Despite the interesting results of an HIV vaccine trial in Thailand (RV144), HIV prevention is still limited to a small number of options many of which are not bullet-proof. Biomedical interventions based on vaccines and microbicides are still a long shot away. Conversely, treatment is working well in bringing HIV-infected people back to a normal …
Tag Archives: HIV
MICROBICIDES: Efficacy and Effectiveness
What is good enough? Who decides? This presentation was prepared for an IRMA global teleconference on December 4, 2009. View more presentations from RoL.
Microbicides for HIV Prevention
Microbicides are compounds that can be applied inside the vagina or rectum to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. They can be formulated as gels, creams, films, or suppositories. Microbicides may or may not have spermicidal activity (contraceptive effect). At present, an effective microbicide is not available (WHO definition)
PrEP, An Overview
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an experimental HIV-prevention strategy that proposes using antiretrovirals (ARVs) to reduce the risk of HIV infection in healthy uninfected people at risk of acquiring the virus. PrEP is not proven to work and is currently being tested in HIV-negative people in several clinical trials across the world. It is a controversial …
Barriers to condom use
To use or not to use a condom for sexual intercourse is the result of a combination of several interacting factors. From the rational decision to choose not to use condoms to that of not being able to choose to use them, there is a broad range of possible accounts. Addressing poor condom use therefore …
Biological Factors Affecting HIV Infection
Several factors are important in determining if the HIV virus can be passed from an infected person to another one. These include biological and social factors which both relate to the exposed and the “infector” individuals. This conceptual framework summarises only the biological factors that influence HIV transmission. When assessing the risk of infection, each …
HIV Prevention, an Overview
HIV prevention goes far beyond the simplistic ABC message that hijacks most of the media attention. This figure tries to illustrate the breadth and diversity of the field of HIV prevention (Click to enlarge). It would still need to be further expanded to really cover all the aspects of an ever growing field.
Fundraiser for The Food Chain
Since 2003 volunteer and chair (2003-2006) of the Community Fundraising Committee of The Food Chain whose mission is to improve the health and well being of London’s population living with HIV by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. The Food Chain is a UK registered charity delivering meals every week to more than 500 users across London, …
Gendering the Fight against Aids
Two strong messages have emerged from the 16th International Aids Conference in Toronto, Canada. The first is that with drug treatment now being rolled out in developing countries, prevention should return to centre stage in future policies and strategies. The second is that women’s lives and status need to be improved and that women need …
Wealth versus Health – the Thai Frontier
In the battle against HIV and AIDS, Thailand has been exemplary: since 2001, the AIDS death rate there has fallen by 79 percent, thanks to the supply of low-priced locally produced generic drugs and the 30-Baht universal health care scheme. But this success story is about to be challenged by the United States-Thai Free Trade …
