Blogging and Thanksgiving

It is now the week of Thanksgiving and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that your day is spent enjoyably, but also being thankful for the blessings in your life.

I am thankful for all the wonderful family that surrounds and supports me. I am thankful that this semester is almost over as attaining my B.S. has been a long haul for me and I am ready for some down time. I love to learn and plan to continue to learn new things even when I no longer take any classes at the University. I am thankful for my health. This class has made me more aware of the dangers within our world and, although we should not dwell on the negatives, we must be diligent in helping to educate, be proactive and, most importantly, be personally responsible in not engaging in risky behavior.

What I have learned in this class is that we all must share in the responsiblity of working to erradicate the HIV virus. This is a world virus and if we want to save our world, we must all do what we can to stop the spread of HIV through talking and educating others about the virus, and we need to stand up to our peers and let them know the dangers and how their behavior could change their lives, or the lives of others, forever. This may seem like such a small thing to do and you may ask how could this possibly help save the world, but by word of mouth and by being bold and speaking the truth, even if one person is kept from getting HIV, it will have been worth it.

Since I am interested in research and HIV, I found a website, http://www.fhi.org/NR/Shared/enFHI/ that talks about "first generation" of microbicides. These are vaginal gels and lubricants that could possibly keep a female from getting HIV. There is currently no effective vaginal microbicide on the market, but there are several that are currently being tested for effectiveness and safety. There are three types of microbicides being tested. First generation, which stops the virus before it can penetrate the cells, the next is based on antiretroviral drugs and interact with the "viral life cycle" (Web: fhi, 2009), and the third is a combination of the first two. The microbicides would need to be inserted prior to sexual intercourse to be effective. The gel or lubricant would damage the virus so that it could not infect the female cells. They are also currently working on a microbicide for anal intercourse.

Web: fhi, 2009), Clinical Research Update, retrieved from http://www.fhi.org/NR/Shared/enFHI/, on Nov. 23, 2009.

Stopping the Spread of HIV

This week the QOTW revolved around ways in which to stop the spread of HIV. I guess my age is showing, once again, as I took it as a social, interpersonal issue, whereas many of my classmates suggested concrete methods such as billboards and making this HIV class mandatory. I see the spread of HIV as a social issue that can mostly be changed by a change in societies attitude. First, we have to change societies attitude towards those who are already infected. Then we have to change our own attitudes about life and how we live it. We have to change our priorities too. Rather than worrying about whether or not we can afford the newest cell phone or IPod, we need to worry about being responsible for ourselves and those around us. When I say responsible I am referring to financially, medically, emotionally and personally. Once we take responsibility for ourselves, we will change much of our risky behavior that has gone rampant over the last 30 years. Now I know sex has been around for a long time, even longer than me, but there has been a trend towards "sex in your face" attitude. It is everywhere; TV, radio, magazines, books and CD's. You can't turn your TV on without hearing a commercial about Cialis, Viagra, and erectile disfunction, but no mention of STD's, pregnancies, and HIV. Why because it doesn't sell. This is the attitude that needs to change. We are obsessed with things and money, and having a life of leisure, sports and partying. We prefer to not take life too seriously.

I think some of my classmates had very good concrete ideas for helping with the spread of HIV, but putting condoms or needles in someone's hands will not guarantee they will use them. Yes, maybe they will and it will help, but it will not change the way society thinks about HIV and it will not help us to deal with the stigmas associated with HIV. This was my soapbox moment!

I'm growing in this class because I am enjoying all of the little tidbits of HIV/AIDS information that we are sharing each week. As part of the blog I think this is some of the best information as it is not so lengthy that you get bored or bogged down with statistics, but just enough information to make you stop and think about what you have read.

My tidbit for this week is from the AMA Morning Rounds dated, Tues, Nov. 17, 2009, STD rates continue to rise among American women, men. The CDC has indicated that "sexually spread diseases continue to rise" (Web: AMA, 2009). Many of the new 19 million cases are HPV. Unfortunately much of the data on HPV is from 2000 and although this data shows an increase, the CDC is concerned because they know it is outdated and that the numbers of "6.2 million new cases of HPV" (Web: AMA, 2009), is not accurate but under estimated. Much of the CDC's concern is from chlamydia and how it is mostly young women between the ages of 15 to 19 who are becoming infected. This will have an impact on fertility as well, (Web: AMA, 2009).
And you know that if sexual diseases like chlamydia and HPV are spreading that HIV is also spreading.

