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: Public Health
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)
Diseases of Poverty
A conceptual framework for understanding the diseases of poverty. Despite tremendous technological and scientific progresses in the understanding of diseases and their management, millions of people in the developing world still die of preventable infections and food scarcity whilst millions of other in the developped world die of diseases of opulence and excess.
Nabuur Online Facilitator
Online Facilitators (2006-2007) for Nabuur which mission is to give communities in developing countries access to their global Neighbours via the Internet and through these Neighbours to the huge reservoir of resources (knowledge, solutions, energy, and creativity) that is available elsewhere. This is the narrative I wrote when nominated for the 2006 UN Online Volunteer …
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 …
French Fries and Fat Kids – Asia’s next Epidemic
Popular belief has it that obesity only affects wealthier societies where food is plentiful: the curse of the developed world epitomized by hulking Americans that struggle to order their king-size Big Mac, French Fries and Coke without breaking sweat. Obesity is no longer exclusive to the developed world The reality is a very different. Obesity …
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 …
