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Early use of combination-drug treatments could improve HIV survival rates

Survival rates of HIV-positive patients could be improved if combination-drug treatment were begun earlier than current clinical guidelines now recommend, according to a new study by researchers from The New York Academy of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

14 Sep 2004

Bush AIDS plan is using expensive, brand name drugs, rather than keeping its promise to use the lowest cost drugs available

Global AIDS Alliance reacted today to the statement of the Bush Administration regarding its global AIDS programs.

14 Sep 2004

California Chamber of Commerce lends support to stem cell research

The California Chamber of Commerce has joined with a broad and growing coalition of business groups, patient advocates and medical organizations in endorsing a "YES" vote on Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, on the November 2004 statewide ballot.

14 Sep 2004

New study on female sexuality reveals increased use of sexual aids by women

The use of sexual aids and devices is often a sensitive and embarrassing topic for women, but a new landmark study on sexual aid usage conducted by the Berman Center and funded by an unrestricted educational grant from the Sexual Well-being store may help change women's acceptance of sexual aids

14 Sep 2004

New insights into the international burden of malaria

Malaria research scientists from around the globe have published new insights into the international burden of malaria and what can be done about it.

14 Sep 2004

Secrecy and silence clouds the true picture of AIDS related deaths among doctors in South Africa

A culture of 'secrecy and silence' clouds the true picture of AIDS related deaths among doctors in South Africa, says Dr Dan Ncayiyana, editor of the South African Medical Journal, in this week's BMJ.

9 Sep 2004

Researchers uncover how HIV causes abnormalities in antibody-producing cells

HIV wreaks much of its damage by targeting the “orchestra conductor” of the immune system, a key class of T cells—CD4+ T cells—whose destructive relationship with HIV has been well-studied by AIDS researchers.

8 Sep 2004

Advances in gene silencing on the agenda

Recent advances in using 'RNA interference' (RNAi) to improve plant, animal and human health will be the major focus of the CSIRO-hosted Horizons in Livestock Sciences Conference on the Gold Coast from 12-15 September.

8 Sep 2004

Generic tritherapy can be used as a basic treatment for AIDS

A clinical trial, conducted in Cameroon by IRD researchers working with other organizations and supported by the ANRS, has demonstrated that one of the most common combinations currently deployed in Africa, using nevirapine, stavudine and lamivudine, satisfies these criteria.

5 Sep 2004

Widely used antimalarial drug exhibits antiviral activity against the SARS

Virologists from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium report that chloroquine, a widely used antimalarial drug, exhibits antiviral activity against the SARS coronavirus. Chloroquine is an inexpensive and safe drug available worldwide.

5 Sep 2004

Many low-income countries are unlikely to reach the health targets set for 2015

Many low-income countries are unlikely to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) health targets set for 2015; the main reasons for this are fragile health systems and insufficient investments in understanding how to strengthen them, suggest authors of a Public Health article in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

2 Sep 2004

World needs to commit more resources to treat people infected with HIV

Leaders of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) have stressed that as the world commits more resources to treat people infected with HIV, it must also intensify efforts to develop a vaccine to prevent new infections and stop the continuing spread of the virus.

2 Sep 2004

Highly active antiretroviral therapies for AIDS are not initiated soon enough

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been shown to delay progression of AIDS and reduce mortality, yet the optimal time to start it is unknown.

2 Sep 2004

More women and adolescents needed in HIV vaccine clinical trials

Greater participation of women and adolescents is needed in HIV vaccine clinical trials, according to a group of international experts, who attended a consultation on HIV vaccine trials in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 26-28 August.

1 Sep 2004

Epimmune presents SIV vaccine study data showing control of virus despite the presence of viral mutations

Epimmune today presented preliminary data from its ongoing SIV rhesus macaque vaccine study at the AIDS Vaccine 2004 conference in Lausanne, Switzerland.

31 Aug 2004

Major trends in AIDS research that the different research teams throughout the world are pursuing

The science will be presented during the conference which is taking place in Lausanne until September 1, 2004. The advances in fundamental research, notably through a better understanding of the complex processes of immune defence, HIV and the functioning of vaccines, promote the genesis and development of new vaccine candidates.

30 Aug 2004

Interim data from human clinical trials of two AIDS vaccine candidates, named DNA.HIVA and MVA.HIVA

The interim data, from 205 volunteers in clinical trials in Kenya, Uganda and the United Kingdom, show that DNA.HIVA and MVA.HIVA are generally safe and well tolerated. However, the candidates’ ability to elicit an anti-HIV cell-mediated immune response is poor, using currently accepted measures of immune response.

30 Aug 2004

Call for increased political and financial commitment to the development of preventive and therapeutic AIDS vaccines

At the opening ceremony of the Lausanne, Switzerland, AIDS VACCINE '04 conference, leaders in the field of AIDS vaccine research called for increased political and financial commitment to facilitate the development of preventive and therapeutic AIDS vaccines as a public health imperative in fighting HIV/AIDS.

30 Aug 2004

Ephedra substitute - Seville orange may have risks

People taking “ephedra-free” weight loss products that contain the herb Citrus aurantium, or Seville orange, may be doing more harm to their body than good, according to a new review published by Georgetown University Medical Center researchers.

27 Aug 2004

FDA reinforces use of Sustiva in first-line HIV combination therapy

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced that Sustiva® (efavirenz) has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to include new long-term virologic and clinical data from BMS Study 006 in its prescribing information.

26 Aug 2004