A roundup of HIV-related news from Australian and selected international media.
In this edition:
Top story
ABC The Drum, 13 Jul
HIV advocates Michael Kirby and Michael Wong discuss the findings and implications of the newly released report by the Global Commission on HIV and the Law that recommends decriminalisation of sex work, homosexual adult activity, and individual drug use.
Michael Wong Michael Kirby HIV homosexuality sex work and sex workers drug-users criminal law criminalisation decriminalisation
Conference news
The Guardian (UK), 15 Jul
'Undefeated', a film produced to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV in the UK, will reach a global audience at the international AIDS Conference this month. The film is part of a broader campaign by teenagers living with HIV. Includes link to trailer.
AIDS 2012 stigma PLHIV teenagers youth UK
Australia
Sydney Morning Herald, 15 Jul
An overview of the HIV epidemic in Australia and globally, with a focus on how treatments are increasing life expectancy. Includes a personal story about a Sydney man who was diagnosed in 1984 and is still alive and well.
treatments optimism HIV history personal stories
Our Region
Jakarta Post (Indonesia), 15 Jul
Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr visited projects funded by the Australian government overseas aid program, AusAID, in Yogyakarta on Saturday as part of his first official visit to Indonesia.
Bob Carr drug-users Indonesia
FocusTaiwan.tw, 14 Jul
Gay males account for the lion's share of reported HIV cases in Taiwan, Minister of Health Chiu Wen-ta said Saturday. In Taiwan, 2,000 new HIV cases are reported every year, with 80% of them among gay men.
epidemiology gay men Taiwan
Sky News Australia, 14 Jul
Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Saturday visited a puskesmas, the Indonesian term for health centre, in Yogyakarta, where the lives of 59 people have already seen some landmark improvements. Australia's HIV partnership in Yogyakarta focuses on harm reduction for people who inject drugs, including through the introduction of a methadone program, access to clean needles and HIV testing.
harm reduction Indonesia Bob Carr
International
PlusNews, 12 Jul
At least a hundred protesters arrived at South Africa's parliament on 11 July to demonstrate their disapproval of the ongoing court case by Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis against the Indian government over its patent laws. As the case draws to a close, health organisations say a win for the pharmaceutical company will be a loss to the developing world, which sources the bulk of its generic medicines from India.
India Novartis generics South Africa activism
Yahoo! 7 News/AFP, 15 Jul
This article previews themes and activities for the International AIDS Conference in Washington this month. Key speakers include singer Elton John, former US president Bill Clinton and philanthropist Bill Gates. Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar will address the conference by videolink.
conferences AIDS 2012
AllAfrica.com, 14 Jul
Health authorities say 70,000 children are born HIV-positive in Nigeria every year, and one-fourth of them don't live past their first birthday. While some officials say they want to make Nigeria one of Africa's first nations to give birth to a generation of HIV-free babies, activists say poverty, stigma and a lack of government support make that goal lofty, if not impossible.
prevention Nigeria MTCT
Huffington Post (US), 11 Jul opinion
HIV policies and interventions must respond to HIV's impact on women or we will never create the AIDS-free generation that Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration have committed to build, writes Serra Sippel the President of the advocacy group, the Center for Health and Gender Equity.
preventative-health global health women
HIV Treatment and Care
NATAP (US), 12 Jul
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center appear to have solved the mystery of why some patients infected with HIV, who are using antiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. therapy and show no signs of AIDS, develop serious depression as well as profound problems with memory, learning, and motor function. The finding might also provide a way to test people with HIV to determine their risk for developing dementia.
depression neurology dementia
HIV Prevention
Nine MSN news, 12 Jul
Article about the findings of the South African trial of Truvada for PrEP, with some discussion of implications for epidemic in Australia. Includes video report on the experiences of three HIV-positive women in Australia.
personal stories South Africa Women Truvada PrEP
Women's Health
Sydney Morning Herald, 15 Jul
The personal story of Jane, vice-president of Positive Life NSW, who is living well with HIV. Jane reflects on 17 years of living with the virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell..
treatments optimism personal story
Science & Medicine
Reuters, 16 Jul
A brief overview of progress in vaccines research and preview of vaccine news at the forthcoming International AIDS conference.
AIDS 2012 vaccines
GLBTI News
ABC Radio , 13 Jul
Boys who grow up to be gay men are expected to benefit most from the Federal Government's decision to give the Gardasil vaccine to more high school students.
gay men HPV gardasil
HIV sector job vacancies
NAPWHA, 16 Jul
NAPWHA is seeking a Deputy Director to play an integral role in maintaining operations and high performance within the organisation with a focus on staff management, project coordination, and membership support.
NAPWHA
Society & Culture
news.com.au/Daily Mail:uk, 15 Jul
This article flags a forthcoming interview with Elton John on US Today in which he describes being 'wracked with guilt for being "consumed" by drugs while the AIDS epidemic ravaged the gay community around him in the early '80s'.
history drugs IDU Elton John
UQ News, 16 Jul
Medical students from The University of Queensland are throwing two big events to help share a message they feel is extremely important - that HIV/AIDS can affect anyone.
awareness fundraising queensland
West Australian, 16 Jul
With less than two weeks to go until WA's biggest fashion fundraiser, 15 Australian designers gathered together yesterday for a model fitting ahead of STYLEAID's 15th anniversary celebration. STYLEAID raises money for the WA AIDS Council.
WAAC WA styleaid Western Australia fundraising
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