PA Editor Jeff Berry appointed co-chair of ATAC Drug Development Committee
Obama names new director for Office of National AIDS Policy
Draft legislation in Congress proposes flat funding to CDC for HIV prevention efforts
WHO approves first generic, heat-stable version of Kaletra
Long-term couples survey update
PA Editor Jeff Berry appointed co-chair of ATAC Drug Development Committee
Test Positive Aware Network’s Director of Publications and Editor of Positively Aware magazine Jeff Berry was recently elected co-chair of the Drug Development Committee for the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition (ATAC). He will be serving a two-year term alongside current co-chair David Evans, from POZ and AIDSMeds.com.
“I'm very much looking forward to working with co-chair David Evans, the board of ATAC, and my fellow DDC members to build upon the accomplishments and successes that they and their predecessors have achieved, as we continue to move the ATAC DDC forward over the coming months and years,” said Berry.
Berry has been with TPAN for 17 years, starting as a volunteer working on Positively Aware and working with production, graphic design, editing, advertising and distribution, becoming Editor in April 2005. Besides editing, designing and writing for PA, Berry has written for TheBody.com and was a contributing author for the book, “Out and Proud in Chicago.” In addition to his membership in ATAC, Berry is also an active member of the Fair Pricing Coalition.
ATAC was formed in 2003 as a platform for AIDS activists to have input into the research, development of, and access to, new HIV/AIDS drugs, as well as a way for advocates to come together to increase community mobilization and influence policy. For more information, go to www.atac-usa.org.
discuss this news brief in our new discussion forum
Obama names new director for Office of National AIDS Policy
President Obama recently appointed Jeffrey S. Crowley, MPH, former senior research scholar at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, as the director of the Office of National AIDS Policy.
As director, Crowley is tasked with coordinating the government’s efforts to reduce HIV infections across the nation, as well those aimed at providing care and treatment for people living with HIV. President Obama has voiced strong commitment to the development of a national AIDS strategy, and this venture will be a top priority for the Office of National AIDS Policy. In addition to the work ahead of him on the home front, Crowley will work with international entities to ensure that the global fight against HIV is fully integrated.
Crowley previously served as deputy executive director of the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA), helping to implement several major initiatives, including National HIV Testing Day and the Ryan White National Youth Conference. He has vast experience in Medicare/Medicaid policy, as well as consumer education and training.
"Jeffrey Crowley brings the experience and expertise that will help our nation address the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis and help my administration develop policies that will serve Americans with disabilities," said Obama (according to the Washington Post voices.washingtonpost.com). "In both of these key areas, we continue to face serious challenges and we must take bold steps to meet them. I look forward to Jeffrey's leadership on these critical issues."
discuss this news brief in our new discussion forum
Draft legislation in Congress proposes flat funding to CDC for HIV prevention efforts
According to text released last week from the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee omnibus appropriations bill, the U.S. Congress is proposing flat funding for HIV prevention efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,. This legislation allocates funding for programs for fiscal year 2009 as well as the remainder of the current federal fiscal year (which goes through September 2009).
Such a proposal could not have come at a more critical moment. Recently released CDC surveillance data continues to show striking disparities in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men and women of color. It is estimated that while gay and bisexual men make up approximately two to three percent of the U.S. population, they accounted for 57% of new infections in 2006. Similarly, HIV infections among women in the U.S. were estimated at 15,000, with African American and Latina women comprising approximately 75% of those cases.
"It is disappointing for Congress to flat fund HIV prevention efforts at this time," said Marjorie J. Hill, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), in a statement issued by the organization. "Recent CDC reports indicate that the domestic epidemic is worse than previously estimated. Racial minorities and gay men, especially gay men of color, are disproportionately becoming HIV-positive. Under the Bush-Cheney Administration, funding for HIV prevention at the CDC dropped 19% in real dollars. We were hopeful that the new congressional leadership would deliver more support for programs that work. We urge Congress to improve this draft budget by providing the funding CDC requested to meet the current HIV prevention needs," added Hill.
The statement from GMHC also points out that last fall, then CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that CDC needed twice its current level of funding in order to bring down the number of new HIV infections each year. The FY 2009 omnibus bill, according to GMHC, also includes a $14.3 million cut for anti-gay, sexist and inaccurate abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, but not a complete elimination as the agency and others have advocated for years. Also included are modest increases in funding for HIV treatment via the Ryan White CARE Act, the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program, and a one billion dollar increase for the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, the legislation directs $1.4 million to the Office of National AIDS Policy to support the development of a national AIDS strategy.
"We commend the House of Representatives for increases to HIV care and research, and for including the $1.4 million appropriation to the White House Office of National AIDS Policy to fund the development of a national AIDS strategy for the first time since the epidemic began," Hill said.
discuss this news in our new discussion forum
WHO approves first generic, heat-stable version of Kaletra
Matrix Laboratories Limited, an India-based subsidiary of generic pharmaceutical manufacturer Mylan, Inc., recently became the first and only company to receive World Health Organization (WHO) approval to create lopinavir 250 mg/ritonavir 50 mg tablets. The combination of these drugs is marketed by Abbott Laboratories in the U.S. and Europe under the brand name Kaletra, and as Alluvia in the developing world.
Lopinavir/ritonavir is from the antiretroviral class of drugs known as protease inhibitors, and is used in combination with other anti-HIV medications to control HIV infection. Matrix’s version of the product is heat-stable and less costly than its brand name counterparts, making it more practical for distribution and use in warmer climates.
Approval from WHO indicates that a drug meets international safety, efficacy, and manufacturing quality standards, allowing for Matrix to market the product in most countries outside the United States and Europe. Matrix currently produces a wide range of generic antiretroviral products, including drugs that are recommended for first and second-line regimens. The company’s emphasis on producing affordable products has allowed it to drive down the average annual cost per patient of effective therapies. Approximately 30% of HIV/AIDS patients in the developing world depend on Matrix’s ARV products.
“Our goal is to provide HIV treatments to patients around the world—especially in developing countries,” said Mylan Vice Chairman and CEO Robert J. Coury. “With [our] heat-stable and affordable version of lopinavir/ritonavir, patients in remote parts of developing nations now have access to this important medicine.”
discuss this news brief in our new discussion forum
Long-term couples survey update
News Briefs in the January/February issue of Positively Aware reported on a long-term couple conducting research on how other long-term gay, male couples (together for eight or more years) manage “outside” sex, looking for common elements and successful models that would be valuable to share with other couples.
As of February 24th, the couple had completed 140 interviews (70 couples), that have provided a wealth of information and examples. According to the researchers, clear themes are emerging, but they would like to interview 30 more couples before moving to analysis.
They’ve developed a new website that describes the project and their progress to date. The website describes the purpose of the study, information about the researching couple, plans for disseminating results, and links to several articles that have been written about the study. If you or anyone you know has been in a long-term, gay male relationship and are interested in participating in this study, visit www.thecouplesstudy.com. The researching couple will contribute $100 to the LGBT or HIV/AIDS organization of each participating couple’s choice.
discuss this news in our new discussion forum
