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Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

BD, PEPFAR commence multi-year initiative to improve blood collection practices in African clinics, hospitals

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today set in motion a joint, multi-year initiative to improve blood collection practices in African clinics and hospitals.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 22 Jun 2010

Report says G8 countries short $10B on $50B commitment, reveals mixed progress on health goals

An accountability report, prepared by officials in G8 member countries' foreign affairs departments, acknowledges that G8 "countries are $10 billion behind the five-year, $50-billion commitment they made at their 2005 summit in Scotland," the Canadian Press/CTV News reports (6/20).

22 Jun 2010

Protesters ask U.S. to boost funding for Global Fund, HIV/AIDS programs in Africa

Thousands of protesters in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday "demand[ed] the U.S. increase its AIDS funding for Africa," the Associated Press reports (Naki, 6/17). The protesters delivered a letter to the consulate saying the U.S. is "cutting funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria," which health advocates believe could lead "other countries to follow suit and reduce funding for the fight against HIV," Agence France-Presse writes (6/17).

22 Jun 2010

WHO issues comprehensive recommendations on children's medicines

The WHO on Friday issued "its first-ever guidance on how to use more than 240 essential medicines for children under 13," the Associated Press reports. "The data provide information on use, dosage and side effects of medicines as well as warnings about which children should not take them" and possible complications from interactions from drugs taken together, according to the WHO, the news service reports (6/19).

22 Jun 2010

FDA approves ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay to aid in diagnosis of HIV-1/HIV-2 infection

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first assay to detect both antigen and antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This assay is approved for use as an aid in the diagnosis of HIV-1/HIV-2 infection in adults including pregnant women. It is also the first assay for use as an aid in the diagnosis of HIV-1/HIV-2 infection in children as young as two years old.

22 Jun 2010

Also in Global Health News: WHO scraps drug development group; Access to medication in Philippines; Yellow fever vaccine shortage; HIV-positive employee protection

Lancet World Report examines how "[d]isappointment over a long-awaited report on improving drug research and development for neglected diseases" led the WHO to form a new Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG) to strategize around drug research and development. The formation of the new group comes after the report from the previous working group (EWG) was questioned due to "what some perceived to be a missed opportunity, unclear methods, a lack of transparency and signs of industry interference" and after "suspicions of impropriety" surfaced.

21 Jun 2010

FDA approves Abbott's ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay

Every nine and a half minutes, someone in the United States is infected with HIV, and one out of every five of these individuals doesn't know it. To help stem the spread of this disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved an innovative new diagnostic tool, which will allow patients to be diagnosed earlier than ever before.

21 Jun 2010

AHF's Magic Johnson Testing America Tour arrives in Burlington to offer free HIV testing

AHF's Magic Johnson 'Testing America' Tour, a six month, 48 state national cross country HIV testing tour, arrives in Burlington, Vermont today and will offer free HIV testing, along with local partner Vermont Cares from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the corner of Church St. and Main St. The testing will take place on AIDS Healthcare Foundation's new, state-of-the-art 'Testing America' mobile HIV testing unit named in honor of and in partnership with basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr., as well as on the North Jersey AIDS Alliance mobile testing unit.

21 Jun 2010

Beyond Moose and Mountains initiative focuses on building Canada's business and regulatory environment

At its 2010 annual general meeting in Montreal yesterday, the national biotechnology association, BIOTECanada, confirmed a national team of industry leaders, whose expertise will ensure Canada keeps growing what today is an $84 billion bio-economy.

21 Jun 2010

U.S. releases statement on Global Health Initiative

The U.S. government continues to lay the groundwork for efforts under the U.S. Global Health Initiative (GHI), announcing the first round of "GHI Plus" countries, as well as the program's governance structure. GHI is a six-year, $63 billion initiative to help partner countries improve measurable health outcomes by strengthening health systems and building upon proven results. It places a particular focus on improving the health of women, newborns and children.

19 Jun 2010

Research findings support the need to establish standards for DFSA care

New toxicology findings reveal the presence of drugs and/or alcohol in 76 per cent of women and men who suspect they were victims of drug-facilitated sexual assault. Of those, 64 per cent did not report voluntarily consuming the drugs found, supporting their belief that they may have been slipped a drug. In addition, unexpected male DNA was found in a substantial number of cases, confirming sexual activity.

19 Jun 2010

Researchers review data comparing IUDs and hormonal contraceptives

Women who have had intrauterine devices fitted as contraceptives are less likely to become pregnant than those who have hormone injections, a new review by Cochrane Researchers has found. The review, which focused on women in developing countries, also found a possible link between contraceptive method and disease progression in HIV.