Web: AMA, 2009, STD rates Continue to rise among AMerican Women, men, Nov. 17, 2009, retrieved from http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4BO2C84D00039294000006DB....

AIDS in America

I finished the book "AIDS in America" by Susan Hunter. This was a required reading if you couldn't attend the panels. I wish I had went to the panels! I felt like this book was a waste of my time, which is very valuable to me right now. In my opinion Susan Hunter uses this book to bash President Bush and the Christian Coalition. I believe her book would have been more credible and would have made a greater impact if she had kept the book as informative rather than playing the "blame game". There were HIV positive people mentioned in the book but with her continuous "blame game" it took away from the real characters in the book. She spends very little time addressing personal responsibility and only vaguely goes into the lives of her characters. I came away after reading her book wishing I had made the drive to Orlando to go to the panels.

Ms. Hunter also spends some time in her book blaming the pharmaceutical companies for the spread of HIV and that their only purpose is to make money. I did some research and came across "HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Other Infectious Disease contributions" from the Hudson Institute (Web:Hudson Institute, 2009). Although this data was from 2004, Ms. Hunters book is from 2006, certainly not current information either way.

"The Merck Foundation provided $50 million to the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership in Botswana. This partnership supports the construction of 32 regional treatment centers and has reached educators in 70 percent of the nation's primary and secondary schools (Web: Hudson, 2009). The Foundation also provides antiretroviral drug treatment for 24,000 of the 26, 000 AIDS patients enrolled. Merck provides HIV/AIDS support for African physicians as well as additional help financially and via medicines to 24 other countries (Web: Hudson, 2009).

Pfizer, Inc. and Bristol Myers Squibb combined contributed over $165 million dollars in the war against HIV/AIDs through various foundations and programs. This money goes towards medications, education, training, labs, supplies, etc. Many of the pharmaceutical companies work with UNAIDS to provide these services (Web: Hudson, 2009).

I know that the pharmaceutical companies are making money, and yes, they could probably donate more, but the point I am making is what would HIV/AIDS be like without their help?
Does bashing and ridculing manufacturers, the government, and groups make things better? Ms. Hunter leads you to believe that the pharmaceutical companies care only about profit and that they don't care about making a difference. I find this hard to believe when I read about people like Daria Hazuda, who is a researcher that discovered Isentress, a newly introduced HIV/AIDS medication that will help many suffering with HIV/AIDS today.

How am I growing in this class? There is no easy solution to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. There are many grey areas for treatment options, testing, methods of control and educational standards. There are also many opinions on why and how we should fix the problem. I believe HIV/AIDS will be around for a very long time. I would be very surprised but thrilled if a cure was develped in my life time. I do think that we are the best nation and have contributed the most to fighting this virus, helping others around the world, and trying to make strides in eradicating it. Should the United States of America turn their backs on other countries, the majority of these countries would have many more deaths each and every year from HIV/AIDS as well as many other devastating illnesses.

My tidbit for this week is from POZ Magazine from Dec. 17, 2007. Thursday's Child, a nonprofit NYC organization is able to remain open due to donations. This organizations helps those with HIV/AIDS with "rent, utility, and food expenses" (Web: POZ, 2009). The organization will be able to stay open through the New Year after almost closing last December when budget cuts took place. Private donations were approximately $85,000. Additional funds were donated by MAC Cosmetics Global AIDS Fund of New York City and Toronto, Dowling College, Smithtown High School (Web: POZ, 2009). This is a good example of people helping people.

Web: Hudson Institute, 2009), A Review of Pharmaceutical Company Contributions: HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Other Infectious Diseases, Oct. 2004, retrieved on Nov. 7, 2009 from http://spp.hudson.org/files/publications/AdelmanNorrisPharmCoReview.pdf

Web: POZ Magazine, 2009), Donations Keep AIDS Organization Alivew, Nov. 9, 2009, retrieved from http://www.poz.com/articles

Human Life Versus Animal LIfe

This week the QOTW was about using chimpanzees for testing for HIV breakthroughs. This was a more difficult question to me moreso than any of the other previous questions. I think there is a real gray area when it comes to using animals for the good of man. I do not want to see animals used/killed needlessly and so if the HIV testing that is being done is not working than it should stop. If it is not working then why do we continue to funnel dollars to this cause?
Asking for HIV positive volunteers is a great idea but how many would we actually get to volunteer and wouldn't it be more beneficial to test on non-positive HIV humans? With chimps having such a close resemblance of DNA to humans it makes them more vulnerable to those who think this is the most beneficial way to make progress in the fight against the virus. I am sure that there are many scientists who would say testing on chimps is the only way to go. I also know there are many humans who would rather we not test on animals which may limit our progress in the fight against HIV. So while we argue about the use of chimps or not for HIV testing the virus continues to spread and people continue to get sick and die.

