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Care News Archives March - April
Links to summaries at the Kaisernetwork,The Body, and
other news sources as well as the HIV/STD/TB Prevention
News Update (below).
(Note links to Kaisernetwork, The Body and other sources take you out of this site. You will have to hit your browser's
<back button to return.) See also Medical Briefs
and Care Resources in the Care
Section
National News
Researchers Develop Breath-Monitoring Device To
Monitor Treatment Adherence Among HIV-Positive
People
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=51695
The Body Launches a New "Ask the Experts" Forum on Aging With HIV
Featuring Graeme Moyle, M.D. Although there
are still more questions than answers about HIV and aging, there are a
multitude of steps you can take now to prevent or treat the
complications associated with getting older when you're HIV positive.
Whether it's monitoring for various cancers, reducing your heart risk or
simply finding out more about the relationship between HIV, HIV
treatment and aging, there's plenty you can do.
That's why The Body is happy to present a
new "Ask the Experts" forum specifically to address any questions
you may have about growing older with HIV. Our expert for this new forum
is Graeme Moyle, M.D. A prominent HIV clinician who is also on the
cutting edge of HIV research, Dr. Moyle will share his knowledge with
you as the understanding of HIV and aging evolves.
New POZ Fact Sheets covering:
Visit
www.poz.com/factsheets for a complete list of topics and to customize your
copies.
ILLINOIS:
"HIV-Positive and Looking for Help"
Chicago Tribune , (04.15.2008) Judith Graham
Two Chicago-based AIDS organizations have teamed up to produce a Web site for
people who are newly diagnosed with HIV, as well as for service providers, with
a focus on accessing quality information and referrals. Test Positive Aware
Network and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) helped to develop the PEERSpeak
Web site; its content was developed by people with HIV/AIDS who have handled the
medical, social, and other consequences of being newly diagnosed.
CDC Summary
New Comprehensive Website for People with Disabilities
Social Security touches the lives of people with disabilities every day. That’s
why we joined 21 other federal agencies to create
www.disabilityinfo.gov .
Disabilityinfo.gov is a comprehensive website designed to offer people with
disabilities access to important information they can use. Disabilityinfo.gov is
a one-stop website — not only for people with disabilities, but also for older
Americans, employers, Social Security beneficiaries, community- and faith-based
service providers and others. Disabilityinfo.gov features information on a
number of related topics. The site is easy to navigate, and is organized into
subject areas, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education,
employment, health, housing, technology and transportation. - more-
"The State of ADAP"
Bay Area Reporter , (04.10.2008) Bob
Roehr
On Tuesday in Washington, the Kaiser Family
Foundation and the National Alliance of State
and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) released
their annual report on the US AIDS Drug
Assistance Program. The $1.43 billion program
was declared to be in relatively good shape,
though experts noted some areas of concern.
CDC Summary
Walgreens Specialty
Pharmacy Launches New HIV/AIDS Web Site
Patients and Caregivers Provided with
Information and Advice from HIV-Trained
Pharmacists. See Press
Release
Examination of Antiretrovirals Abacavir,
Didanosine's Potential Link to Increased Risk of
Heart Attack Continues
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=51295
Release of National ADAP Monitoring Project Report
On Tuesday, April 8 at 9:30 a.m. ET, Kaiser and the National Alliance
of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) will release their annual
survey of state and territorial AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) at a
policy forum. ADAPs, authorized under the Ryan White Program, provide
HIV-related medications to low-income people with HIV/AIDS who have limited or
no prescription drug coverage. The report documents new developments and
challenges facing ADAPs, assesses key trends over time, and provides data on the
status of these programs. To register for the event, RSVP to Kate Schoen at
adapevent@kff.org or (650)
854-9400.
Spring 2008 Issue of Mental Health AIDS
Released
AIDSInfo At-A-Glance Volume 4 Issue 14 (3/28/08)
Biopsychosocial therapy involves assessing an
individual patient's biological, psychological,
and social condition to help determine the best
treatment.
Mental Health AIDS is a quarterly
biopsychosocial research update on HIV and
mental health sponsored by the Center for Mental
Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
This publication is provided free of charge
through the SAMHSA Web site in both PDF and HTML
formats.
The Spring 2008 issue features Part 2 of the
"For Whom the Tell Tolls: Curbing the Cost of
Giving & Getting Distressing, HIV-Related News"
Tool Box. Part 1 addressed the terminology used
to describe how clinicians are thought to be
affected by their work with trauma survivors.
Part 2 focuses on the current state of
qualitative and quantitative research in this
area and offers emerging evidence for the
positive consequences of this work for
clinicians.
