Source: CNW Group
CELSENTRI(TM) (maraviroc) Tablets Available, First in a New Class of
Oral HIV Medicines in More than a Decade
KIRKLAND, QC, Oct. 15 /CNW/ - CELSENTRI (maraviroc) tablets, the first in a new class of oral HIV medicines in more than 10 years, is now approved and available in Canada. CELSENTRI blocks entry of HIV into T cells (CD4+ white blood cells), significantly reducing the level of HIV in treatment-experienced patients.
"There is an important need for new medicines to help the many Canadians living with HIV/AIDS who are running out of effective medications to control the virus," said Dr. Sharon Walmsley, MSc, FRCPC, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto. "The approval of maraviroc is a significant breakthrough in that it provides a new class that blocks an early step in the viral life cycle that can be used for people with HIV who have developed resistance to our currently available drugs."
CELSENTRI is the first in a class of drugs known as CCR5 antagonists, which block the CCR5 co-receptor, the virus' main entry route into the body's immune cells or CD4+ cells. CELSENTRI stops the CCR5-tropic HIV-1, which is also known as "R5 virus" on the surface of the cell before it enters, rather than fighting the virus inside the cell as do all other classes of oral HIV medicines. A tropism test confirms that a patient is infected with R5 virus.
Earlier this year, Health Canada granted CELSENTRI priority review status. Priority reviews are granted to medicines that would represent an improved overall risk/benefit profile for a disease or condition not adequately managed by a medicine currently available in Canada.
"The approval of CELSENTRI is a Pfizer research and development success story," said Dr. Bernard Prigent, Vice President & Medical Director, Pfizer Canada. "Our hope is that CELSENTRI will offer a much needed new option to many people living with HIV in Canada."
Click here to read the press release.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Canadian to head effort to speed HIV vaccine
Source: The Globe and Mail
ANDRÉ PICARD
PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER
Canada's top scientist is taking on a new challenge: trying to speed up the development of an AIDS vaccine. Alan Bernstein, the founding president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, has been appointed the first executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise. The role of the new body is to get a diverse group of scientists, activists and industry to agree on a common strategy for speeding up research on an AIDS vaccine, an endeavour that has been floundering.
"Part of me was scared by the challenge," Dr. Bernstein said in an interview from Cape Town, South Africa. "But I love a challenge and there's a fantastic need for the world to have an AIDS vaccine."
An estimated 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV-AIDS, and another five million are infected each year. But attempts to create a vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus have proved fruitless, in large part because it is able to mutate quickly, it can lie dormant for years and it attacks the immune system.
"There's no question HIV is a particularly challenging foe," Dr. Bernstein said. But, at the same time, he said expectations have been unrealistic.
"New pathogens come along and it takes time to understand them. We've never had a vaccine in 20-25 years."
The CIHR, created in 2000, doles out close to $1-billion a year in research funds. The HIV Vaccine Enterprise, by contrast, will have a budget of only $1-million annually to operate its New York-based secretariat. However, it has already mobilized commitments of more than $750-million to support its scientific plan.
The enterprise plans to focus on six key areas: vaccine discovery, laboratory standardization, product development and manufacturing, clinical trials capacity, regulatory issues and intellectual property.
Stephen Lewis, the former United Nations envoy on HIV-AIDS in Africa and now the co-director of AIDS-Free World, said Dr. Bernstein is an "ideal choice to serve as a leader among leaders, co-ordinating the HIV vaccine field and working to build productive partnerships between researchers, donors and advocates."
José Esparza, senior adviser on HIV vaccines for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said the enterprise "has an important role to play in ensuring HIV vaccine development effort match the magnitude of the pandemic" and said the foundation is committed to supporting the new initiative.
ANDRÉ PICARD
PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER
Canada's top scientist is taking on a new challenge: trying to speed up the development of an AIDS vaccine. Alan Bernstein, the founding president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, has been appointed the first executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise. The role of the new body is to get a diverse group of scientists, activists and industry to agree on a common strategy for speeding up research on an AIDS vaccine, an endeavour that has been floundering.
"Part of me was scared by the challenge," Dr. Bernstein said in an interview from Cape Town, South Africa. "But I love a challenge and there's a fantastic need for the world to have an AIDS vaccine."
An estimated 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV-AIDS, and another five million are infected each year. But attempts to create a vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus have proved fruitless, in large part because it is able to mutate quickly, it can lie dormant for years and it attacks the immune system.
"There's no question HIV is a particularly challenging foe," Dr. Bernstein said. But, at the same time, he said expectations have been unrealistic.
"New pathogens come along and it takes time to understand them. We've never had a vaccine in 20-25 years."
The CIHR, created in 2000, doles out close to $1-billion a year in research funds. The HIV Vaccine Enterprise, by contrast, will have a budget of only $1-million annually to operate its New York-based secretariat. However, it has already mobilized commitments of more than $750-million to support its scientific plan.
The enterprise plans to focus on six key areas: vaccine discovery, laboratory standardization, product development and manufacturing, clinical trials capacity, regulatory issues and intellectual property.
Stephen Lewis, the former United Nations envoy on HIV-AIDS in Africa and now the co-director of AIDS-Free World, said Dr. Bernstein is an "ideal choice to serve as a leader among leaders, co-ordinating the HIV vaccine field and working to build productive partnerships between researchers, donors and advocates."
José Esparza, senior adviser on HIV vaccines for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said the enterprise "has an important role to play in ensuring HIV vaccine development effort match the magnitude of the pandemic" and said the foundation is committed to supporting the new initiative.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
New journal issue received: AIDS and Behavior, Vol. 11, no 5, September 2007
Vol. 11, no 5, September 2007AIDS and Behavior provides an international venue for the scientific exchange of research and scholarly work on the contributing factors, prevention, consequences, social impact, and response to HIV/AIDS.