How am I growing in this class? I think my education is expanding when it comes to HIV/AIDS facts, but I am realizing just how much stigmatism and shame come with being HIV positive. I have developed a sense of compasion for those who are infected and having to deal with their illness each and every day with no end in sight. The M & M Simulation has made me realize how inconvienced HIV positive people are with all the medications they must take and all of the side-effects involved. Its not like taking an antibiotic for 10 days. They must take this medication cocktail the rest of their lives and not miss a dose or risk mutation of the virus. The stress of dealing with the medications, the overall illness, and then the stigmatisms and fallout from those who are less knowledgeable about HIV can be overwhelming.

NYU is doing a study on the immune system of HIV positive people. Both men and woman are involved and the study revolves around the "type and number of immune cells present in their blood" (Web:NYU, 2009). These individuals are infected with HIV but have not progressed to AIDS. although they take no antiretroviral medications. For some reason their body's immune systems keep AIDS from evolving and progressing within their immune system. The study is on why and how this happens in some individuals which are also known as "long-term HIV survivors" or "thrivers" (Web: NYU, 2009). This studyis ongoing.

WEb: NYU, (2009), HIV Long-term Nonprogressors Study, retrived Oct. 27, 2009, from http://www.hivinfosource.org/hivis/clinicaltrials/ltnp.html

The Facts

This week I would like to blog about several things. First I want to talk about the myths associated with HIV/AIDS. Some of the misconceptions still within our society seem way out there like "if you are cool you can't get HIV". I guess we forget that although we are in college there are others who do not have hardly any education and so this type of misconception is all they can say. The scary part is that they truly believe this and are more at risk of becoming infected as well as infecting others. So dispelling these types of myths is very important (Teach, Myths, slide #2, Oct. 2009).

The "act" of transmission for HIV is something we rarely think about. Until I looked at the slides, I never even thought about how many red blood cells were on the tip of a needle or about the breaking of membranes in the anus making it easier for the virus to infect. Although many people probably don't care about this information, knowing it makes it seem more real and can make a person stop and think about things a little differently (Teach, Transmission slides #4 & 9, Oct. 2009).

When it comes to prevention, most people know about abstinence and condom use. Most people probably don't think about which type of condom offers better protection or the proper use or discarding of a condom. Although getting HIV from a used condom would probably be rare, it can still happen, but I doubt many people even think about this. Our healthcare workers are more apt to become infected since they are around bodily fluids more frequently. Using precautions on a daily basis and keeping prevention at the forefront of our minds will help to keep us from becoming infected (Teach, Prevention slides #3, 8 & 9, Oct. 2009).

I am growing in this class because I am discovering how difficult it is to change the attitude of society even with education. I find that people have to be open-minded and willing to learn about something even though they have preconceived notions. Learning about the little things that we normally don't think about regarding HIV/AIDS gives us a better sense of the virus and how we can deal with it. The treatment an HIV positive person must go through is not fun but it still gives them a chance at living.

In the AMA Morning Rounds dated Oct. 27, 2009, the New York Times is reporting that the Federal health officials are coming up with a plan to "test and treat" within the District of Columbia and Bronx area within a three year course. The plan is to test eveyone and if they are shown to be HIV positive begin to treat. This study is suppose to catch those individuals who are HIV positive but don't know it and don't think they could ever become infected. This will involve the help of ER depts, physician offices, clinics, etc. There was no mention as to when this study might begin (Web:AMA, 2009).

Web: AMA, retrieved Oct. 27, 2009 from http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4AE6F42A)))FOFC8000037AB22243322829B...

CD: Teach, Myths, Transmission, Prevention slides, Oct. 2009.