More information is available:
A Cure for HIV: Restoring Hope to a Long-Lost Cause
"We cannot coddle the virus with a lifetime of drugs," writes HIV activist
Martin Delaney. "The only way to effectively conquer the epidemic is to cure the
disease." It's been many years since the HIV community has talked seriously
about the need for a cure, and with the recent stream of more-effective,
less-toxic HIV meds, Delaney worries that too many people have become complacent
about the current state of HIV treatment. In this in-depth analysis, Delaney
explains why it's still so important to push for a cure to HIV -- and what it
will take to finally find one.
from The Body -The Latest HIV News
& Views: March 26, 2008
Medications Approved by FDA Under Deadlines Set
by Congress More Likely To Have Safety Problems
Later, NEJM Study Finds AP/Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/fe.cfm?id=8458
J&J Subsidiary, FDA Warn Against Death, Liver
Damage Risk for People Taking Antiretroviral
Prezista
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=50930
Home-Based Care Could Significantly Reduce Mortality Among HIV-Positive
Adults, Families in Developing Countries, Study Says
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=50711
Safety Board Recommends Study Participants With High Viral Loads Switch From
GSK's Antiretroviral Epzicom to Gilead's Truvada
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=50712
See
February
Care News
Archives
Around the
Nation
ILLINOIS:
"HIV-Positive
and Looking for
Help"
Chicago Tribune , (04.15.2008) Judith Graham
Two
Chicago-based
AIDS
organizations
have teamed up
to produce a Web
site for people
who are newly
diagnosed with
HIV, as well as
for service
providers, with
a focus on
accessing
quality
information and
referrals. Test
Positive Aware
Network and the
AIDS Foundation
of Chicago (AFC)
helped to
develop the
PEERSpeak Web
site; its
content was
developed by
people with
HIV/AIDS who
have handled the
medical, social,
and other
consequences of
being newly
diagnosed.
The site
includes several
character-based
sections that
portray new
HIV/AIDS
patients and the
questions and
situations they
face. There is “Nicki,”
a 19-year-old
studying to be a
beautician and
whose boyfriend
did not want to
use condoms. At
the beginning,
her character
has no idea what
to do when she
finds out she
has HIV.
A former heroin
user, “Charles,”
used to inject
with whatever
needles were at
hand, whether
clean or not.
Charles has
battled with
addiction for
years and
realizes he must
focus on staying
healthy in order
to help fight
his HIV
infection. The
site uses his
story to provide
advice for how
HIV medication
works, how to
approach doctors
and medical
staff, and what
certain lab
results mean.
A gay male
character is
featured on the
module about
mental wellness
and self-care. A
fictional case
worker helps
clients find
medical and
social services.
There is also a
list of
Chicago-area and
national
resources
available for
those who do not
wish to read
through the
character-based
sections.
The National
Library of
Medicine awarded
a $60,000 grant
to help the
organizations
develop the
site, and
NogginLabs of
Chicago
developed and
built the site
on a mostly pro
bono basis. A
future, similar
site will assist
former prisoners
on how to get
housing, job
referrals, and
access services
and health care,
said John Clark
of AFC.
Global
BRAZIL:
"Brazil May Reject Gilead’s AIDS Drug Patent"
Reuters , (04.10.2008) Maria Pia Palermo
On Wednesday, Brazil’s Health Ministry decreed Gilead Science’s AIDS drug Viread
(tenofovir) “in the public interest.” The US pharmaceutical firm’s patent filing
is under review by the country’s INPI patent agency, which will consider the
ministry’s objection in its deliberations.
The ministry said granting the tenofovir patent in Brazil would create
“expectations of monopoly rights with an impact on the price of the product.”
“If no patent is issued, Brazil will be free to negotiate prices of the drug, be
it generic or brand name,” a ministry source said Thursday, adding that the
issue is “not about compulsory licensing” or patent-breaking.
In Brazil, a Gilead representative declined to comment on the case but said
ministry and company officials are in contact about the issue.
The cost of tenofovir represents 10 percent of Brazil’s budget for its national
AIDS treatment program, which provides free antiretroviral drugs to patients.
This year, 31,300 Brazilians will receive tenofovir at a per-patient cost of
$1,387 annually, the ministry said. The average treatment cost for each of its
180,000 HIV/AIDS patients is about $2,500 annually.
If Brazil rejects Gilead’s tenofovir patent, the country could opt to import a
generic version under a World Trade Organization public health exemption.
Summaries
New Comprehensive Website for People with Disabilities
Social Security touches the lives of people with disabilities every day. That’s
why we joined 21 other federal agencies to create
www.disabilityinfo.gov .
Disabilityinfo.gov is a comprehensive website designed to offer people with
disabilities access to important information they can use. Disabilityinfo.gov is
a one-stop website — not only for people with disabilities, but also for older
Americans, employers, Social Security beneficiaries, community- and faith-based
service providers and others. Disabilityinfo.gov features information on a
number of related topics. The site is easy to navigate, and is organized into
subject areas, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education,
employment, health, housing, technology and transportation.
