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HIV – The search for a cure (or a vaccine) continues. Australia leads the way.
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Atomo Diagnostics in Sydney are to receive and investment of $6 million from the US based Global Health Investment Fund (GHIF). GHIF was establish in 2013 by Bill Gates Foundation and the investment bank JPMorgan. Atomo Diagnostics will use the funding round to increase production of HIV self-testing devices and to expand sales in developing countries. This is positive news for the HIV self-testing sector as it will stimulate more research into effective and convenient testing for all at risk HIV individuals. The most important factor in the prevention of HIV is certainly identifying at-risk individuals through HIV rapid...
PeEP. HIV Vaccine or a recipe for high risk encounters?
With a rapid uptake of the usage of Truvada pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the gay community of Washington. From a high risk of HIV infection population, 205 of that sub group are reported to be taking the drug. The concerning factor is that it is difficult to quantify of those 205 how many more incidents of unprotected sex are occurring due to the individuals assumption that they have an HIC infection safety net. With the drug reported to decrease infection rates by 90% it is very hard to convince the high risk group that safe sex is the only...
HIV Immunization may not be science fiction.
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In response to what has been a concerning trend of increased HIV infection, Australia has set itself an ambitious goal of no new cases of HIV infection by 2020. Over the last 20 years the number of people living with HIV within Australia has steadily increased. This is despite the availability of HIV testing centers and availability of HIV test kits allowing for HIV testing by individuals at home. One controversial approach is receiving allot of attention in the media and within the “at risk” community. PrEP which is short for pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a medication containing a combination/cocktail of...
Border control: Protecting Australia from HIV.
One issue facing Australia at present is not only the spread of HIV within Australia, but also the arrival of HIV infected individuals from other countries. Recently the press has covered some concern about boat people arriving from Indonesia who are HIV positive. Not only do they pose a potential strain on the Australian health system but of course they pose an hiv infection risk to the Australian population. It is regrettable though that this is used as a negative to sway the argument against allowing asylumseekers into Australia. Instead we should be focussed on the awareness that is needed...
Safe sex may be under attack as the primary defence against HIV infection.
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A controversial new preventative pill designed to lower vulnerability to HIV infection is being described as a "game changer". The trials involving 450 gay men are being carried out in Australia. Over recent years Australia is stepping up its fight against HIV partly due to the results of 2012 in which the number of new HIV cases in Australia hit a 20 year high. Following that 20 year high Australia has not managed to reduce the new HIV infection rate. Up until now that fight has been limited to safe sex education, more HIV testing and awareness for early HIV...