Jul 23 2007
Recent launches of new protease inhibitors and the anticipated availability of new antiretroviral drug classes have increased the therapeutic options available to treatment-experienced HIV-positive patients, and made achieving an undetectable viral load a realistic goal for this patient population.
With these treatment advances, it has become important to understand the unique needs and perspectives of treatment-experienced individuals, a growing population.
Coinciding with the annual conference of International AIDS Society (IAS) in Sydney, Australia, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of the HIV TALK (Treatment, Attitudes, Life, Knowledge) survey, a project supported by the International AIDS Society, which will gain insight into treatment-experienced individuals' attitudes about HIV therapy and living with HIV, potential gaps in education and information, perceptions toward treatment and ways to improve patient-physician dialogue about HIV care.
The HIV TALK survey will be fielded to five hundred HIV-positive individuals who have undergone treatment with multiple antiretrovirals throughout France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. These countries have the largest populations of HIV-positive individuals in Western Europe.
"Great strides in HIV research enable HIV-positive individuals to live longer, healthier lives. With these treatment advances, it is also important to understand treatment-experienced individuals' attitudes, outlooks, and the level of patient-physician dialogue. Through the HIV TALK survey, we hope to gain this valuable information and increase awareness of the needs of this growing patient population and the importance of patient-physician dialogue," said Juergen Rockstroh, M.D., professor of medicine, Universitat Bonn, Germany.
Results are expected in October, 2007.
Study reveals increased risk of immune abnormalities in children of women with HIV