In this issue:
Some Data-Driven Reflections on Priorities in AIDS Network Research
Authors: Samuel R. Friedman, Melissa Bolyard, Pedro Mateu-Gelabert et al.
pp. 641-651
Abstract
Safe Syringe Disposal is Related to Safe Syringe Access among HIV-positive Injection Drug Users
Authors Phillip O. Coffin, Mary H. Latka, Carl Latkin et al.
pp. 652-662
Abstract
Medication Adherence and Sexual Risk Behavior among HIV-Infected Adults: Implications for Transmission of Resistant Virus
Authors: Robert H. Remien, Theresa M. Exner, Stephen F. Morin et al.
pp. 663-675
Abstract
Beliefs about Personal and Partner Responsibility among HIV-Seropositive Men Who Have Sex with Men: Measurement and Association with Transmission Risk Behavior
Authors Richard J. Wolitski, Stephen A. Flores, Ann O’Leary et al.
pp. 676-686
Abstract
Motivations and Methods for Self-disclosure of HIV Seropositivity in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors Ann Neville Miller and Donald L. Rubin
pp. 687-697
Abstract
Reducing HIV Transmission Risk by Increasing Serostatus Disclosure: A Mathematical Modeling Analysis
Authors Steven D. Pinkerton and Carol L. Galletly
pp. 698-705
Abstract
Correlates of Risk Patterns and Race/Ethnicity among HIV-Positive Men who have Sex with Men
Authors Ann O’Leary, Holly H. Fisher, David W. Purcell et al.
pp. 706-715
Abstract
HIV-positive Romanian Adolescents: Acquisition Routes, Risk Behaviors, and Psychological Correlates
Authors Blair T. Johnson and Doru Buzducea
pp. 716-725
Abstract
Ongoing Risk Behavior Among Persons With HIV in Medical Care
Authors Matthew R. Golden, Robert W. Wood, Susan E. Buskin et al.
pp. 726-735
Abstract
Educational Attainment and HIV Status among Ethiopian Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clients
Authors Heather Bradley, Amare Bedada, Heena Brahmbhatt et al.
pp. 736-742
Abstract
Migrant Latino Day Laborers and Intentions to Test for HIV
Authors Samantha F. Ehrlich, Kurt C. Organista and Doug Oman
pp. 743-752
Abstract
Acceptance of Routine Testing for HIV among Adult Patients at the Medical Emergency Unit at a National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda
Authors Damalie Nakanjako, Moses Kamya, Kyabayinze Daniel et al.
pp. 753-758
Abstract
Readiness for HIV Testing among Young People in Northern Nigeria: The Roles of Social Norm and Perceived Stigma
Author Stella Babalola
pp. 759-769
Abstract
Community-based Voluntary Counseling and Testing Services in Rural Communities of Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand
Authors Surinda Kawichai, David D. Celentano, Suwat Chariyalertsak et al.
pp. 770-777
Abstract
HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing among Injection Drug Users in South China: A Study of a Non-Government Organization Based Program
Authors Huey T. Chen, Shaoling Liang, Quilan Liao et al.
pp. 778-788
Abstract
Contact the library to request copies of articles.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Canada gives more time to drug injection site
Source: Reuters
By Allan Dowd
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Canadian government granted another reprieve on Tuesday to North America's only sanctioned injection site for drug addicts, saying it wants more research before deciding its fate.
Vancouver's Insite facility had faced closure at the end of the year, but Health Minister Tony Clement notified the local health authority that the injection site can stay open until June 30, 2008.
The facility, which opened in 2003 as part of a research project in Vancouver's poor, drug-infested Downtown Eastside neighborhood, needs an exemption from Canada's drug laws to remain in operation.
Ottawa has been weighing Insite's long-term future, and the six-month extension will allow continued research on its impact on efforts to promote drug treatment programs and reduce crime, Clement said.
Addicts using drugs such as heroin and cocaine are given clean needles to inject with at the facility in a room supervised by a nurse. After shooting up, they go to a "chill-out room" before returning to the street.
Insite receives more than 600 addict visits daily. Insite's supporters, including Vancouver police, say studies have already shown it has prevented overdose deaths and helped get addicts into treatment. They say it also has slowed the sharing of needles, which is how AIDS and other diseases are often spread. Insite received a similar reprieve last year.
"This is the second time that the federal government has stalled on this decision, and said that more research is needed. But the fact is, Minister Clement is asking questions that have already been answered and calling for research that's already been done," said Richard Elliott, executive director of the Canadian AIDS/HIV Legal Network.
But Insite's critics, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, have complained that the government should not be sanctioning illegal drug use. The U.S. government has complained that Insite is a weak link in Canada's anti-drug efforts.
Questions about Insite's fate had been fueled by the government's announcement last weekend that it was ready to unveil a new national drug strategy expected to emphasize a tougher stand on illegal drug use.
The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, which oversees the facility, was pleased with the announcement and ready to supply federal officials with any additional information they need, spokeswoman Viviana Zanocco said.
Victoria, British Columbia, has said it also wants permission to establish a drug injection facility, but the federal government has ruled out setting up any new sites until the research in Vancouver is completed.
By Allan Dowd
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Canadian government granted another reprieve on Tuesday to North America's only sanctioned injection site for drug addicts, saying it wants more research before deciding its fate.
Vancouver's Insite facility had faced closure at the end of the year, but Health Minister Tony Clement notified the local health authority that the injection site can stay open until June 30, 2008.
The facility, which opened in 2003 as part of a research project in Vancouver's poor, drug-infested Downtown Eastside neighborhood, needs an exemption from Canada's drug laws to remain in operation.
Ottawa has been weighing Insite's long-term future, and the six-month extension will allow continued research on its impact on efforts to promote drug treatment programs and reduce crime, Clement said.
Addicts using drugs such as heroin and cocaine are given clean needles to inject with at the facility in a room supervised by a nurse. After shooting up, they go to a "chill-out room" before returning to the street.
Insite receives more than 600 addict visits daily. Insite's supporters, including Vancouver police, say studies have already shown it has prevented overdose deaths and helped get addicts into treatment. They say it also has slowed the sharing of needles, which is how AIDS and other diseases are often spread. Insite received a similar reprieve last year.
"This is the second time that the federal government has stalled on this decision, and said that more research is needed. But the fact is, Minister Clement is asking questions that have already been answered and calling for research that's already been done," said Richard Elliott, executive director of the Canadian AIDS/HIV Legal Network.
