NAPWA

Anal cancer screening needed

Research conducted by the Kirby Institute at UNSW (formerly 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) has shown that the annual incidence of anal cancer in Australia has increased by almost 50% in the last 20 years. read more »

Sculptra, at last!

The sponsor company of Sculptra in Australia, Sanofi- Aventis, has finally had confirmation from Medicare that the two item numbers for the injecting procedure have been approved.

The company will be sending advice to relevant doctors shortly, but the expectation is that the listing will be from 1 July. read more »

Capsaicin patch relieves neuropathy

The pooled results of two clinical trials suggest that a skin patch with the chilli pepperderived chemical capsaicin can relieve HIv-related neuropathy pain by about 30 percent. read more »

Young on DSP encouraged to work

Wayne Swan recently unveiled a budget with welfare-to-work forming the centrepiece of his agenda and, as suspected, disability support pensioners have been included in the reforms.

The new rules are designed to encourage people who can work to do so and will apply only to those on the DSP who are capable of working at least eight hours a week. read more »

Genotype tests get final Budget approval

Good news from this year’s Budget is the decision to list the HIV genotype test as a funded Medicare item.

Approval of the test, which measures drug resistanceHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistant., has been promoted long and hard by both community and clinicalPertaining to or founded on observation and treatment of participants, as distinguished from theoretical or basic science. groups as a vital tool in Australia’s HIV treatment arsenal. read more »

Once-daily nevirapine approved in the US

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). have approved a new once-daily extended release formulation of nevirapine, known as viramune XR. the new 400mg tablet will be an alternative to the current twice-daily dosing schedule, and can be taken without or without food. read more »

Tenofovir may reduce inflammation

It appears that the antiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. NRTIA type of anti-HIV drug that works by inhibiting a stage of the HIV life cycle called reverse transcription. Non-nucleosides work in a similar way, but are chemically different. tenofovir (found in Viread, Truvada and Atripla) may also have a calming effect on the immune system and provide protection against infections other than HIV. Laboratory tests have found that tenofovir offered two types of protection. First, it suppressed the production of inflammatory messengers, such as Interleukin-8 (IL-8). read more »

Prolonged process for approved drugs

The government caused turmoil by announcing in February that all new medicines will now require cabinet approval before they can be subsidised on the PBS[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.. read more »

Concerns over hepatitis C outbreak

Monitoring by the Victorian Department of Health has revealed that between May 2010 and April 2011, 37 HIV positive gay men were diagnosed with hepatitis C (HCVHepatitis C virus.) in the state, a significant increase on previous years. In at least 19 of these cases, sexual transmission of HCV was suspected by the diagnosing physician. read more »

Treatment reduces transmission risk

We have known for some time that HAARTHighly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy ??? aggressive treatment of HIV infection using several different drugs together. reduces the likelihood of transmitting HIV, and the recent results from a large clinical trialA 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. seem to confirm the fact . . . in heterosexual couples, at least. read more »

Drugs linked to heart risks, minimal

A Canadian study has associated abacavir, efavirenz, lopinavir and ritonavir with an increased risk of heart attackA life-threatening emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is suddenly cut off, causing the heart muscle (myocardium) to die from lack of oxygen.. The research also showed that patients with HIV had twice the risk of heart attack compared to matched HIV
negative controls. read more »

UN sets ambitious goal on new infections

The united Nations has set an ambitious goal of no new HIV infections or AIDS related deaths by 2015.

The UN Secretary General’s 2011 Report on AIDS highlights new strategies in the fight against the disease and urges universal access to treatment, care, and support, and an end to discrimination. read more »

New hope for vaccine

Melbourne university researchers have identified antibodies in a breakthrough that brings closer the hope of developing an effective vaccine.

A study of 100 people with HIV, recruitedThe act of signing up participants into a study. Generally this process involves evaluating a participant with respect to the eligibility criteria of the study and going through the informed consent process. from The Alfred Hospital and the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, has shown that antibodies were so successful in suppressing the virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. that it had to mutate around them. read more »

Farewell, Liz. And thank you!

I will not be silenced and I will not give up and I will not be ignored.

With these words, Elizabeth Taylor lent her voice to the voiceless, her iconic image to those who had previously been invisible, and her compassion and determination to a cause many others had shunned: the fight against HIV. read more »

HIV. No big deal?

‘So, what’s the big deal about having HIV?’ This is what a friend asked David Menadue, recently.

‘You look okay. It’s a manageable condition, now,’ he said. ‘Sometimes I think you guys make too much fuss about it all.’ read more »

Gentle Exercise 2 - Spinal twists

Vicky Fisher suggests adding spinal twists to your yoga practice. read more »

Tales from the Network

Tales from the Network

With a background in counselling, Kate Bennett works with positive people throughout Tasmania. read more »

Mailbox: DSP review

I was diagnosed with HIV in 1992 and put on the Disability Support Pension which I’ve been living off ever since.

Last June I had a pension review and according to Centrelink I rated BELOW the 20 point criteria you now have to meet to qualify for the DSP. read more »