Disabilityinfo.gov also is a useful information and referral tool for responding
to the questions and concerns of Social Security’s nearly 50 million
beneficiaries. Individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI),
disability or retirement benefits, as well as advocates who work with
beneficiaries, will find answers to questions about work incentives, the appeals
process, Medicare and Medicaid, youth transitioning from school to work,
accessible transportation and much more.
If you want to get specific, detailed information about benefits available
through Social Security for people with disabilities, you can go straight to the
source:
www.socialsecurity.gov/disability . On Social Security’s website, you can
even complete your application over the Internet from the comfort of your own
home. Just go to
www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability to start your application.
The Disabilityinfo.gov web site shares general information about how Social
Security can help people with disabilities, and much more. The web site offers a
free subscription service where you can sign up to receive Disability
Connection, a quarterly newsletter, as well as other e-mail alerts covering
information tailored to your individual interests. Just fill in your email
address under the gold “subscribe” banner on the right side of the page.
To learn more about information available for people with disabilities, visit
www.disabilityinfo.gov . To learn
more about Social Security, visit
www.socialsecurity.gov .
"The State of ADAP"
Bay Area Reporter , (04.10.2008) Bob Roehr
On Tuesday in Washington, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Alliance
of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) released their annual report on
the US AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The $1.43 billion program was declared to
be in relatively good shape, though experts noted some areas of concern.
Thanks to several factors, changes in the distribution of Ryan White CARE Act
money, a real increase in supplemental funding and the one-time impact of moving
some patients to Medicare Part D programs, state ADAPs were able to offer more
treatment options to more patients in 2007, said NASTAD’s Julie Scofield.
Indeed, for one month, no state had an ADAP waiting list - though this was
short-lived, and six Montanans are now awaiting assistance. This is in marked
contrast to one year ago, when South Carolina alone had nearly 600 people in
need of medications until the Legislature boosted its ADAP contribution and
reallocated some Ryan White dollars.
All the states have met the reauthorized Ryan White Act’s requirement that drug
formularies include at least one drug in the six classes of antiretrovirals used
to treat HIV, and all have added two more drug classes approved last year. Most
states now offer all Food and Drug Administration-approved HIV/AIDS drugs,
according to the report.
Among concerns voiced by experts:
*Demand for ADAP services will likely increase as more people respond to CDC’s
call for routine testing and learn they are HIV-positive.
*As more Americans lose their jobs, and thus their health insurance, they can be
expected to seek help through government programs.
*At the same time, the economic downturn means the federal and state governments
will be even more strapped for cash.
*There is a shortage of physicians adequately trained to administer complex HIV
drug regimens.
The ADAP report is available at
http://www.kff.org/hivaids/hiv040808pkg.cfm
. A webcast of the forum from kaisernetwork.org is available at
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/kff/08apr08.
Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy
Launches New HIV/AIDS Web Site
Patients and Caregivers Provided with Information and Advice from
HIV-Trained Pharmacists
DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE) (4/11/08)--Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG)
announced today that Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy has launched a new HIV-focused
Web site, www.HIV.Walgreens.com
, to expand the availability of HIV/AIDS information to patients and caregivers.
The new site complements Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy’s current HIV/AIDS patient
support services. It gives patients the opportunity to get expert advice from an
HIV-trained pharmacist in the comfort and privacy of their homes and provides
information about HIV/AIDS, including signs, symptoms, treatment and medication
management. Patients and caregivers can also access a list of HIV-focused
Walgreens pharmacy locations across the country on the site.
“Walgreens has a strong history of supporting the HIV/AIDS community, and this
Web site is a focused and convenient resource for patients and their families,”
said Glen Pietrandoni, Walgreens Health Services manager for HIV/AIDS and
hepatitis programs. “An estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. are currently
living with this disease, and 40,000 new HIV cases are diagnosed each year. We
want to do all we can to help educate, support and provide needed therapies to
these patients.”
Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreen Co.
operated by its managed care division, Walgreens Health Services, is a national
provider of injectable and biopharmaceutical medications dedicated to serving
the needs of patients living with complex, chronic health and medical
conditions. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy provides personalized care and services
through dedicated fulfillment centers across the country and more than 6,200
electronically linked pharmacies, including locations in academic medical
centers, community hospitals and physician office buildings. Walgreens Specialty
Pharmacy assists patients in obtaining medications, coordinates insurance
benefits and provides individualized therapy management and clinical support.
Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2007 sales of
$53.8 billion. The company operates 6,271 stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico.
Walgreens is expanding its patient-first health care services beyond traditional
pharmacy through Walgreens Health Services, its managed care division, and Take
Care Health Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary that manages 154 convenient care
clinics at Walgreens drugstores. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy
patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health
Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc.,
Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a
pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). More information about
Walgreens is available at Walgreens.com.
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