But Insite's critics, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, have complained that the government should not be sanctioning illegal drug use. The U.S. government has complained that Insite is a weak link in Canada's anti-drug efforts.
Questions about Insite's fate had been fueled by the government's announcement last weekend that it was ready to unveil a new national drug strategy expected to emphasize a tougher stand on illegal drug use.
The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, which oversees the facility, was pleased with the announcement and ready to supply federal officials with any additional information they need, spokeswoman Viviana Zanocco said.
Victoria, British Columbia, has said it also wants permission to establish a drug injection facility, but the federal government has ruled out setting up any new sites until the research in Vancouver is completed.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Armour found not liable in Canadian blood taint trial
Source: Bloomberg Canada
By Joe Schneider
Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Armour Pharmaceutical Co. and a former director at the Canadian Red Cross were acquitted of criminal negligence following an 18-month trial on charges they failed to properly screen blood products that infected thousands of Canadians with hepatitis and HIV. Ontario Superior Court Judge Mary Lou Benotto released her ruling today in Toronto, finding Armour, former Canadian Red Cross chief Roger Perrault and three other officials acted properly in distributing the blood products.
"There was no conduct that showed wanton and reckless disregard," required for a criminal negligence conviction, Benotto told a courtroom filled with victims, their relatives and media. "The allegations of criminal conduct on the part of these men and this corporation were not only unsupported by evidence, they were disproved."
More than 1,000 Canadians contracted HIV and as many as 20,000 got hepatitis C from blood transfusions with tainted products in the 1980s and 1990s, according to evidence presented at the trial.
"The events here were tragic," Benotto said. "However, to assign blame where none exists is to compound the tragedy."
Armour, which had been based in New Jersey, supplied the blood-clotting agent H.T. Factorate, which had been tainted with HIV, between July 1986 and December 1987. The Red Cross had distributed the products to clinics and hospitals.
`Shocked'
"We're quite shocked at this particular decision," John Plater of the Canadian Hemophilia Society told reporters after the judge read her decision. "This certainly is not over, despite what we heard today."
Now a non-operating company, according to lawyer Brian Greenspan, Armour won a contract in 1985 to supply the Canadian Red Cross with 10 million units of Factor VIII. A year later the contract was renewed for 12 million units, prosecutor Michael Bernstein said in his opening statement Feb. 21, 2006.
The four counts of criminal negligence of which Armour was accused stem from four Canadians who developed AIDS after being treated with HIV-contaminated Factor VIII, the government said. Three of them died, Bernstein said.
Also charged with criminal negligence were John Furesz, former director of Canada's Bureau of Biologics; Donald Boucher, former chief of the blood products division of the Bureau of Biologics; and Michael Rodell, former vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at Armour.
All of the defendants were acquitted on all charges. Bernstein wasn't immediately available for comment.
The Canadian Red Cross pleaded guilty in May 2005 to distributing harmful products in contravention of the federal Food and Drugs Act and agreed to pay a C$5,000 ($5,044) fine and C$1.5 million to establish charitable foundations.
The agency had sold its blood operations in 1998 to help pay C$70 million to the people who were infected.
The case is Between Her Majesty the Queen and Armour Pharmaceutical Co., Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Toronto), Case No.: P51/04.
To contact the reporter on this story: Joe Schneider in Toronto at jschneider5@bloomberg.net .
By Joe Schneider
Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Armour Pharmaceutical Co. and a former director at the Canadian Red Cross were acquitted of criminal negligence following an 18-month trial on charges they failed to properly screen blood products that infected thousands of Canadians with hepatitis and HIV. Ontario Superior Court Judge Mary Lou Benotto released her ruling today in Toronto, finding Armour, former Canadian Red Cross chief Roger Perrault and three other officials acted properly in distributing the blood products.
"There was no conduct that showed wanton and reckless disregard," required for a criminal negligence conviction, Benotto told a courtroom filled with victims, their relatives and media. "The allegations of criminal conduct on the part of these men and this corporation were not only unsupported by evidence, they were disproved."
More than 1,000 Canadians contracted HIV and as many as 20,000 got hepatitis C from blood transfusions with tainted products in the 1980s and 1990s, according to evidence presented at the trial.
"The events here were tragic," Benotto said. "However, to assign blame where none exists is to compound the tragedy."
Armour, which had been based in New Jersey, supplied the blood-clotting agent H.T. Factorate, which had been tainted with HIV, between July 1986 and December 1987. The Red Cross had distributed the products to clinics and hospitals.
`Shocked'
"We're quite shocked at this particular decision," John Plater of the Canadian Hemophilia Society told reporters after the judge read her decision. "This certainly is not over, despite what we heard today."
Now a non-operating company, according to lawyer Brian Greenspan, Armour won a contract in 1985 to supply the Canadian Red Cross with 10 million units of Factor VIII. A year later the contract was renewed for 12 million units, prosecutor Michael Bernstein said in his opening statement Feb. 21, 2006.
The four counts of criminal negligence of which Armour was accused stem from four Canadians who developed AIDS after being treated with HIV-contaminated Factor VIII, the government said. Three of them died, Bernstein said.
Also charged with criminal negligence were John Furesz, former director of Canada's Bureau of Biologics; Donald Boucher, former chief of the blood products division of the Bureau of Biologics; and Michael Rodell, former vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at Armour.
All of the defendants were acquitted on all charges. Bernstein wasn't immediately available for comment.
The Canadian Red Cross pleaded guilty in May 2005 to distributing harmful products in contravention of the federal Food and Drugs Act and agreed to pay a C$5,000 ($5,044) fine and C$1.5 million to establish charitable foundations.
The agency had sold its blood operations in 1998 to help pay C$70 million to the people who were infected.
The case is Between Her Majesty the Queen and Armour Pharmaceutical Co., Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Toronto), Case No.: P51/04.
To contact the reporter on this story: Joe Schneider in Toronto at jschneider5@bloomberg.net .
