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Africa is developing solutions for fighting disease and improving health

The signs are everywhere, across the continent: Africa is finding African approaches to solving its health problems.

20 Nov 2006

Brookhaven target compounds to fight SARS

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have set the stage for the rapid identification of compounds to fight against severe acquired respiratory syndrome (SARS), the atypical pneumonia responsible for about 800 deaths worldwide since first recognized in late 2002.

20 Nov 2006

Doha Declaration on life-saving drugs for poor countries not happening

Despite the fact that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) granted a special exemption five years ago, in order that poor countries could access life-saving drug, poor people in developing countries are still dying needlessly because global pharmaceutical giants continue to monopolise drugs for diseases such as cancer and AIDS.

15 Nov 2006

MSF, Oxfam call on wealthy nations to adhere to WTO guidelines to ensure drug access in developing countries

Medecins Sans Frontieres and Oxfam on Tuesday called on developed nations to adhere to the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to ensure universal access to antiretroviral drugs in developing countries, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports (Higgins, AP/International Herald Tribune, 11/14).

14 Nov 2006

Brookhaven target new anti-SARS virus drugs

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have set the stage for the rapid identification of compounds to fight against severe acquired respiratory syndrome (SARS), the atypical pneumonia responsible for about 800 deaths worldwide since first recognized in late 2002.

14 Nov 2006

More U.S residents trust TV for health info

Increasing numbers of U.S. residents gather and trust health information, including HIV/AIDS information, seen on fictional prime-time television shows, the Los Angeles Times reports.

13 Nov 2006

Starvation, malnutrition threatening fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic

Starvation and malnutrition are "fast becoming the twin perils" in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the need for food soon might surpass the need for antiretroviral drugs among many HIV-positive people in the developing world, the AP/ABC2 News reports.

13 Nov 2006

Discovery of a simian immunodeficiency virus infection in wild gorillas

In 2005, 40.3 million people in the world, including 25.8 million in Sub-Saharan Africa, were living with HIV. The question of the origin of HIV-1, responsible for the AIDS pandemic, has been stimulating the scientific community for many years.

13 Nov 2006

Malawi needs to develop plan addressing country's AIDS orphans

The number of AIDS orphans in Malawi is a "potential looming catastrophe," and the country needs to develop a comprehensive action plan to address the situation, U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis said recently, the Chronicle/AllAfrica.com reports.

8 Nov 2006

Chinese bird flu expert will head the WHO

Dr. Margaret Chan, a Chinese expert on bird flu, is to be the next head of the World Health Organization (WHO).

8 Nov 2006

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus tricks cells to become tumors

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered how the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) subverts a normal cell process in order to promote tumor growth.

8 Nov 2006

Chembio receives large order for rapid HIV tests to screen pregnant women in Mexico

Medford, N.Y.-based Chembio Diagnostics on Monday announced that it has received an order from a Mexican distributor for 990,000 of its rapid HIV test Sure Check HIV 1/2 to screen pregnant women in Mexico, the Long Island Newsday reports (Bernstein, Long Island Newsday, 11/7).

8 Nov 2006

Phase I clinical trial of experimental gene therapy to treat HIV shows encouraging results

The results of a Phase I clinical trial of an experimental gene therapy aimed at treating HIV indicate that the therapy is safe and effective and also might sustain viral loads, according to a study published on Monday in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the AP/Washington Post reports.

8 Nov 2006

$70 million boost will help fight AIDS in Kenya

Kenya has been given $70 million from the Global Fund to fund programmes providing antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to people living with HIV.

7 Nov 2006

The lifetime cost of current HIV care in the United States

"The Lifetime Cost of Current HIV Care in the United States," a major study appearing in the November 2006 issue of Medical Care, projects the cost of treatment for HIV-infected adults using current standards of care.

1 Nov 2006

Scientists spot mechanism behind promising new sleep drug

An experimental drug called gaboxadol may soon help millions of bleary-eyed insomniacs get to sleep, and a multi-center team of U.S. scientists believes they've pinpointed just how the drug works.

1 Nov 2006

Will Libya take one step forward or two steps back?

A court in Libya has heard the closing remarks for the defence in the case of the six foreign medics accused of deliberating infecting 426 children with HIV at a hospital in Benghazi; 52 have since died of AIDS.

1 Nov 2006

HIV/AIDS and poverty in Zambia threatens economic growth

HIV/AIDS and poverty in Zambia "are threatening" economic growth the country has achieved since gaining its independence in 1964, President Levy Mwanawasa said last week in a speech on the eve of Zambia's 42nd anniversary of independence, Reuters reports.

30 Oct 2006

Shortage of health workers in developing countries is affecting global health efforts

The critical shortage of health workers in developing countries is affecting global health efforts, including the fight against HIV/AIDS, and must be addressed, a panel of experts said Tuesday at an event sponsored by the Global Health Council, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Oct 2006

Stigma, discrimination in India hindering HIV/AIDS treatment, care

The stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS in India is delaying treatment and care for HIV-positive people, according to a study conducted by the Population Council's Horizons program; Sharan, an Indian nongovernmental organization; and the New Delhi-based Institute of Economic Growth, IRIN/Kenya London News reports.

30 Oct 2006