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Article describes novel technique to study interactions between HIV-1 and P. falciparum

The World Health Organization estimates that in 2011 there were 216 million cases of malaria and 34.2 million people living with HIV. These diseases particularly afflict sub-Saharan Africa, where large incidence of co-infection result in high mortality rates. Yet, in spite of this global pandemic, interactions between the parasite that causes malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, and HIV-1 are poorly understood.

16 Aug 2012

Nurse-led HIV care benefits patients

Expansion of the role of primary care nurses to allow them to initiate and represcribe antiretroviral therapy to HIV patients improves health outcomes and quality of patient care, write researchers in The Lancet.

15 Aug 2012

Recognizing the role of international partnerships in global health

"When you're dealing with a global public health crisis, having an international presence isn't just advisable -- it is imperative," Margaret McGlynn, president and CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), writes in this post in USAID's "Impact" blog, adding, "That's why the [IAVI], in partnership with USAID, has worked diligently over the past several years to establish itself as a truly global non-profit partner."

15 Aug 2012

Universal HIV treatment, if achieved, would not mean eradication of AIDS

In this post in BMJ's "Yankee Doodling," Douglas Kamerow, chief scientist at RTI International and an associate editor for the journal, reflects on the possibility of achieving an AIDS-free generation "if somehow we succeeded in getting all HIV positive people in the world identified and under long term treatment."

15 Aug 2012

U.S. support of PEPFAR, Global Fund helping to achieve global AIDS, TB, malaria goals

In this post in Huffington Post's "Impact" blog, Deborah Derrick, president of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria, examines "the success of U.S. efforts to promote better global health through support for [PEPFAR] and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria."

15 Aug 2012

Roundup: Abortion-rights groups mostly silent on fetal pain laws; Conn. advocates worry over Medicaid cuts; Examining readmission penalties

When new limits on abortions are proposed, abortion-rights groups usually go all out to stop them. So why haven't they gone all out against state fetal-pain laws, enacted in nine states since early 2010? These laws ban abortion after 20 weeks, based on the controversial assertion that the fetus can then experience pain. They're handing victories to anti-abortion groups, and so far there's only one major challenge from an abortion-rights group: in Arizona, where the 9th Circuit Court early this month temporarily blocked the state law.

15 Aug 2012

Catechins may help reduce neurological complications linked to HIV

Current drug therapy for patients with HIV is unable to control the complete replication of the virus in the brain. The drugs therefore do not have any effect against the complications associated with neurocognitive impairment in patients with HIV. New research by Joseph Steiner and colleagues from Johns Hopkins University has discovered that a group of plant polyphenols known as catechins, which naturally occur in green tea and the seed of the cacao tree, may help in the prevention of these neurological complications.

15 Aug 2012

Lack of legislative action heading into congressional recess could impact global health funding

"With Congress adjourned until after Labor Day and not a single funding bill for the federal fiscal year beginning October signed into law before the recess even began, the virtual standstill of legislative action could have a mixed impact on global health funding," the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog reports.

14 Aug 2012

CBIS initiates CS-TATI-1 GMP development plan

Cannabis Science (CBIS), a pioneering U.S. Biotech Company developing pharmaceutical to meet global public health challenges is pleased to announce the initiation of GMP development plan for CS-TATI-1 with the initial production of CS-TATI-1 to be performed in Colorado under C-GMP conditions evaluated by the FDA for initial human studies to treat HIV associated Kaposi Sarcoma.

13 Aug 2012

Fluorescent molecules 'tag' DNA and monitor looping process

In a new study, UT Dallas researchers outline how they used fluorescent molecules to "tag" DNA and monitor a process called DNA looping, a natural biological mechanism involved in rearranging genetic material in some types of cells.

13 Aug 2012

World needs a business plan to end AIDS

In this post in Global Post's "Global Pulse" blog, Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, a leading HIV prevention advocacy organization, and Chris Collins, vice president and director of public policy at amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, write that "the world needs a business plan to end AIDS."

13 Aug 2012

Study assesses gender differences in the efficacy of antiretroviral treatment

Women comprise nearly half of the HIV-infected population worldwide, but these 15.5 million women tend to be under-represented in clinical trials of anti-HIV drug therapies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has created a database from 40 clinical studies to assess gender differences in the efficacy of antiretroviral treatments.

12 Aug 2012

Evaluating cash transfers as a tool to combat HIV/AIDS

In this post in the Center for Global Development's (CGD) "Global Health Policy" blog, Amanda Glassman, director of global health policy and a research fellow at the center, and Denizhan Duran, a research assistant at the center, examine several recent studies evaluating the use of cash transfers as a strategy against HIV/AIDS.

10 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Romney campaign's response to ad incites conservatives; Opponents of law should give back their rebates

The Romney people are trying a little jujitsu on an ad from Obama backers that implies Mitt Romney is responsible for the death of an Indiana woman who lacked health insurance.

10 Aug 2012

U.S. visa policies kept sex workers, drug users from participating in AIDS 2012

The Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog examines how the "U.S. travel bans on people involved in sex work and people who have used illegal drugs ... kept many of the people at highest risk from coming to the [XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012)]" in Washington, D.C., last month. "

10 Aug 2012

New York Times blog examines gap in surgical care in developing world

In this post in the New York Times' "Opinionator" blog, journalist Sarika Bansal reports on a gap in surgical care in developing countries, writing, "It is conservatively estimated that 56 million people in sub-Saharan Africa -- over twice the number living with HIV/AIDS -- need a surgery today," but, "across the developing world, surgical care often does not reach those who need it."

10 Aug 2012

Protecting human rights of women living with HIV

"Women who are living with HIV remain particularly vulnerable to human rights abuses, including unlawful breaches of confidentiality, denial of health services, compulsory HIV testing and in some cases forced sterilization," a UNAIDS feature story reports

10 Aug 2012

IRIN examines administration of methadone as treatment for people who inject drugs in Bangladesh

"Methadone treatment is proving to be the most efficient way to wean people in Bangladesh from addiction to buprenorphine, a pharmaceutical drug, and health experts say it should be expanded to reach thousands more drug users to prevent the spread of HIV," IRIN reports.

10 Aug 2012

South Africa to become first PEPFAR country to 'nationalize' AIDS program

"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a visit to South Africa that Pretoria will begin taking more of the responsibilities for its HIV/AIDS program, part of a broader effort to overhaul the U.S. global plan for AIDS relief launched under former President George W. Bush," Reuters reports.

9 Aug 2012

New HIV test helps researchers determine incidence, whether prevention strategies work

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a new HIV test, called the Limiting Antigen Avidity Enzyme Immunoassay, that can tell whether a person contracted the virus within the last 141 days, "hugely important information for researchers, who need to know whether fewer people are becoming newly infected with HIV to determine whether a prevention program is working," the Wall Street Journal's "Health Blog" reports.

9 Aug 2012