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Canada issues compulsory licence for HIV/AIDS drug export to Rwanda, in first test of WTO procedure
Source: BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest
Rwanda last week came one step closer to becoming the first nation to use a WTO procedure designed to allow developing countries to import cut-price copies of patented medicines, when Canadian patent authorities issued a compulsory licence authorising the generic production of a patented HIV/AIDS drug for export to the central African country.
"This is big step forward in finally getting at least one affordable medicine from Canada to a developing country in need," said Richard Elliott, Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. However, noting that it had already been three years since Canada introduced a legal system for making such exports possible, he said "it's also a wake-up call" about the need to simplify the process to make it more efficient and effective.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) cleared large generic pharmaceutical company Apotex to manufacture and deliver 260,000 packs of Apo-Triavir at cost to Rwandan health authorities. This would be enough to treat 21,000 AIDS patients for a year.
Rwandan WTO delegate Edouard Bizumuremyi told Bridges he was delighted with the development and said Rwanda had been "waiting for this."
The authorisation follows Rwanda's July notification to the WTO that it wanted to import that quantity of the medicine from Canada (see BRIDGES Weekly, 25 July 2007), becoming the first country to try to import generics under a WTO procedure criticised as too complex to be effective. (...)
Click here to read the entire article.
Rwanda last week came one step closer to becoming the first nation to use a WTO procedure designed to allow developing countries to import cut-price copies of patented medicines, when Canadian patent authorities issued a compulsory licence authorising the generic production of a patented HIV/AIDS drug for export to the central African country.
"This is big step forward in finally getting at least one affordable medicine from Canada to a developing country in need," said Richard Elliott, Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. However, noting that it had already been three years since Canada introduced a legal system for making such exports possible, he said "it's also a wake-up call" about the need to simplify the process to make it more efficient and effective.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) cleared large generic pharmaceutical company Apotex to manufacture and deliver 260,000 packs of Apo-Triavir at cost to Rwandan health authorities. This would be enough to treat 21,000 AIDS patients for a year.
Rwandan WTO delegate Edouard Bizumuremyi told Bridges he was delighted with the development and said Rwanda had been "waiting for this."
The authorisation follows Rwanda's July notification to the WTO that it wanted to import that quantity of the medicine from Canada (see BRIDGES Weekly, 25 July 2007), becoming the first country to try to import generics under a WTO procedure criticised as too complex to be effective. (...)
Click here to read the entire article.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
New journal received: AIDS Patient Care and STDs, Vol. 21, no 8, August 2007
Free access to this issue! Case Report: Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with Disseminated Mycobacterial Infection in Patients with AIDS
Felipe Francisco Tuon, Grace Carvajal Mulatti, Walkyria Pereira Pinto, Francisco Oscar De Siqueira Franca, Ronaldo Cesar Gryschek
pp. 527-532.
Full Text PDF
TORO: Ninety-Six-Week Virologic and Immunologic Response and Safety Evaluation of Enfuvirtide with an Optimized Background of Antiretrovirals
Jacques Reynes, Keikawus Arastéh, Bonaventura Clotet, Calvin Cohen, David A. Cooper, Jean-François Delfraissy, Joseph J. Eron, Keith Henry, Christine Katlama, Daniel R. Kuritzkes, Jacob P. Lalezari, Joep Lange, Adriano Lazzarin, Julio S.G. Montaner, Mark Nelson, Mary O' Hearn, Hans-Jürgen Stellbrink, Benoit Trottier, Sharon L. Walmsley, Neil E. Buss, et al.
pp. 533-543.
Full Text PDF
Utility of Repeat Genotypic Resistance Testing and Clinical Response in Patients with Three Class Resistance and Virologic Treatment Failure
Sheila M. Badri, Oluwatoyin M. Adeyemi, Blake E. Max, Bala N. Hota, David E. Barker
544-550.
Full Text PDF
Attitudes and Perceptions of AIDS Clinical Trials Group Site Coordinators on HIV Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention: A Descriptive Study
William D. King, Donna Defreitas, Kimberly Smith, Janet Andersen, Lisa Patton Perry, Toyin Adeyemi, Jennifer Mitty, Jan Fritsche, Carrie Jeffries, Melvin Littles, Margaret Fischl, Gregory Pavlov, Donna Mildvan, Underrepresented Populations Committee of the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (AACTG)
pp. 551-563.
Full Text PDF
Adherence, Drug Use, and Treatment Failure in a Methadone-Clinic–Based Program of Directly Administered Antiretroviral Therapy
Gregory M. Lucas, B. Anna Mullen, Mary E. McCaul, Paul J. Weidle, Shannon Hader, Richard D. Moore
pp. 564-574.
Full Text PDF
Characteristics of a Sample of Men Who Have Sex with Men, Recruited from Gay Bars and Internet Chat Rooms, Who Report Methamphetamine Use
Scott D. Rhodes, Kenneth C. Hergenrather, Leland J. Yee, Emily Knipper, Aimee M. Wilkin, Morrow R. Omli
pp. 575-583.
Full Text PDF
The Effect of Perceived Stigma from a Health Care Provider on Access to Care Among a Low-Income HIV-Positive Population
Janni J. Kinsler, Mitchell D. Wong, Jennifer N. Sayles, Cynthia Davis, William E. Cunningham
pp. 584-592.
Full Text PDF
Inequality and Unwillingness to Care for People Living with HIV/AIDS: A Survey of Medical Professionals in Southeast China
Guoxi Cai, Kazuhiko Moji, Sumihisa Honda, Xiaonan Wu, Konglai Zhang
pp. 593-601.
Full Text PDF
Antiviral Briefs
pp. 602-605.
Full Text PDF
Drug Developments and STD News
pp. 606-608.
Full Text PDF
George Michael cuts HIV interview
Source: BBC News
Pop star George Michael has asked for an interview in which he discusses his fears of having HIV to be removed from a forthcoming BBC programme. The BBC has confirmed the interview will no longer feature in the documentary, Stephen Fry: HIV and Me.
Michael's former partner, Anselmo Feleppa, died of an Aids-related illness in 1995.
"On reflection, he felt it was too close and too personal a journey," said a spokesman for the singer, 44.
