DC Seeks $1M From Nightclub Renovated With HIV Funds The attorney general of Washington, DC, has filed a case against a local nonprofit that allegedly used HIV/AIDS funds to refurbish a nightclub, myfoxdc.com reports.
Canada Warns Semen Acquired Online May Have HIV Canada’s health agency has cautioned aspirant parents seeking donor sperm that unregulated semen advertised as “fresh” online may be tainted with sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, Agence France Presse (AFP) reports.
Positive HIV Test Shuts Down Porn Industry Again
An adult film actor may have tested positive for HIV, according to a statement from the Free Speech Coalition (FSC), a porn industry trade group in California.
Wisconsin Clinic Warns of Possible HIV, Hepatitis Exposure The Dean Clinic in Madison, Wisconsin, is in the process of tracking down hundreds of patients after a nurse may have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis, The Huffington Post reports.
High HIV Rate Persists Among MSM in India Although India has succeeded in reducing its HIV rate by 50 percent overall in the past decade, a high HIV rate persists among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people, Agence France Press (AFP) reports.
August 29, 2011
Young Gay Men Less Likely to Use Condoms With “Serious” Partners Young gay men were eight times more likely to have unprotected sex when they're in a 'serious' relationship than during a casual sexual encounter, according to a study conducted by Northwestern University in Illinois and reported by aidsmap.
HIV Discrimination Suit Filed Against NYC Real Estate Firms Housing Works and the Fair Housing Justice Center have filed a suit against five New York City realty companies and one landlord for discriminating against NYC residents living with AIDS, according to a statement released by Housing Works.
Brazilian Doctor Diverts Burglars With Wall of HIV-Tainted Needles
Instead of using barbed
wire or an alarm system to scare away burglars, one doctor in the Federal
District of Brasilia, Brazil, installed a row of needles tainted with
HIV-positive blood on top of an outer wall of her home, Fox News Latino
reports.
Judge Cleared of Misconduct for Handing Out Condoms in Acorns
District Judge Isaac Stoltzfus,
of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, was cleared of judicial misconduct for handing
out acorns stuffed with unwrapped condoms to two women outside a state building
last September, LancasterOnline reports.
August 25, 2011
GOP Candidate for Congress Adopted AIDS Orphan Bob Turner, the Republican candidate for ex-Representative Anthony Weiner’s vacant Brooklyn-Queens seat, and his wife Peggy have identified themselves as the adoptive parents of Rosemary Holstrom’s son C.J., now 26, The New York Daily News reports.
Global Fund Resumes AIDS Funding Grants to China The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has lifted its freeze on distributing funds to China that resulted from a dispute over suspected misuse of funds, The Associated Press reports.
Guyana Reduces HIV/AIDS Prevalence From 2009 to 2010, the small South American country of Guyana has reduced its HIV/AIDS prevalence to 1 percent, the National Communications Network (NCN) reports.
August 24, 2011
Federal Funding Delay Affects People With HIV in DC Congressional delay in passing a federal budget this year and internal errors at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) may be holding up funding for critical medical care and services for more than 16,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia, The Washington Post reports.
HIV-Positive Rural Kenyans Lack Food During Drought Some people with HIV in rural areas of Kenya are too weak to travel to major distribution sites to access the emergency food assistance provided to 3.6 million people during the current drought, IRIN/PlusNews reports.
Canadian HIV Law Confusing for Health Care Providers The ambiguity of the HIV disclosure law in Canada is causing confusion, according to a new study of health care providers and people with HIV published in Social Science & Medicine and reported by aidsmap.
CDC to Launch Campaign for Black MSM HIV Testing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has unveiled "Testing Makes Us Stronger," a new campaign to increase HIV testing among black men who have sex with men (MSM), Edge Boston reports.
Montel Williams Seeks DC Medical Marijuana License
Talk show host Montel Williams is involved in upscale medical marijuana cooperative Abatin Wellness Center's efforts to get a license for a medical marijuana dispensary in Washington, DC, The Washington Post reports.