Observations

This week I would like to give you my observations on the posts that have been made regarding our Questions of the Week. Each week we are given a different scenerio that makes us think about how we or a loved one would handle being HIV positive or being around someone who is HIV positive. Would we save a life while putting ourselves at risk of contracting the HIV virus? Would we choose life over death? How would our loved ones treat us once they found out we are HIV positive? Most of the posts chose life. A life being HIV positive is better than no life at all. Most all would put themselves at risk of becoming HIV positive so as to save another human beings life. Although some choose to live only because of their small children, in the end, no one wants to take any unnecessary risks in contracting this virus. Most of the posts are showing that we are becoming educated on HIV/AIDS and are coming to terms with this deadly virus but some things are hard to change. Many still show that although they know they can't get the virus from kissing, hugging or casual contact, we still have that uneasy feeling in the pit of our stomaches when we knowingly are around someone who has the virus. The stigma associated with being HIV positive is hard to overlook. Fear can consume someone and control much of their life even with education. This virus brings about the fear of dying, the fear of years of illness, the fear of being looked at as a leopard. But many of us have no idea who is HIV positive or not. It could be the man sitting next to us at church, the lady checking us out at the grocery store or the child at the daycare where your children play. And yet with all of this fear and education we have as well as the stigma still associated with the HIV virus we continue to engage in risky behavior.

My tidbit for this week is from http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4ACB5E37000117D.... This internet article from the American Medical Association Newsletter dated October 6, 2009 says that the requirement for separate HIV test consent forms is blocking many people from getting tested. Apparently Massachusetts is one of only a few states that still require a separate consent form from patients to authorize HIV testing. With so many not knowing their HIV status, there is new legislation requesting that the separate consent form be abolished. Being HIV positive is no longer thought of as a dealth sentence and so more people who know about their status would be able to get treatment sooner and help to stop the spread of the virus.

Web: AMA (2009). Separate HIV test consent form requirement impedes life-saving diagnoses, experts say, retrieved Oct. 6, 2009, from http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4ACB5E37000117D....

Scotland

This week my blog is on Scotland. Scotland's HIV confidentiality laws are pretty vague. The majority of laws on HIV revolve around medical records and criminal intent. The UK National Guidelines for HIV Testing 2008 basically states that you should treat HIV medical records no different than any other medical record. "Patients have a right to expect that information about them will be held in confidence by their doctors. Confidentiality is central to trust between doctors and patients. Without assurances about confidentiality, patients may be reluctant to give doctors the information they need in order to provide good care" Web: British HIV Association, 2009). "All members of the multidisciplinary team must have a contractual obligation not to reveal information about people using services without their consent" (Web: Medical Foundation, 2009). Breaching confidentiality is considered a serious offense and those involved will need to be able to justify their actions or face serious penalties. This is why it is so important for protocols to be in place so that physicians and staff can know when access is appropriate and when it is not (Web: Medical Foundation, 2009). I was not able to obtain specific laws that pertain to HIV confidentiality as well as any indication of the specific penalties involved in violating the laws.

My tidbit for this week is about how HIV infections in England and Scotland's blood donors has shown a large increase over the past 16 years. This basically "means that the chance of contaminated blood reaching patients in the UK needing transfusions has doubled" (Web:Irish Health, 2009). Once the blood is shown to be HIV positive it is destroyed and the the donor is notified of the findings. Internal documents say that the increase in the infected blood could be due to several reasons. One of the reasons could be the increase in the amount of HIV infected people. Another reason could be the recruiting of a more diverse ethnical population for donations. and while most of the latest HIV infected donors were white, The Blood Service wants to remind everyone that there is only a very small chance of HIV infection through current blood transfusions (Web: Irish Health, 2009). Although this information is not directly linked to research, research is involved in finding out why there is the increase or if the virus has mutated in any way where traditional screening may not be as accurate.

My experience getting HIV tested was quite an experience as I don't usually visit the Health Clinic. My pretesting counseling was more like an information gathering experience. Many very personal questions were asked and I tried to remind myself of the reason they were being asked to me. I did find the questions to be very personal and wanted to say that it was none of your business, but I tried to keep an open mind about the testing purpose and the data gathering opportunity for the State. My counselor was very nice and very professional. I'v had blood drawn before so it was not a bad experience. I knew what to expect. I tried to put myself in the place of a drug addict or a prostitute and wondered what they would be feeling if they were being asked the very personal questions. I think the data gathering session would be very difficult for them. Some might would leave in the middle of the visit. Waiting for the results can be stressful, but I tried to put it out of my mind so as not to worry to death about it. Once the results were told to me I felt as if a huge rock had been lifted from me.