He added: "It was too personal for Anselmo's family to revisit."
'No tests'
When the documentary was launched in July, the BBC revealed details of Michael's interview.
"George says he does not believe in tests," said producer Ross Wilson. "He says he finds the wait for results too harrowing and that he hasn't had a test since at least 2004 due to his fears it might be positive."
The two-part programme will examine how HIV is spreading and show Fry taking an HIV test himself. Michael is still set to appear in this year's festive edition of Catherine Tate's BBC comedy programme. (...)
Pop star George Michael has asked for an interview in which he discusses his fears of having HIV to be removed from a forthcoming BBC programme. The BBC has confirmed the interview will no longer feature in the documentary, Stephen Fry: HIV and Me.
Michael's former partner, Anselmo Feleppa, died of an Aids-related illness in 1995.
"On reflection, he felt it was too close and too personal a journey," said a spokesman for the singer, 44.
He added: "It was too personal for Anselmo's family to revisit."
'No tests'
When the documentary was launched in July, the BBC revealed details of Michael's interview.
"George says he does not believe in tests," said producer Ross Wilson. "He says he finds the wait for results too harrowing and that he hasn't had a test since at least 2004 due to his fears it might be positive."
The two-part programme will examine how HIV is spreading and show Fry taking an HIV test himself. Michael is still set to appear in this year's festive edition of Catherine Tate's BBC comedy programme. (...)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
HIV sequences cannot prove guilt
Source: NewScientist News Service
People infected with HIV might well want to know who gave it to them - but the genetic sequence of their virus won't tell them.
The virus is now routinely sequenced in each infected person to uncover drug-resistance genes, but virus sequences have also been used in several high-profile court cases by lawyers seeking to show who infected whom. This has led some HIV carriers to wonder if they might be able to do the same.
"The data won't work for that," warns Deenan Pillay of University College London - because HIV evolves too fast. This means that even though the viruses from two people may look similar, other local viruses may even be more alike. Analysing them can't show whether A infected B or vice versa, whether it went through a third person or whether both were infected by another person (BMJ, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.39315.398843.BE).
However, the British database - now the world's largest collection of viral sequences from a national epidemic - could answer other important questions. For example, it could tell us whether certain strains tend to spread among certain risk groups, or where the super-spreaders of HIV are.
From issue 2621 of New Scientist magazine, 19 September 2007, page 5
People infected with HIV might well want to know who gave it to them - but the genetic sequence of their virus won't tell them.
The virus is now routinely sequenced in each infected person to uncover drug-resistance genes, but virus sequences have also been used in several high-profile court cases by lawyers seeking to show who infected whom. This has led some HIV carriers to wonder if they might be able to do the same.
"The data won't work for that," warns Deenan Pillay of University College London - because HIV evolves too fast. This means that even though the viruses from two people may look similar, other local viruses may even be more alike. Analysing them can't show whether A infected B or vice versa, whether it went through a third person or whether both were infected by another person (BMJ, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.39315.398843.BE).
However, the British database - now the world's largest collection of viral sequences from a national epidemic - could answer other important questions. For example, it could tell us whether certain strains tend to spread among certain risk groups, or where the super-spreaders of HIV are.
From issue 2621 of New Scientist magazine, 19 September 2007, page 5
New book in the library: HIV Reference Manual
Cairns, Gus (ed.) HIV reference manualLondon, NAM Publications, 2007
C 200 HIV 2007
"HIV is more than a medical condition and the HIV Reference Manual is your guide to understanding the complex picture of HIV. It explains the wider interplay of social cultural, economic and legal factors that impact on people living with HIV and those working to support them" (From: http://www.aidsmap.com/cms1230954.asp).
Key topics include:
- benefits - helping people with HIV understand their entitlements
- the epidemiology of HIV
- HIV and the law – major update on confidentiality, disclosure and medical professional standards and immigration law
- HIV in 2007 – updated analysis of the UK and global
- HIV statistics
- helping people get the most out of the services available
- how HIV status affects asylum applications – the rights of asylum seekers explained, including rights to medical treatment on the NHS
- the impact of HIV on the communities most affected
- the latest prevention research – new technologies and strategies, including the debate on circumcision
- quality of life – how HIV may impact upon mental health rights under the Disability Discrimination Act
- women & HIV
New Issue of AIDS Care: Vol. 19, no 7, August 2007
AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIVIn this issue:
Original Articles
Is AIDS chronic or terminal? The perceptions of persons living with AIDS and their informal support partners
pp. 835 – 843
Authors: C. P. Hoy-Ellis; K. I. Fredriksen-Goldsen
Abstract
Gender relations in the context of HIV/AIDS in rural South Africa
pp. 844 – 849
Authors: Catherine Ndinda; Ufo Okeke Uzodike; Chiweni Chimbwete; Robert Pool
Abstract
To determine factors in an initiation of a same-sex relationship in rural China: using ethnographic decision model
pp. 850 – 857
Authors: W. C. W. Wong; T. S. K. Kong
Abstract
The social epidemiology of HIV transmission among African American women who use drugs and their social network members
pp. 858 – 865
Authors: M. Miller; C. T. Korves; T. Fernandez
Abstract
Coping with AIDS-related bereavement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
pp. 866 – 870
Author: C. Demmer
Abstract
Local understanding of an HIV vaccine and its relationship with HIV-related stigma in the Dominican Republic
pp. 871 – 877
Authors: C. Barrington; L. Moreno; D. Kerrigan
Abstract
Health-seeking behaviour for sexually transmitted infections and HIV testing among female sex workers in Vietnam
pp. 878 – 887
Authors: A. D. Ngo; E. A. Ratliff; S. A. McCurdy; M. W. Ross; C. Markham; H. T. B. Pham
Abstract
Knowledge and attitudes of nursing students toward patients living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV): A Turkish perspective
pp. 888 – 894
Authors: H. A. Bekta; Ö. Kulakaç
Abstract
Using the theory of planned behaviour to understand the motivation to learn about HIV/AIDS prevention among adolescents in Tigray, Ethiopia
pp. 895 – 900
Authors: H. Gebreeyesus Hadera; Henk Boer; W. A. J. M. Kuiper
Abstract
HIV-related traumatic stress symptoms in AIDS caregiving family dads
pp. 901 – 909
Authors: R. G. Wight; K. P. Beals; D. Miller-Martinez; D. A. Murphy; C. S. Aneshensel
Abstract
Care centre visits to married people living with HIV: An indicator for measuring AIDS-related stigma & discrimination
pp. 910 – 915
Authors: D. A. Green; S. Devi; L. S. Paulraj
Abstract
Comprehension of sexual situations and its relationship to risky decisions by young adults
pp. 916 – 922
Authors: V. L. Patel; N. A. Yoskowitz; D. R. Kaufman
Abstract
Quality of life in HIV-positive Brazilians: application and validation of the WHOQOL-HIV, Brazilian version
pp. 923 – 930
Authors: R. R. Zimpel; M. P. Fleck
Abstract
Sex work and risk behaviour among HIV-negative gay men
pp. 931 – 934
Authors: G. Prestage; L. Mao; F. Jin; A. Grulich; J. Kaldor; S. Kippax
Abstract
Return to post-test counselling by out-of-treatment injecting drug users participating in a cross-sectional survey in north Vietnam
pp. 935 – 939
Authors: A. Bergenstrom; V. Go; L. V. Nam; B. T. Thuy; D. D. Celentano; C. Frangakis; V. M. Quan
Abstract
Characteristics of bisexually active men in the Seropositive Urban Mens' Study (SUMS)
pp. 940 – 946
Authors: A. O'Leary; D. W. Purcell; R. H. Remien; H. E. Fisher; P. S. Spikes
Abstract
Contact the library to request copies of articles.
