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Positive Living February 2004

Cover Story

Shot in the arm: Australian HIV treatment shows early promise

Positive Living article — Sunday, 15 February 2004

Australian researchers have released the results of an early trial of 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. vaccine which shows promise as a treatment for HIV. The results are considered significant partly because previous attempts to develop a therapeutic HIV vaccine have mostly been abandoned due to poor outcomes. read more »

Tags: therapeutic vaccines

News

Superinfection warning

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

The rate of superinfection — re-infection of an HIV-positive person with a second 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). of the virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. — appears to be higher than previously thought, at least among gay men not on treatment. read more »

Australia joins the Global Fund

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

Australia will contribute $25 million, over the next three years, to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the foreign minister, Alexander Downer, announced on 18 February. read more »

PBS shake-up in free trade deal

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

Australia will “make improvements to the transparency and timeliness” 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. (PBS) as part of the proposed free trade agreement with the United States announced in early February. read more »

Crystal meth 'a new challenge'

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

Methamphetamine (‘crystal’) is emerging as a new and serious challenge to HIV prevention and treatment in the United States, according to an article in the March 15 edition of ClinicalPertaining to or founded on observation and treatment of participants, as distinguished from theoretical or basic science. Infectious Diseases . read more »

Feature

Positive Living Readership Survey 2003: The people have spoken

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

The results are in from last year’s readership survey, and they show that in its fifteenth year of publication, Positive Living continues to hold a special place in informing and education HIV-positive Australians. read more »

Bareback surfing

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 15 February 2004

David Menadue investigates efforts by HIV agencies around the world to involve positive people in campaigns to help prevent HIV transmission. read more »

Getting smart with substances

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

Using recreational drugs has always been a risky business. For people living with HIV/AIDS, combining them with antiretroviralsA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. can bring negative consequences ranging from the merely inconvenient to the utterly catastrophic. read more »

The sharp end

Positive Living article • Bernie Slagtman • 15 February 2004

The first fusion inhibitor, T-20, available in Australia through clinical trials since 2001, has been a godsend for people with few other treatment options. But while T-20 holds out the tantalising prospect of a whole new class of anti-HIV drugs, taking this treatment is far from easy. read more »

The moment of truth

Positive Living article • 15 February 2004

Getting an HIV diagnosis inevitably raises deep emotions and sometimes crippling fear, but it can also be a moment of catharsis and empowerment, the beginning of a process of taking charge and deciding what’s most important to you in your life. read more »

Regular

What's your problem?

Positive Living article • Dr Nick Medland • 15 February 2004

Our resident medico, Dr Nick Medland, answers reader’s letters about superinfection, chlamydia and peripheral neuropathy. read more »

Backgrounder

Bloodwork: part 2

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

Last issue we looked at the two key immunological blood tests — CD4 count and 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.. But there’s more to your three-monthly blood tests than that. Biochemistry tests can spot illness, identify drug side effects and help you manage your health. read more »

News Briefs

News and treatments briefs

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 February 2004

HIV-related news in brief from the Feb-Mar 2004 edition of Positive Living. read more »

Complementary Therapies

Home remedies

Positive Living article • Jim Arachne • 15 February 2004

Complex, expensive, exotic herbs may sound amazing for all sorts of ailments, but have a look what you've got lying around the house first. 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

Recently updated entries from the NAPWA Clinical Trials database.

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