How did I grow this week? I learned about the HIV laws or lack of laws in Scotland. I did find that there is still a very large stigma associated with HIV in Scotland with no signs of changing. I learned that other countries can view HIV/AIDS very differently from the U.S. I learned that getting tested is not that difficult. The difficult part is waiting for the results and making sure you are being a responsible sex partner all the time.

Web: British HIV Association (2009). Retrieved Oct. 13, 2009 from http://www.bhiva.org
Web: Irish Health (2009). Retrieved Oct. 13, 2009 from http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html
Web: Medical Foundation (2009). Retrieved Oct. 12, 2009 from http://medfash.org.uk

Movies, Movies and More Movies

This weeks assignment is to write about movies on HIV/AIDS. I watched three different movies and I really only enjoyed one of them. I watched Silverlake Life: The View From Here by Tom Joslin and Peter Friedman. This particular movie was given high marks by the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly and Newsweek. In my opinion it was given these ratings because it chronicled the life of a gay man dying with AIDS. Anyone with any life sense knows that dying a slow death is not easy. Anyone with any bit of education knows that a dying person is not a pretty site. To me this is what the movie represented. I do respect the fact that Tom Joslin wanted his life to be a lesson for those who continue to deny that HIV is not an epidemic. I think he also wanted viewers to feel the heartache of watching someone die so that they will step up to the plate and make a difference in fighting this virus (Joslin, T. & Friedman, P. 1993).

The second movie I watched was called Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. I thought this movie was a little better than the last. It wasn't as dark. The movie gave information on how the Quilt came to be, the significance behind it, and several lives and their personal stories who are now remembered on the Quilt (Epstein & Friedman, 1898). Although there was saddness in watching this movie, I felt it served a purpose of informing the viewers about how the public became educated on HIV and how those individuals became infected. I thought the movie also educated the public on the magnitude of the epidemic.

The third movie I watched was called The Age of AIDS by David Fanning. This movie was like a time line of information on HIV/AIDS. I thought it was pretty good and nicely put together. Although there were no dead bodies clearly visible you knew that many of those in the movie would die. This time line of information gave insite into everyones role during the first decade of HIV/AIDS (Fanning, 2006). I would watch this movie again and recommend it to others interested in finding more information about HIV/AIDS.

I think watching these movies helped me to grow in my knowledge of HIV/AIDS by making me realize how important family and friends are. It seemed to me that all three movies showed how emotional and supportive family and friends were for those infected with HIV/AIDS. I also got a feel for how important it is for us to work for the better good, fight for what is right, and to not give up like those who battled the government, the pharmaceutical companies, and the virus.

My tidbit of information comes from the AMA Morning Rounds from the American Medical Association. In their newsletter dated Sept. 21, 2009, the AP (Associated Press) reported on Sept. 19th, 2009 that Abbott Laboratories has a new HIV test that "detects both types of the virus that causes AIDS" (AMA, 2009). Apparently HIV types 1 and 2 can be detected with the Abbott Prism HIV O Plus test and is "used to test donated blood and organs" (AMA, 2009).

Epstein, R & Friedman, J. (Directors), Couture, B., Epstein, R., & Friedman, J.
(Producers). (1989). Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt [Motion
Picture]. USA: Telling Pictures, Inc.

Fanning, David (producer). (2006). The Age of AIDS {Motion picture]. United States:
FRONTLINE/WGBH Educational Foundation.

Joslin, T, & Friedman, P. (Producers/Directors). (1993). Silverlake Life: The View From
Here [Motion picture]. United States: New Video Group.

Web: AMA (2009, Sept 21), Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from
http://webmail.att.net/wmc/enUS/v/wm/4AB78997000CCDOC.....

HIV and Cancer

As I write my blog for week #5 I am saddened at the wasting of my next door neighbor who is 47 years old and in his last days. He does not have HIV, but was diagnosed with cancer about six years ago. I remember when he first shared with us that he had a tumor. He did not seem overly concerned. He was ready for the surgery and then things would go on as normal. I have watched him bounce back and forth from healthy to not healthy, depending on whether or not he was in remission or if he was able to tolerate the treatment. He has gone from a healthy 230 pound man to wasting away to almost nothing. He has lost his desire to eat, to visit, to survive. He has had to deal with fever, nausea, horrible pain, sores, and fatigue while wasting away to someone who is barely recognized.