New Strategy Could Dramatically Slow The Spread Of HIV
Source: Science daily
Giving a daily antiretroviral pill to people to prevent HIV could profoundly slow the spread of the infection in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is a full-blown epidemic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers report.
Published by the Public Library of Science in the Sept. 19 issue of PLoS One, the findings are based on a mathematical model developed by the researchers to predict the public-health impact of pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) -- an HIV prevention strategy that uses antiretroviral drugs, currently given in combination to treat HIV-positive individuals, to stop the infection from occurring in the first place.
Through the model, the research team predicts that PrEP, targeted to those at highest behavioral risk, could have a major impact on public health, potentially preventing 3.2 million cases of HIV in southern sub-Saharan Africa alone in 10 years. Sub-Saharan Africa, the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS global epidemic, contains almost 63 percent of the world's HIV-infected population, totaling about 22.4 million adults.
Click here to read the entire article.
The article plublished in PLoS One is available here
Giving a daily antiretroviral pill to people to prevent HIV could profoundly slow the spread of the infection in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is a full-blown epidemic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers report.
Published by the Public Library of Science in the Sept. 19 issue of PLoS One, the findings are based on a mathematical model developed by the researchers to predict the public-health impact of pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) -- an HIV prevention strategy that uses antiretroviral drugs, currently given in combination to treat HIV-positive individuals, to stop the infection from occurring in the first place.
Through the model, the research team predicts that PrEP, targeted to those at highest behavioral risk, could have a major impact on public health, potentially preventing 3.2 million cases of HIV in southern sub-Saharan Africa alone in 10 years. Sub-Saharan Africa, the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS global epidemic, contains almost 63 percent of the world's HIV-infected population, totaling about 22.4 million adults.
Click here to read the entire article.
The article plublished in PLoS One is available here
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Voluntary HIV-screening for all adult male inpatients at hospitals
Source: Channel News Asia
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 September 2007
SINGAPORE: By year's end, all adult male patients admitted to hospitals will be asked if they would like to take a HIV-screening test.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament on Tuesday he is also changing the Infectious Diseases Act soon so that no one will be able to claim ignorance of one's HIV-positive status as defence against charges of high-risk behaviour.
He said: "All individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour must go for regular HIV-testing. The Infectious Diseases Act makes it an offence for someone who is HIV-positive to have sex without informing his sexual partner of his HIV status. I will soon come to this House to amend the Act to clarify that ignorance of one's HIV status will not be a defence for those who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour."
There are 3,338 known HIV-infected patients in Singapore, with 278 infected in the first eight months of this year. But what is worrying, Mr Khaw said, is the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV.
Click here to read the entire article
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 September 2007
SINGAPORE: By year's end, all adult male patients admitted to hospitals will be asked if they would like to take a HIV-screening test.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament on Tuesday he is also changing the Infectious Diseases Act soon so that no one will be able to claim ignorance of one's HIV-positive status as defence against charges of high-risk behaviour.
He said: "All individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour must go for regular HIV-testing. The Infectious Diseases Act makes it an offence for someone who is HIV-positive to have sex without informing his sexual partner of his HIV status. I will soon come to this House to amend the Act to clarify that ignorance of one's HIV status will not be a defence for those who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour."
There are 3,338 known HIV-infected patients in Singapore, with 278 infected in the first eight months of this year. But what is worrying, Mr Khaw said, is the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV.
Click here to read the entire article
Friday, September 14, 2007
Number of Partners Doesn't Explain Gay HIV Rate
Source: HealthDay News
Gay, straight men equally prone to unprotected sex, research shows
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The HIV epidemic among gay men can't be explained by their number of sexual partners, U.S. researchers report.
More than half the new HIV infections diagnosed in the United States in 2005 were among gay men, a team at the University of Washington, Seattle, noted. In addition, as many as one in five gay men living in cities may be HIV-positive.
But the sexual behaviors of gay and heterosexual men in the United States may not be as different as most people think, the researchers said. In fact, two surveys found that most gay men have a similar rate of sex with unprotected partners compared to straight men or women.
"Just because gay men continue to have much higher levels of HIV, we can't jump to the conclusion that that means that they are promiscuous or that prevention messages aren't working," said lead researcher Steven Goodreau, an assistant professor of anthropology.
In the study, Goodreau and a colleague, Dr. Matthew R. Golden, analyzed data from two large population-based surveys. Using those figures, they estimated how many sex partners gay men and straight men and women have, and what number of gay men have either insertive or receptive anal sex, or both.
