical Trials update