The human body and what it accomplishes each and every day is amazing. The body has automatic survival skills that are at work 24/7 so when a virus or disease gets the best of our bodies we know it has put up a good fight. It seems that many viruses and diseases have many of the same signs and symptoms at the onset and throughout the longevity of the illness. Anything that attacks our immune system seems to cause a breakdown in our bodies ability to defend itself from many different fronts. If the disease or virus can't get us through muscle, it moves to bone, if it can't get us through our bones, it moves to our blood until it consumes us. Meanwhile the unfortunate victim of the horrible disease/virus is at the mercy of available treatments and the body they were born with.

Reading over this weeks module gives me the desire to take better care of myself. I will be more quicker to get to the doctor and the dentist. I will not put off getting my moles checked or my pap smear done on a yearly basis. I will pay closer attention to the little signs that could mean I have the beginning of something more serious. I will be more proactive in not taking unnecessary risks like having unprotected sex or engaging in IV drug use. I will do a better job of taking care of this body since it is trying to take care of me. I will make each day count because life can be short.


My tidbit this week is on the similarities and differences of HIV and cancer. On the web site, The HIV-Cancer Link, they are studying the similarities and differences of HIV and cancer. Some of the similarities is in the area of cytokine research which has to do with chemical interactions and the immune systems response to infection. Another similarity has to do with several sexually transmitted viruses that are linked to HIV cancers (those cancers that are common in HIV patients).

Some differences that are important are the patient populations affected, the attitudes of the physicians and how the FDA approves clinical trials. With some of this new information, researchers are finding that those HIV patients who are living longer will develop some type of HIV cancer. AIDS research has lead to a better understanding of some infections within the cancer community. The sharing of data and information between the HIV/AIDS and the cancer research community can only have a positive impact on the fight against these debilitating viruses.

Web: HIV-Cancer (2009). Retrieved Sept. 20, 2009, from http://www.aidsinfonyc.org/hivplus/issue2/ahead/cancer.html.

What I Have Learned So Far; What I Have Yet to Learn.

It has been about a month since this class started and I feel like I am consumed by learning about HIV/AIDS. In four weeks I have read a book, watched three movies, and talked about the virus and I still don't know all there is to know about the HIV virus. I have had mixed emotions about the films and the book was better than I expected as iI enjoyed the story attached to learning about the virus. The book seemed more real to me than the movies. As I have learned new information such as the virus does not go dormant, but is asymptomatic and slowly replicating and taking over the body, and that if you are HIV positive you can still kiss people without giving them HIV, there is still a lot of unanswered questions. As I have researched information on the web I am concerned about the accuracy of the data that is given. I question why one country is throwing condoms at their citizens and other countries are ignoring the problem. I wonder why people infected with this awful virus continue to behave in irresponsible ways infecting others. I am learning that there are many HIV testing sites but some may be closing due to budget cuts, and can this virus ever be irradicated since it is worldwide? The more I learn, the more scared I get. I'm not scared about the virus itself, but the chances of catching it, not just for me but for my children. If this is a pandemic then why are we not having an all out war against it? I still have so many unanswered questions and I know that in the next four weeks I will be better educated then I am today.

In the AMA Morning Rounds web page at http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4AAF95B5000F075D000010312222...., there is a short article that says that Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a drug for HIV called Bevirimat that "may" cut the HIV virus as much as 50% in two weeks based off of a trial. This is a new class of medicine for HIV called maturation inhibitors. Although this trial is seen as positive, additional trials will be needed. The trial in Austrailia that led to this discovery shows that Bevirimat can reduce the HIV virus in blood about 20 times more than other drugs and has an average of 60 times better results than other current HIV durgs.

Web: AMA (2009). Retrieved, Sept. 15, 2009, from http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4AA.....

Tidbits

I came across this statistical information at the Kaiser Family Foundation web site at http://www.kff.org/hivaids/3030.cfm. I thought some of this information was pretty interesting and wanted to share it with you.

*Most new infections are transmitted heterosexually.
*Estimated 8 in 10 people infected with HIV do not know it.
*TB is on the rise due to HIV.
* Young people ages 15-24 account for 45% of new HIV infections.
* A large part of research is also geared towards medications to prevent and treat the opportunistic infections caused by AIDS.
*The U.S. is government is the single largest donor to international HIV efforts in the world.
*In 2009 the amount of funding the U.S. government gave towards global HIV/AIDs was 6.3 million dollars.