The report is published in the Sept. 12 online edition of Sexually Transmitted Infections. (Access to abstract)
Click here to read the article.
Gay, straight men equally prone to unprotected sex, research shows
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The HIV epidemic among gay men can't be explained by their number of sexual partners, U.S. researchers report.
More than half the new HIV infections diagnosed in the United States in 2005 were among gay men, a team at the University of Washington, Seattle, noted. In addition, as many as one in five gay men living in cities may be HIV-positive.
But the sexual behaviors of gay and heterosexual men in the United States may not be as different as most people think, the researchers said. In fact, two surveys found that most gay men have a similar rate of sex with unprotected partners compared to straight men or women.
"Just because gay men continue to have much higher levels of HIV, we can't jump to the conclusion that that means that they are promiscuous or that prevention messages aren't working," said lead researcher Steven Goodreau, an assistant professor of anthropology.
In the study, Goodreau and a colleague, Dr. Matthew R. Golden, analyzed data from two large population-based surveys. Using those figures, they estimated how many sex partners gay men and straight men and women have, and what number of gay men have either insertive or receptive anal sex, or both.
The report is published in the Sept. 12 online edition of Sexually Transmitted Infections. (Access to abstract)
Click here to read the article.
New issue of the Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social services (Vol. 6, no 3)
The Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services provides a forum in which social workers and other professionals in the field of HIV/AIDS work can access the latest research and techniques in order to provide effective social, educational, and clinical services to all individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. From best practices and advice on case management to evaluations of the impact of various legislation and social policy decisions, this journal will keep you at the forefront of the field! In this issue:
Attitudes, Knowledge, Behavior in the Context of HIV/AIDS Stigma
pp. 1 - 4
Nathan L. Linsk PhD, Dorie J. Gilbert PhD
Opening Up Windows When Clients Keep Closing Doors: Key Elements in Engaging HIV-Positive Individuals in Prevention Interventions
pp. 5 - 28
Sheri B. Kirshenbaum PhD, Rogerio M. Pinto PhD, Jacqueline Correale MPH et all.
Understanding Motivations for Sex Among Detained Youth: Implications for HIV Prevention Programs
pp. 29 - 41
Dexter R. Voisin PhD, Laura F. Salazar PhD, Richard A. Crosby PhD, Ralph J. DiClemente PhD
Extending the Use of the 40-Item HIV-Stigma Scale to Older Adults: An Examination of Reliability and Validity
pp. 43 - 54
Charles A. Emlet PhD, ACSW
The Impact of HIV-Related Stigma on HIV Care and Prevention Providers
pp. 55 - 73
Michael Reece PhD, MPH, Amanda E. Tanner PhD, MPH, Stephen E. Karpiak PhD, Kate Coffey PhD, MSc
Guyanese Health Care Providers' HIV-Related Experiences, Attitudes, and Readiness to Provide Care
pp. 75 - 96
Cynthia Cannon Poindexter MSW, PhD
A Comparison of Grief Reactions in Cancer, HIV/AIDS, and Suicide Bereavement
pp. 97 - 112
James A. Houck PhD
Contact the library to request copies of articles.
Peru blood banks face HIV crisis
Source: BBC News
Dozens of blood banks in Peru have been closed after at least four people were infected with the HIV virus through contaminated transfusions.
The government said all 240 of the country's facilities would be thoroughly screened, amid what is being described as a national emergency. The patients were all infected at a hospital in the port city of Callao. Officials insisted Peru's blood banks met international standards and urged people to continue giving blood.
"We do not want people to panic, what we have to do is be more careful, strengthen our care [of patients]," said Health Minister Carlos Vallejos.
Public alarm
The crisis was prompted after 44-year-old Judith Rivera contacted the media earlier this week to say she had been infected with HIV during a routine operation. Mrs Rivera, a mother of four, said she was taking legal action to claim compensation.
"What is done is done, as they say, and a life has no price tag," she said during a news conference.
Health officials later revealed that three other patients had been infected with the virus after having blood transfusions at the same hospital - one of them a child aged 11 months.
The Washington-based Pan American Health Organization says its latest figures show that up to a quarter of the blood in Peru's banks is not properly screened. In a further blow to the health system, officials also confirmed that 30 patients who attended a dialysis treatment centre had been infected with Hepatitis C. The BBC's Dan Collyns, in Lima, says Peruvians are alarmed and are avoiding public hospitals. He says the government's response to the crisis is unlikely to restore public confidence in the country's flagging health service.
Dozens of blood banks in Peru have been closed after at least four people were infected with the HIV virus through contaminated transfusions.
The government said all 240 of the country's facilities would be thoroughly screened, amid what is being described as a national emergency. The patients were all infected at a hospital in the port city of Callao. Officials insisted Peru's blood banks met international standards and urged people to continue giving blood.
"We do not want people to panic, what we have to do is be more careful, strengthen our care [of patients]," said Health Minister Carlos Vallejos.
Public alarm
The crisis was prompted after 44-year-old Judith Rivera contacted the media earlier this week to say she had been infected with HIV during a routine operation. Mrs Rivera, a mother of four, said she was taking legal action to claim compensation.
"What is done is done, as they say, and a life has no price tag," she said during a news conference.
Health officials later revealed that three other patients had been infected with the virus after having blood transfusions at the same hospital - one of them a child aged 11 months.
The Washington-based Pan American Health Organization says its latest figures show that up to a quarter of the blood in Peru's banks is not properly screened. In a further blow to the health system, officials also confirmed that 30 patients who attended a dialysis treatment centre had been infected with Hepatitis C. The BBC's Dan Collyns, in Lima, says Peruvians are alarmed and are avoiding public hospitals. He says the government's response to the crisis is unlikely to restore public confidence in the country's flagging health service.
European researchers develop method of calculating short-term risk of HIV disease progression
Source: AIDSMAP
A new HIV risk score can accurately calculate the short term risk of HIV disease progression, according to researchers who have tested it in a cohort of 5150 HIV-infected people. The research is published in the September edition of AIDS.
