 Hello everyone, Raif Derrazy here, and this is another weekly roundup of the latest HIV news for the week of July 17th through July 23rd. Today I'll be going through 13 articles covering topics ranging from ending AIDS by 2030 in Nigeria, the sixth possible person cured of HIV also known as the Geneva Patient, the attack on needle exchange programs in the US, evolving HIV terminology, peer support for young women in Uganda, prep among young gay men and young transgender women in Thailand, improving U equals U findings and more. I won't be reading the articles per se, but I will give you a brief summary, and sometimes I'll throw in my own opinions and commentary. If you want access to the complete articles, all links will be available in the description box below this video. So let's dive right in. Okay, first article SFH renews its commitment to chart the path that ends AIDS. The UN AIDS annual report, the path that ends AIDS presents a clear way to end AIDS by 2030. The Society for Family Health, SFH, Nigeria is committed to following this path, preparing for future pandemics and achieving global goals. The report shows progress but also highlights challenges that need urgent action. Women and key populations are not being reached adequately with many adolescent girls and young women still getting infected with HIV, especially in sub-Saharan Africa due to gaps in prevention programs and gender inequalities. To end AIDS, it requires political and financial commitment, international solidarity and local ownership. SFH supported by various partners is working to eliminate stigma and discrimination, provide support to key populations, empower young people and ensure access to HIV testing and care. They are also collaborating with authorities to prioritize communities and achieve universal health care, integrating HIV care into health systems and promoting gender equality. Paws.com, Geneva man, may be cured of HIV after wild type stem cell transplant. A sixth person known as the Geneva patient appears to have been cured of HIV after a stem cell transplant for cancer treatment. Unlike the previous cases, this man received stem cells without the rare CCR5 Delta 32 mutation that prevents HIV from entering T cells. He underwent the transplant in 2018 and stopped antiretroviral treatment in 2021. And for the past 20 months, there is no evidence of HIV rebound or replicating virus. Experts caution that further monitoring is needed as previous attempts using stem cells without the mutation have failed to eliminate HIV. While this breakthrough is promising, stem cell transplants are risky and not a feasible solution for most people living with HIV worldwide. Research continues to find clues that may lead to a more widely applicable functional cure, as we all know. I'm curious to know, not clear yet, how these stem cells without the CCR5 mutation were able to virally suppress this individual and I guess temporarily suppress some other examples in the past. It's curious to me, how does the stem cell itself able to do that? I don't know, maybe some more information will come out in the coming days and weeks as this continues to play out. As I just mentioned, this is not a viable option for most of the public. It's extremely invasive and extremely high risk and there have been deaths associated with the attempt of these transplants. We're talking about a functional cure, so even if this person is cured, it's a functional cure, meaning that there is still HIV in the body that won't ever leave the body from the stem cell transplant alone. Okay, in Medical Express, revealing HIV drug resistance mechanisms through protein structures. Researchers at the Salk Institute and the National Institutes of Health have uncovered how HIV becomes resistant to the antiretroviral drug dolutegravir, also known as Tivike, which is commonly used to treat the virus. The study, published in Science Advances, identified changes to the 3D structures of the HIV protein into grays that led to resistance. However, the researchers also found that an experimental drug called 4D was effective in blocking the function of dolutegravir-resistant integrase proteins. This suggests that 4D or similar compounds could be used to treat patients who develop resistance to dolutegravir. The findings provide important insights into combating drug resistance and offer potential avenues for the development of new therapeutics. Devato is the HIV medication that includes both dolutegravir and lamivudine. If we know how HIV is able to develop resistance, it can aid us in developing other more resilient treatments, such as using this drug 4D to help people who develop a resistance to dolutegravir. So that's great news, and I'm sure this can provide insights to applications with other drugs and other things like that. In cosmos, HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men more than halved in last decade. Australia is making significant progress in eliminating HIV in the community, with new diagnoses among gay and bisexual men decreasing by 57% in the past decade, according to the UNSW Kirby Institute. Overall, new HIV diagnoses have dropped by 43% in Australia, largely due to declines among men since 2019. The shift is attributed to HIV testing and the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis prep treatments. However, experts warn against complacency and stress the importance of continued vigilance among authorities and individuals to sustain momentum towards eradication. While the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in reducing exposure risk, ongoing education and normalized discussions about sexual health are essential to maintain progress. Monika Gandhi's new book combines lessons from HIV and COVID to better prepare for the next pandemic. In her new book, Endemic, a post-pandemic playbook, infectious disease expert Monika Gandhi presents a 10-point plan to prepare for future pandemics based on her decades of experience in infectious diseases, particularly HIV. The book discusses the concept of endemic pathogens that become a part of daily life and explores the similarities and differences between COVID-19 and previous pandemics. Gandhi emphasizes the importance of public health as a service industry that addresses holistic needs rather than