I also learned in class this week that there are many students who would take African blood supply in an emergency situation even though it may be tainted with the HIV virus.

Did You Know column

First of all I am not sure if this is how or where I am suppose to post this information but I hope that you enjoy reading it anyway.

I found an article on the web about two new antibodies that have been found to cripple HIV. I will try to keep it simple as much of the information is very medical. Apparently The Scripps Research Institue and the biotechnology companies Theraclone Sciences and Monogram Biosciences have made a discovery of two new antibodies that seem to put a kink in the HIV virus and they are hoping that they can form a vaccine with these antibodies.

The goal is to have our bodies neutralize any and all HIV infections via the new vaccines. These new antibodies known as PG9 and PG16 have shown real promise by "targeting a region of the viral spike used by HIV to infect cells" (Web: zikkir).

Christos Petropoulos, chief scientific officer and vice president of virology research and development at Monogram Biosciences compares the finding of the new antibodies to that of a fishing expedition, "we and the rest of the field were previously using the wrong bait in the search for HIV-specific boradly neutralizing antibodies" (Web: zikkir). He attributes this finding to the global abilities and input from many of those who work within the HIV field and those who do not.

I think this is exciting news even though there is no mention in the article when they think a vaccine would be available. Finding a preventative measure for HIV/AIDS would be great. I would still like to find research on a cure or a way to irradicate the disease from this earth.

Web:zikkir, (2009). Two New Antibodies Found to Cripple HIV, retrieved Sept. 13, 2009, from http://zikkir.com/index/32897

Georgia AIDS Coalition

My blog this week is about the Georgia AIDS Coalition. This is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1989 to help to educate and inform, and work towards good public policies for HIV/AIDS. Their goal is to look out for those inflicted with the HIV/AIDS virus.

They have five main objectives. These five objectives revolve around ethical decision-making, education for the public, promoting collaboration with community and organizations, advocating any and all HIV/AIDS issues, and informing those who need help with HIV legislative issues.

Their web site offers statistics and information on legislation. There is a resource library area that can help with government, prescription, treatment, and other HIV medical issues. They also offer updated news and event information along with their contact information.

Web: GAC(2009). Georgia AIDS Coalition, retrieved Sept. 13, 2009, from http://www.georgiaaids.org/

TIdbits

I thought I would share this tidbit of information that I read from the AMA at http://webmail.att.net/wmc/en-US/v/wm/4AA901/. Medicare may begin to pay for HIV testing since "about 19 % of all US residents with AIDS were age 50 or older. Coverage would extend to Medicare beneficiaries who are at increased risk for the infection, including women who are pregnant, as well as beneficiaries of any age who voluntarily request the service."

Also a non profit group called AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition are grading drug companies. Merck received a B "for producing Isentress (raltegravir), the first of a new class of AIDS drugs called integrase inhibitors," and "gave an F to Abbott for raising the wholesale price of Norvir (ritonavir), the first drug proved to increase survival in AIDS patients, by 400 percent in 2003." This information was also provided by the above AMA web site.

It is good to know that there is a coalition of people looking out for those who are infected with HIV. I would like to know the reason they increased the cost of Norvir. I hope that it was not for profit and if so, how much of the profit is going back into the company for research on HIV.

Other Class Bloggers

My blog spot only shows 4 followers. Am I doing something wrong? Shouldn't there be more blogs? I entered everyones URL's but some of them I couldn't pull up. Any suggestions?

First Blog

Hi everyone. Since I have never used this program before I am flying by the seat of my pants. So please offer any help and assistance you can.

I guess my first experience with this program is alittle like being diagnosed with HIV. Unless you are real familiar with the disease you are flying by the seat of your pants. You will need to find out all about what it is, how to handle having the disease, and what can and can not be accomplished to live and combat it.

I have no experience with HIV/AIDS. I know this should be a good thing, but I know I have a lot to learn about this prevalent life altering disease. When I hear of others who have a daily battle living with HIV/AIDS it reminds me of my disabled sister who has been fighting cancer for over 20 years now. I think about how each and every day their lives are altered by the disease and how it has changed how they live and how people react to them.

I know I will learn a lot of new statistical data in this class, but I think what will remain with me are the personal experiences that I hear or read about.