The researchers hope the scoring system – which will soon be available on the web – will make treatment decisions easier for both patients and clinicians.
Other prognostic HIV scores have been developed but have tended to be designed to predict long-term clinical progression in patients before they have started antiretroviral therapy. They have also not used routinely measured lab values.
The new tool, called the EuroSIDA risk score, has been designed to be used in people already on anti-HIV treatment and calculates the risk of disease progression in the short-term, for example three, six or twelve months. (...)
Click here to read the entire article
A new HIV risk score can accurately calculate the short term risk of HIV disease progression, according to researchers who have tested it in a cohort of 5150 HIV-infected people. The research is published in the September edition of AIDS.
The researchers hope the scoring system – which will soon be available on the web – will make treatment decisions easier for both patients and clinicians.
Other prognostic HIV scores have been developed but have tended to be designed to predict long-term clinical progression in patients before they have started antiretroviral therapy. They have also not used routinely measured lab values.
The new tool, called the EuroSIDA risk score, has been designed to be used in people already on anti-HIV treatment and calculates the risk of disease progression in the short-term, for example three, six or twelve months. (...)
Click here to read the entire article
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
New Issue of AIDS Education and Prevention (Vol. 19, no 4, August 2007)
In this issue:Focusing HIV Prevention on Those Most Likely to Transmit the Virus
Authors: Gary R. West, Amy L. Corneli, Kim Best, Katie M. Kurkjian and William Cates Jr.
pp. 275-288
Abstract
Interaction of Cognitive Performance and Knowing Someone Who Has Died from AIDS on HIV Risk Behaviors
Authors: Mary M. Mitchell, S. Geoff Severtson and William W. Latimer
pp. 289-297
Abstract
HIV–Related Communication and Perceived Norms: An Analysis of the Connection Among Injection Drug Users
Authors: Melissa A. Davey–Rothwell and Carl A. Latkin
pp. 298-309
Abstract
Changes in Sexual Behavior during a Safety and Feasibility Trial of a Microbicide/Diaphragm Combination: An Integrated Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Greg Guest, Laura Johnson, Holly Burke, Reathe Rain-Taljaard, Lawrence Severy, Claire von Mollendorf and Lut Van Damme
pp. 310-320
Abstract
Current Sexual Activity and Risky Sexual Behavior in Older Men With or At Risk for HIV Infection
Authors: Nina A. Cooperman, Julia H. Arnsten and Robert S. Klein
pp. 321-333
Abstract
Sexual Behaviors of Individuals With HIV Living in South India: A Qualitative Study
Authors: A.K. Sri Krishnan, Ellen Hendriksen, Snigda Vallabhaneni,
pp. 334-345
Abstract
Structural Violence Against Kothi–Identified Men Who Have Sex with Men in Chennai, India: A Qualitative Investigation
Authors: Venkatesan Chakrapani, Peter A. Newman, Murali Shunmugam,
pp. 346-364
Abstract
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
AIDS Vancouver rides a custom chopper to 'Spread The Word'
There is no cure for HIV disease and infection rates continue to increase. There were 420 positive HIV test results in Vancouver in 2005 bringing the total to 12,342 since 1989.That's why AIDS Vancouver and Vancouver Custom Chopper are launching the AIDS Vancouver Custom Chopper Raffle to help spread the word about HIV disease.
"We all have a responsibility to protect ourselves and others," said William Booth, executive director for AIDS Vancouver. "Don't ask don't tell doesn't work."
Of the 2,500 Canadians that will test positive for HIV this year 1,300 won't know where they contracted the infection according to AIDS Vancouver's national statistics.
"The demand for care and support services is greater than we can meet," Booth said. "We are only getting resources for delivering support programs but not for prevention. Yet if we invested more resources for prevention we would need much less for services."
A United Nations Population Fund report released globally last month states there is an estimated 30 per cent HIV prevalence rate in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside- the same as Botswana.
"We wanted to make this chopper special for AIDS Vancouver," Teather said. "AIDS is a horrible disease and it's affecting our young people so we want to help AIDS Vancouver in the work they are doing to fight this disease."
The prize motorcycle is a 2007 Phantom Chopper designed by Vancouver Chopper owner Troy Teather and comes with an 88 cubic inch Harley Davidson engine, a Berrie Dale original stitch-leather seat and a 70's throwback James Brown paint theme.
"While we have made tremendous progress over the years, increasing awareness must remain a top priority in the fight against HIV/AIDS," said Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan. "This is why it is so important to 'Spread The Word.' There is a risk of complacency associated with the success we have achieved."
For More Information or to set up interviews please contact John Pigeon at 604-987-9699 or by email at johnp@vancouverchopper.com
Click here for the downloadable form to order tickets.
Drug deaths too high in Downtown Eastside: study
Source: CTV News
VANCOUVER -- A report on illegal drug use in Vancouver says deaths were down in Vancouver and the rest of B.C. for 2006.
However, residents of the Downtown Eastside don't fare well in the report from the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use. It says residents there have seven times the provincial rate of drug-induced deaths and a 33 per cent higher death rate than the rest of the province.
Vancouver's rate of newly diagnosed hepatitis C cases declined from 2006 and new cases of HIV were down from 2005 in connection to intravenous drug use. The report also says the weight of ecstasy seized by police in 2005 is over 40 times that seized in 2002.
The group says the study was done to provide policy makers and community leaders with better information to help develop harm reduction and prevention techniques to reduce drug use.
VANCOUVER -- A report on illegal drug use in Vancouver says deaths were down in Vancouver and the rest of B.C. for 2006.
However, residents of the Downtown Eastside don't fare well in the report from the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use. It says residents there have seven times the provincial rate of drug-induced deaths and a 33 per cent higher death rate than the rest of the province.
Vancouver's rate of newly diagnosed hepatitis C cases declined from 2006 and new cases of HIV were down from 2005 in connection to intravenous drug use. The report also says the weight of ecstasy seized by police in 2005 is over 40 times that seized in 2002.
The group says the study was done to provide policy makers and community leaders with better information to help develop harm reduction and prevention techniques to reduce drug use.
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