19 Jun 2010

AHF's Magic Johnson Testing America Tour arrives in Nashua, New Hampshire to offer free HIV testing

AHF's Magic Johnson 'Testing America' Tour, a six month, 48 state national cross country HIV testing tour, arrives in Nashua, New Hampshire tomorrow and will offer free HIV testing, along with local partner Southern New Hampshire AIDS Task Force from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Greeley Park 2010 Music and Film Festival, 105 Concord Street.

19 Jun 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

The U.N.'s plan to improve maternal health is lacking "the one element that will make it work. Human rights," according to blog post on Huffington Post. "Medical causes of maternal death - hemorrhage, sepsis, hypertension, unsafe abortion, HIV and AIDS - are inextricably linked to human rights. Each one of these instances can be prevented or treated by simply respecting women's human rights in health policies and delivery of services, and addressing systemic gender inequality."

19 Jun 2010

Friday Opinions: Uwe Reinhardt, Reps. Ron Paul and John Sarbanes, Minnesota nurses' strike

Alas, the penalties baked into the bill for disregarding the mandate, though not trivial, are low enough that many younger and healthier individuals are likely to find paying the penalty cheaper than owning up to the mandate. If that happens in significant numbers, as well it might, the premiums that private insurers will have to charge for the mandated coverage in the small-group market will be driven correspondingly higher (Uwe Reinhardt, 6/18).

19 Jun 2010

Children's Hospital Boston receives $2.4M Gates Foundation grant to develop novel neonatal vaccines

Children's Hospital Boston announced today that it has received a $2.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support the development of novel vaccines for newborns – research that is spearheaded by Ofer Levy, MD, Ph.D., a principal investigator in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's.

18 Jun 2010

Model Formulary for Children provides information on how to use over 240 essential medicines

The first ever WHO Model Formulary for Children released by the WHO provides information on how to use over 240 essential medicines for treating illness and disease in children from 0 to 12 years of age. This means that for the first time medical practitioners worldwide have access to standardized information on the recommended use, dosage, adverse effects, and contraindications of these medicines for use in children.

18 Jun 2010

New multimillion dollar BSL-3 laboratory complex at Nigerian National TB and Leprosy Training Center

This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, visited the Nigerian National TB and Leprosy Training Center (NTBLTC) to tour a multimillion dollar laboratory complex established by the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Institute of Human Virology-Nigeria. This U.S.-Nigeria partnership was established in 2004 through funding from the CDC and the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

18 Jun 2010

Nurse-monitored ART found to be as safe, effective as therapy monitored by doctors in South African trial

"HIV drugs can be administered as effectively by nurses as by doctors, a finding that could yield major benefits in the fight against AIDS in Africa," according to a study published online Wednesday in the Lancet, Agence France-Presse reports.

18 Jun 2010

NPR's Morning Edition examines Global Health Initiative

NPR's Morning Edition examines the Obama administration's Global Health Initiative (GHI) and efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. The $63 billion dollar "initiative preserves the Bush AIDS relief plan," known as PEPFAR, and aims "to allow patients to get care at one location rather than having to seek care at different places. For example, family planning at one facility and HIV care at another," NPR notes.

18 Jun 2010

HIV/AIDS News and Research

Further Reading

BD, PEPFAR commence multi-year initiative to improve blood collection practices in African clinics, hospitals

Report says G8 countries short $10B on $50B commitment, reveals mixed progress on health goals

Protesters ask U.S. to boost funding for Global Fund, HIV/AIDS programs in Africa

WHO issues comprehensive recommendations on children's medicines

FDA approves ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay to aid in diagnosis of HIV-1/HIV-2 infection

Also in Global Health News: WHO scraps drug development group; Access to medication in Philippines; Yellow fever vaccine shortage; HIV-positive employee protection

FDA approves Abbott's ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay

AHF's Magic Johnson Testing America Tour arrives in Burlington to offer free HIV testing

Beyond Moose and Mountains initiative focuses on building Canada's business and regulatory environment

U.S. releases statement on Global Health Initiative

Research findings support the need to establish standards for DFSA care

Researchers review data comparing IUDs and hormonal contraceptives

AHF's Magic Johnson Testing America Tour arrives in Nashua, New Hampshire to offer free HIV testing

Recent releases in Global Health

Friday Opinions: Uwe Reinhardt, Reps. Ron Paul and John Sarbanes, Minnesota nurses' strike

Children's Hospital Boston receives $2.4M Gates Foundation grant to develop novel neonatal vaccines

Model Formulary for Children provides information on how to use over 240 essential medicines

New multimillion dollar BSL-3 laboratory complex at Nigerian National TB and Leprosy Training Center

Nurse-monitored ART found to be as safe, effective as therapy monitored by doctors in South African trial

NPR's Morning Edition examines Global Health Initiative

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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