Taiwan Sets Example for Region in Lowering HIV Rates Thirteen representatives of the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) met in Taiwan to discuss ways to mitigate the spread of HIV, Taiwan Today reports.
August 19, 2011
Makers of Goat Blood Drug Cheat Investors of $20M
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has accused Immunosyn Corp., the makers of a bogus drug made from goat’s blood, of cheating investors of $20 million, the Courthouse News Service reports.
22 HIV-Positive Children Are Back at School in India Twenty-two HIV-positive children who were expelled in 2010 from a school in India because of their HIV status are back in the classroom, The New Indian Express reports.
Latex Company to Produce Condoms in Kenya The government of Kenya has signed a memorandum of understanding with a private company to produce condoms and other rubber products locally, allAfrica.com reports.
August 18, 2011
Ryan White CARE Act Turns 21 August 18 is the 21st anniversary of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the largest federally funded U.S. program for people living with HIV/AIDS.
NIAID Gives $3.2M for Saliva Protein HIV Prevention Study The National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded a $3.2 million grant to further study the antiviral effects of gp340, a protein found in saliva and other mucosal secretions, to prevent transmission of HIV, according to a New York University (NYU) statement.
New Rules Compel Health Insurers to Give Clear Information To make the benefits and costs of insurance coverage more transparent, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor and the Treasury have jointly proposed new regulations compelling insurers to provide that information in an easy-to-understand format, according to an HHS statement.
August 17, 2011
“High-Impact Prevention” at 2011 National HIV Prevention Conference Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and 40 other public and private agencies, the 2011 National HIV Prevention Conference was held August 14 to 17 in Atlanta. According to a CDC statement, more than 3,000 public health workers and community leaders attended. The major emphasis this year was on how to use new research and strategies to advance the HIV prevention goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy using a high-impact prevention approach.
HIV Funding by Governments Fell 10% From 2009 to 2010 Funding disbursements by donor governments for the global response to HIV/AIDS fell by $740 million—about 10 percent—between 2009 and 2010, according to a Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) statement.
Ruth Brinker, Founder of Project Open Hand, Dies Ruth Brinker, founder of Project Open Hand, died August 8, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. She was 89. Project Open Hand is one of the first organizations to support gay men with HIV/AIDS.
August 16, 2011
Advocates Question Shift in CDC HIV Prevention Funding The new five-year HIV prevention Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for state and local health departments includes significant changes in how funds get allocated, according to an HIV Prevention Justice Alliance (HIV PJA) statement.
HIV Prevalence in Heterosexuals Higher in Low-Income Areas Researchers have found that HIV prevalence among heterosexuals is higher among those living in low-income areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
Massachusetts Cuts $4.3M From HIV Prevention Federal funding cuts force the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to cut $4.3 million from its annual HIV prevention budget, The Boston Globe reports.
Female Condom Use on the Rise in Africa Female condom use is gaining popularity throughout Africa, according to a study by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and reported by allAfrica.com.
Earlier HIV Treatment Approved by South Africa All HIV-positive South Africans with a CD4 count of 350 or below can now access government-funded antiretroviral medications, PlusNews reports.
August 12, 2011
HIV-Positive Teenage Girl in Canada Denied Bail A Canadian teenage girl has been denied bail after being arrested for allegedly having unprotected sex without telling two male partners about her HIV-positive status, United Press International (UPI) reports.
NYC Requires Sex Ed With Lessons on Condom Use Starting this year, public middle schools and high schools in New York City will be required to offer sex education classes with curriculum that includes lessons on how to use a condom and the risks of unprotected sex, The New York Times reports.
HIV-Related Tattoos Signal Status and Solidarity Tattoos that represent living with HIV are one way that some people living with the virus have chosen to identify one another and find self-acceptance, CNN reports.
August 11, 2011
Anti-LGBT Group Lobbies to Keep Gay Blood Ban The anti-LGBT group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) has launched a campaign to keep the ban preventing gay men from donating blood, The Washington Independent reports.
Ghana Launches HIV/AIDS Workplace Project The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) of Ghana has launched an initiative to fight HIV in the workplace, according to a statement by the Ghanese government.
