NAPWA

Mapping our future

An important new report was launched at the ASHMAustralasian Society for HIV Medicine. The peak Australasian organisation representing the medical and health sector in HIV/AIDS and related areas. Australasian HIV/AIDS conference in October. A joint project of NAPWA and the National Centre in HIV EpidemiologyThe branch of medical science that deals with the study of incidence and distribution and control of a disease in a population. and ClinicalPertaining to or founded on observation and treatment of participants, as distinguished from theoretical or basic science. Research, the report is the first in a series looking at the shifts and trends in Australia’s positive population. read more »

Saquinavir warning

The US Food and Drug AdministrationThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of all drugs, biologics, vaccines, and medical devices, including those used in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV infection, AIDS, and AIDS-related opportunistic infections. The FDA also works with the blood banking industry to safeguard the nation's blood supply. The Australian equivalent is the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). and the European Medicines Agency have strengthened their warnings to doctors and patients about the potential of the HIV protease inhibitorA type of anti-HIV drug that works by preventing the production of an enzyme, protease, that HIV needs to replicate. saquinavir (Invirase) to cause disturbances in electrical activity in the heart leading to abnormal heart rhythm when the drug is combined with a boosting dose of ritonavir (Norvir). read more »

New hope for non-nationals

Access to HIV treatment for people living legally in this country but ineligible for Medicare cover has been a major focus for NAPWA for many years. Unfortunately, the Australian government confirmed yet again this year that there was no resolution to this shameful situation through Commonwealth processes. read more »

The sooner the treatment, the better

Results from the CASCADE study show that people who started antiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. combination therapyHighly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy ??? aggressive treatment of HIV infection using several different drugs together. within the first year after diagnosis were 36% less likely to experience treatment failure, and 65% less likely to develop HIV drug resistanceHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistant. on treatment. read more »

HIV Neuro study update

Lucette Cysique and her colleagues at the University of NSW and St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney are continuing their study into whether HIV increases the risk for developing memory and attention difficulties in middle-aged people. read more »

Switch to nevirapine at any count

People with HIV who have an undetectable 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. can safely switch to nevirapine (Viramune) at any CD4 cell count, the European Medicines Agency has concluded. read more »

Step closer to a cure

Scientists in Melbourne have identified the mechanism by which HIV enters resting cells.

One of the major barriers to curing HIV has been the mystery of how resting cells are infected and how the virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. can lie hidden for years in these cells, despite prolonged treatment. read more »

Rosiglitazone a cardiovascular risk

The FDAThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of all drugs, biologics, vaccines, and medical devices, including those used in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV infection, AIDS, and AIDS-related opportunistic infections. The FDA also works with the blood banking industry to safeguard the nation's blood supply. The Australian equivalent is the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). has notified healthcare professionals and patients that it will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes[Diabetes mellitus] A disorder in which sugars in the diet cannot be metabolised into energy due to a lack of the enzyme insulin. Late-onset diabetes mellitus may be a long-term side effect of some anti-HIV drugs. drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to patients with Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their diabetes on other medications. read more »

Triple class resistant strain

Doctors at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney have reported two cases of transmitted triple-class 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.

The first case was diagnosed in 2006 and they believe this person passed the same strain[HIV strain] Any subgroup of the HIV species. Because HIV mutates very easily, there are many different strains (and may be multiple strains within a single person). onto the second case which was identified in 2008. read more »

It’s official... exercise is good for us.

The objective of a recent retrospective study was to examine the safety and effectiveness(Of a drug or treatment). The maximum ability of a drug or treatment to produce a result regardless of dosage. A drug passes efficacy trials if it is effective at the dose tested and against the illness for which it is prescribed. In the standard procedure, Phase II clinical trials gauge efficacy, and Phase III trials confirm it. of aerobic exercise interventions on immunologic and virologic, cardiopulmonary, psychological outcomes and strength, weight, and body composition in people with HIV. read more »

High-dose vitamins not necessarily useful

Despite reducing levels of a protein associated with heart disease, supplements containing the B vitamin folic acid don't reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, death or cancer, according to a new large-scale analysis of studies on the issue. read more »

FDA approves Egrifta

On November 10, the US Food and Drug AdministrationThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of all drugs, biologics, vaccines, and medical devices, including those used in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV infection, AIDS, and AIDS-related opportunistic infections. The FDA also works with the blood banking industry to safeguard the nation's blood supply. The Australian equivalent is the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). approved Egrifta (tesamorelin) to treat HIV people with visceral body fat caused through lipodystrophy.

Egrifta is a synthetic growth hormone releasing factor drug that is administered in a once-daily injection. read more »

Snippets from ASHM

The Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference was held in Sydney in October. Here are some of the treatment highlights: read more »

All the best, Peter

An important member of NAPWA’s team, Peter Canavan, retired in November. read more »

Making changes

Adopting healthy habits and sticking to them is never easy, so David Menadue looks for inspiration. read more »

Hook me up

James May still wants to play the field. He just doesn’t want to get sloshed and stay up all night doing it. read more »

An end to stigma

The stigma of HIV is something we can live without. And with your help we can make a start.

We want to hear from all sorts of people about what it means to be positive. read more »

What's Your Problem?

What's Your Problem?

Doctor Louise answers readers' questions. In this issue she gives advice about difficulties we find in making changes to improve our health. read more »