using coercive measures. One of her principles is resources before restrictions, advocating for providing resources to those in need rather than implementing broad restrictions. Despite her left-leaning background, Gandhi's views on mask mandates and school closures align more with conservative perspectives, leading to unease as the response seemed to favor the elite rather than the working class. She brings up the point of school closures. Public schools remained closed while private schools opened up, negatively impacting communities who can't afford private education and directly benefiting the elite with the ability to go back to school, not only for continued education, but also for mental health of kids and also for the parents who otherwise would have had to figure out some way of taking care of their children. We actually just filmed our interview and we lightly touched on her book as well and went over some of these issues, and that will be coming out in the next two days from the time that this premieres, so look out for that. In Mountain State Spotlight, Mountain State Spotlight explains how needle exchanges work in West Virginia. Needle exchange programs, also known as syringe service programs, have been in existence since the 1980s to protect people who inject drugs from diseases like HIV. They provide clean needles and offer various health services to prevent overdoses, protect against blood-borne diseases, and connect drug users with medical providers. Research has shown that these programs are effective in keeping drug users safe and healthy, reducing the spread of diseases, and helping individuals enter substance use disorder treatment. However, some politicians in West Virginia have questioned their effectiveness and have passed restrictive laws that limit the operation of needle exchange programs. Despite evidence showing their benefits, these programs face challenges in the state leading to increased HIV cases in certain areas where exchanges have been suspended. I mean, this is just another example in the US of the politicization of fighting the HIV epidemic in which politicians pass laws that directly impact our ability to combat the epidemic, and laws that are not based on science or proven data that shows that things like needle exchanges work and they help, and that undoing that effort also hurts our ability to fight the HIV epidemic. It's senseless to me, I don't understand it. Politics home, advancements in the fight against HIV, ending new transmissions in the UK. The United Kingdom has made significant progress in managing HIV, turning it into a manageable chronic condition through testing, treatment, and public awareness efforts. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has enabled those with HIV to lead healthier lives, and early diagnosis and treatment have reduced onward transmissions. The undetectable equals untransmissible message has helped combat stigma and promote open discussions about HIV. Innovative testing strategies and campaigns have increased testing rates. Prevention efforts, including education, condom distribution, and access to PrEP have played a crucial role in reducing new infections. To end new HIV transmissions, addressing health inequalities and focusing on marginalized populations is essential. Sustained investment in prevention, expanded access to PrEP, and combating stigma are vital for creating an inclusive environment for HIV prevention and care. The Body Pro How advocates and the Body Pro inspired IIS to remove the term HIV infected from its abstracts. IIS is the International AIDS Society. The 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science has made a major victory for advocates of people first language by not using the term HIV infected. To refer to people living with HIV in any of its accepted abstracts. This change aims to honor the personhood of individuals with HIV and eliminate stigma associated with the term infected. The IIS employed various tools to encourage speakers and panelists to use non-stigmatizing language, including providing guidelines and flagging offensive words and submitted abstracts. The use of people first language, such as people living with HIV, instead of acronyms like PLW-HIV, is promoted. While this achievement required efforts from tireless advocates, it shows the power of addressing concerns and promoting change. This move emphasizes the importance of using language that respects and uplifts the lives of people living with HIV. As part of the HOPE cab and the wider 10 Martin Delaney collaboratories, we've been working for the past year to finalize a preferred HIV language document. When I get that completed version, I will do an interview with one of the MDC cab members to review and go into depth explaining the preferred terminology that we came up with and why we felt it was best. BeInTheKnow.org. Peer support helps young women in Uganda stay on PrEP. A pilot study in Kampala, Uganda involving 30 young women ages 18 to 24 who were struggling with adhering to PrEP pre-exposure prophylaxis found that peer support significantly improved adherence. These young women were at high risk of HIV, with more than half of them involved in sex work. Peers, their own age, provided in-person and phone support, including self-testing for HIV, monthly PrEP refills, counseling, and reminders to take medication. At the end of six months, 57% of participants had detectable PrEP in their urine, and all the young women who sold sex had detectable PrEP. The participants valued the private and non-judgmental support for peers, which was more accessible and convenient than clinical experiences. Providing peer support could be an effective way to help young women stay on PrEP and regularly test for HIV, especially for those at high risk or facing stigmatizing experiences in clinics. Addressing supply chain issues for PrEP and self-testing kits is also crucial for improving HIV services. SageJournals. Multi-level factors impacting PrEP engagement among young gay men and young transgender women in Thailand. A qualitative analysis. In Thailand, the HIV epidemic continues to pose a significant public health challenge, particularly among young gay and transgender individuals. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, has been recognized as a vital tool to preventing new HIV infections, yet its implementation among adolescents faces numerous barriers. Adolescents often face material challenges such as cost and privacy concerns, while lacking comprehensive knowledge about PrEP's effectiveness. Relational factors, including stigma and misunderstanding of risk, hinder engagement with health care, leading to suboptimal PrEP uptake. They propose the integration of youth-friendly clinics as a promising strategy to address these barriers. These clinics, along with peer education and support, create an inviting environment for young people, encouraging them to seek care and adhere to PrEP. Unfortunately, recent government policies have restricted access to PrEP. Overall, the study emphasizes the need for a practice-based approach to PrEP implementation, involving sexually and gender-diverse youth at every level to achieve the goal of reducing HIV infections in Thailand. FredHutch.org, rethinking the when and where of HIV PrEP service delivery. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, is a powerful tool for preventing HIV, but its availability remains limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Katrina Ortblad and her team conducted two studies in Kenya to test innovative models of PrEP service delivery. The first study focused on using private pharmacies as access points for PrEP, showing that this approach was well received and even more successful among older men. The second study examined the possibility of reducing clinic visits by providing six-month supplies of PrEP supported by self-testing kits and the results were encouraging, with increased adherence among certain groups of women. Dr. Ortblad's team is now launching a larger trial to further explore these models and improve PrEP accessibility in Kenya and similar regions. AfroCab, open letter, community statement on accelerating access to Lenicapovir by Gilead. Their site says we are sharing a statement from a community and civil society leaders, advocates and activists meeting on long-acting drugs for the prevention and treatment of HIV, which took place in Nairobi in April 2023. In this statement, the community demands rapid action from Gilead to make Lenicapovir accessible in low and middle-income countries without further delay. Going on to say that Lenicapovir has the potential to revolutionize HIV prevention and treatment, offering a more convenient and acceptable option. It comes in the form of a six-month injection, which could replace the need for daily pills for both pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, and HIV treatment. This is particularly crucial in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where stigma and adherence challenges limit the effectiveness of current methods. However, we must learn from past experiences with other long-acting medications to ensure timely access to Lenicapovir in low and middle-income countries. Gilead donors and governments must act swiftly, committing to affordable access and transparent plans. Donors should invest in market-shaping initiatives to prevent delays. Communities demand immediate action to make this life-saving drug accessible to all who need it. And Lenicapovir is also known as Sunlenka, which I believe is available in the States. I'm not sure if it's been FDA-approved yet or not, but I'm happy to do a video on Sunlenka and tell you more about this six-month injection as an HIV ARV. If you're interested, let me know in the comments below. This article examines the risk of sexual transmission of HIV in individuals with low-level HIV-viramia, a systemic review. This article examines the risk of sexual transmission of HIV in individuals with low-level HIV-viramia, receiving antiretroviral therapy. The study reviewed eight research papers with over 7,700 serodiscordant couples, which is where one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative, across 25 countries. The findings suggest that there is almost zero risk of HIV transmission when the viral load is less than 1,000 copies per milliliter. This research is essential for promoting positive public health messages such as undetectable equals untransmittable, which encourages adherence to ART and reduces HIV stigma. The results also support the use of alternative viral load testing methods in resource-limited settings to expand access to testing and better manage HIV transmission risks. Those are all the articles for this week. You can find the links to all the articles in the description box below this video. You'll also find links to my socials where you can follow along on other parts of my life, especially on Instagram, engage in discussion with me on Twitter and threads, and of course you can find me on Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Last week I published a video announcing and giving you all access to my Telegram group for our HIV community. I'll put up a card here so you can watch that for more information and get the link there. Very excited to continue opening that up for our community of people living with HIV. When I published this video, we had about 180 members of people living with HIV and now we are getting close to 900 members in under a week. And I'm seeing lots of wonderful discussions and support. So very, very excited to see where that is headed and how it's growing. Another big shout out to subscriber Tan Anderson for an amazing $28.98 super chat donation during the last premiere of my Telegram group video. So thank you so much to you, Tan Anderson. Again, for that donation, it very much helps. I'm curious to know on that topic how many of you would be interested in other ways to donate to my channel and the work that I do here if given the opportunity, maybe in the form of a Patreon or something like that. Let me know in the comments below if you would be interested in being able to donate through something like that. At the time that you're watching this video, the International AIDS Conference held by the International AIDS Society is being held in Brisbane, Australia. I'm sure there will be some fascinating presentations and research shared and I'll be sure to cover as much of that as I can in this next week's HIV news video. 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