August 10, 2011
U.S. to Deport Husband of Gay Man With AIDS Citing the Defense of Marriage Act, the Obama administration has denied
immigration benefits to a married gay couple from San Francisco, the San
Francisco Chronicle reports.
Late Payments for HIV/AIDS Health Insurance in Georgia Dozens of people in Georgia are at risk of losing their health insurance because of paperwork snafus by the state health department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reports.
AIDS Ministry Opens New Housing Facility in Chicago The Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry has expanded to the south side of Chicago with a permanent supportive housing facility for HIV-positive people, according to an Alexian Brothers Health System statement.
HIV on the Rise Among MSM in Middle East, North Africa HIV rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Middle East and North Africa regions (MENA) are on the rise, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine and reported by aidsmap.
August 08, 2011
MTV Not Responsible for HIV, STIs on Real World
The standard contract for cast members on MTV's reality show The Real World provides explicit references to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to The Village Voice's blog.
Sex Toy Retailer Helps Medical School Promote Sex Ed The North Carolina-based sex toy retailer Adam & Eve has donated $50,000 to the University of Minnesota Medical School, the United Press International (UPI) reports.
Potential Misuse of HIV Test in Criminalization Cases
The National AIDS Trust in the United Kingdom has published a report highlighting the potential for misusing the Recent Infection Testing Algorithm (RITA) HIV test with regard to criminalization of HIV transmission, according to UNAIDS.
August 05, 2011
Meth Use Increases HIV Risk in Young Gay, Bisexual Men Young gay and bisexual men raise their risk of HIV exposure and infection by using methamphetamine, according to research published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine and reported by HealthDay News.
1 in 200 Blood Packs in Philippines Had HIV in June Only one in every 200, or 0.5 percent, of blood packs in the Philippines donated to department of health blood banks and the Red Cross tested positive for HIV in June, ABS-CBN News reports.
$1M Donation to Ireland for Needle Exchange Unused A donation made two years ago by the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) to the Irish government for HIV prevention has yet to be used, The Belfast Telegraph reports.
CDC: New HIV Cases Among Young Black MSM Up 48% New HIV cases between 2006 and 2009 remained relatively stable at about 50,000 per year, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statement. These new data come from the CDC’s first multiyear estimate from its national HIV incidence surveillance. New HIV cases among young black men who have sex with men (MSM) increased by 48 percent—from 4,400 cases in 2006 to 6,500 cases in 2009.
Canadian Court Rules HIV-Positive Man “Dangerous Offender” A Canadian court has handed down an indefinite sentence and dangerous offender status to John Aziga, a man believed to be the first in Canada to be convicted of first-degree murder through HIV transmission, The Vancouver Sun reports.
Boys Who Masturbate Are More Likely to Use Condoms
A new study of sexually active adolescents revealed that boys who masturbated were about eight times as likely to have used a condom during their last sexual encounter when compared with boys who did not masturbate, Reuters Health reports.
August 02, 2011
Affordable Care Act to Cover Contraceptives, HIV Testing for Women The Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. health care reform, will now officially cover preventative health services for women, including contraceptives and HIV testing, without charging co-payments, co-insurance or a deductible, according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Federal Government Reverses Position on Florida ADAP
The federal government will not limit the level of emergency funding that states, especially Florida, can receive for their AIDS Drug Assistance Programs to less than what they received last year, according to a statement from The AIDS Institute.
Advocates Seek Repeal of Iowa HIV Criminalization Law
Iowa health care advocates are trying to repeal the state's HIV criminalization law on the grounds that it's against the public interest, The Gazette reports.
Rapid Field Test for HIV Succeeds in Rwanda In an initial field trial in Rwanda, the "mChip" rapid field test detected HIV and syphilis with reliable accuracy, according to a study published in Nature and reported by The Washington Post.
Botswana Accused of Denying HIV Meds to Prisoners Botswana's government has been accused on multiple occasions of denying antiretroviral (ARV) medications to HIV-positive prisoners, BBC World Service reports.
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