HIV Ireland
NewsDesk Weekly
4 March 2016
HIV
HPSC - Weekly HIV & STI Report - Week 8, 2016
Latest data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show 10 new cases for week 8-2016, bringing the total to 94 HIV new notifications for 2016 to date.
Rory O’Neill calls for PrEP drugs to prevent HIV
The Irish Times, 1 March 2016
Rory O’Neill, aka Panti Bliss, has spoken at the recent dotMed conference in Dublin saying that people at risk of contracting HIV should be given pre-exposure prophylaxis drugs.
2016 High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS
HLM2016AIDS
The 2016 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS will take place in New York from 8 to 10 June. The meeting will focus attention on the importance of a fast-track approach over the next five years in order to end the HIV epidemic.
Before You Freak Out About the PrEP Failure Story, Know This About HIV Prevention
Mic, 29 February 2016
PrEP is now under scrutiny after the recent failure. While we have a lot of tools to fight HIV, none of them is perfect, and PrEP is still an effective part of the strategy against the HIV epidemic.
What people are saying about approval of PrEP in Canada
Positive Lite, 29 February 2016
Activist Bob Leahy looks at community reaction to the news that PrEP has been approved for use in Canada..
See also:
Canada approves Truvada for HIV prevention
Gay Times, 1 March 2016
HIV Infection Despite PrEP: 6 Things You Need to Know
The Body, 27 February 2016
After the first documented case of PrEP failure, HIV community members, educators and care providers have now many questions and concerns. Here are some of the top questions we're likely to hear from people who are on PrEP, considering PrEP use or living with HIV.
A Counsellor's Perspective: It's About More Than Just a Virus
The Body, Winter 2016
The main issues in counselling for people living with HIV are now depression, anxiety, trauma, and stigma. HIV isn't so much about death anymore but about marginalization.
Dumbing down treatment decisions (part two)
Positive Lite, 1 March 2016
Activist Bob Leahy says there are wrong decisions made regarding HIV treatment and prevention, but how do we help the most vulnerable people to make the right choice for them?
People with HIV considerably overestimate their chance of infecting someone
Positive Lite, 29 February 2016
A large US treatment study showed that there was no correlation between a person’s actual viral load and their belief about how infectious they were.
Mobile HIV testing labs to debut in Beijing
Positive Living Society, 3 March 2016
Mobile HIV-testing clinics are set to debut in the Chinese capital Beijing, providing free tests and linking with follow-up treatment.
Condom use in French PrEP trial: half only used PrEP, a quarter used condoms and PrEP, one in six used neither
Aidsmap, 26 February 2016
Results of an analysis of condom use in the placebo-controlled phase of the French IPERGAY trial of intermittent PrEP.
The Sheen effect: breaking the HIV taboo, one celebrity at a time
The Guardian, 28 February 2016
When Charlie Sheen went public with his diagnosis, related web searches rocketed. He wasn’t the first famous person to boost awareness but, thanks to the web, it was the first time we could measure the impact.
'Choosing Wisely' in HIV Medicine -- Sensible (but Safe) Suggestions
The Body, 13 February 2016
The American Board of Internal Medicine has a program called Choosing Wisely, which gives advice on how to avoid wasteful or unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures. Here are some guidance for HIV health professionals.
HIV in Rhode Island: Newly diagnosed men often 'hooked up' online
Science Daily, 26 February 2016
A study carried out in Rhode Island has found a strong link between new HIV diagnoses among MSM and their use of online hookup sites. The researchers are calling for operators of hookup websites and apps to work with public health officials to include more prevention messaging.
What Are the Odds You'll Get HIV in Your Lifetime? A New CDC Study Breaks It Down
The Body, 27 February 2016
It's one thing to tell people they're at risk for HIV. But if you can tell them the exact statistical risk that they'll get HIV in their lifetime, the message suddenly gets a lot more real.
Major increase in EU’s contribution to improve global health
New Europe, 3 March 2016
Press release: The EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development has announced the EU’s contribution of €470 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the period 2017-2019.
Expanding treatment and PrEP could prevent 185,000 new HIV infections, US CDC says
Aidsmap, 2 February 2016
According to a new CDC analysis, increasing diagnosis, care and treatment of people living with HIV could lead to a large decrease in HIV incidence, preventing some 168,000 new infections by the year 2020.
Modest kidney function decline in people taking Truvada for PrEP supports need for monitoring
Aidsmap, 2 March 2016
The decline in kidney function has been found to be mainly associated with older age and higher levels of the drug tenofovir. Researchers therefore recommend ongoing kidney function monitoring.
Drugs
Dublin Implements Public Sharps Bins to Tackle Drug-Related Litter
Talking Drugs, 2 March 2016
Following a similar initiative in Cork, Dublin City Council has implemented two disposal units in separate locations where public injecting has been identified as a significant problem.
Sex Work
Campaign against prostitution runs into opposition
Irish Examiner, 3 March 2016
Academics and sex workers have hit out at the Turn Off the Red Light campaign aimed at criminalising the buying of sex, with one published paper claiming the campaign “silences other perspectives on prostitution”.
Symposium on the Legal Regulation and Policing of Commercial Sex
Queen’s University Belfast,
QUB will be hosting a symposium on commercial sex on 3
rd and 4
th March 2016. The symposium will discuss the current situation of commercial sex in Ireland, but it will also include issues around sex work in other countries including Britain, Sweden and Norway.
At long last, listen to the women!
Open Democracy, 2 March 2016
Professor and researcher Gail Pheterson talks about sex work activism.
Other articles
Investing in prevention: is it cost-effective?
PHE, 2 March 2016
Public Health England Blog:
Two of the key questions about prevention and public health are: how cost-effective is prevention activity in general? And what are the most cost-effective public health interventions?
