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World AIDS DAY 1 December 2009
By respecting and protecting ourselves and others we can help stop the spread of HIV
1. Find out the facts about HIV and talk with your friends, family, colleagues and customers about HIV.
2. Get checked for STIs including an HIV test, even if you think you haven't put yourself at huge risk.
3. Talk to all new sexual partners about using condoms and safer sex.
4. If someone tells you that they are HIV positive, treat them with respect and don't tell others without their agreement. Think about how you would like to be treated.
5. Wear a red ribbon as a symbol of your support for everyone affected by HIV, and to raise awareness. Put a red ribbon on you Facebook etc profile.
Adapted from WAD publicity.
Have you worn a red ribbon this year? How long is it since you last had HIV training? We can help with a wide range of HIV courses.
Meeting the non-medical needs of people with HIV in England
3 June 2009
A group of HIV organisations has produced a framework for the provision of social care, support and information provided to people with HIV in England.
It outlines work needed to support people with HIV in three core areas: individual needs; service needs; and societal needs. Goals in 17 broad areas are outlined, the achievement of which would mean that services are in place to meet the social care, support and information needs of people with HIV in the UK that are equal to the high quality clinical care already available in England.
The report is available on the drugsandstuff website or directly from Sigma Research.
50% off price training-the-trainers course
2 June 2009
In an ideal world, local workers and service users should be involved in providing briefings and training to local tier 1 and 2 services. They know the services, and they know many of the needs of local service users.
But there's often not the capacity in local areas for drug and alcohol professionals and service users to provide training. They usually know their stuff regarding drugs and working one-to-one, but often haven't got the confidence to stand up in front of a group and train or facilitate people. Sounds familiar? Speaking in front of groups (or public speaking) is routinely cited as one of people's worst fears, with some surveys ranking it above death and divorce.
One of the courses drugsandstuff.co.uk provides intends to build the ability of the local drug and alcohol field to respond to training requests.
For more information please visit www.drugsandstuff.co.uk/training/outlines/ttt_outline.htm
Free 'So you've been asked to provide some training?' download
2 June 2009
Drugsandstuff.co.uk are offering free of charge, an article put together by John Mosley, 'So you've been asked to provide some training?' This includes 20 invaluable tips to help improve training.
For your free six-page article, please go to www.drugsandstuff.co.uk/ttt.htm.
Catch it Bin it Kill it
30 April 2009
A mass public health campaign has begun with TV, print and radio adverts warning
people about swine flu with the simple message:
CATCH IT.
BIN IT.
KILL IT.
In full...
The old adage 'coughs and sneezes spread diseases' still holds firm today. Research has revealed that even in this modern age many people don't understand what a huge difference good hand and respiratory hygiene makes. Using and disposing of tissues correctly and washing hands can help prevent the spread of the common cold and the more serious flu virus.
The Department of Health's 'Catch it, Bin it, Kill it' campaign aims to help reduce the spread of germs leading to colds, flu and other illnesses by raising awareness.
The messages are simple:
- Catch it - germs spread easily. Always carry tissues and use them to catch your cough or sneeze
- Bin it - germs can live for several hours on tissues. Dispose of your tissue as soon as possible.
- Kill it - hands can transfer germs to every surface you touch. Clean your hands as soon as you can.
The national campaign offers advice and support for anyone wanting more information. You can download posters to put up around the home or office, watch a film showing just how easily germs can spread and what to do to prevent this - Catch it, Bin it, Kill it film or download a Dirtie Bertie story - for children under 11.
For more information please visit www.dh.gov.uk/catchit
and also http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/News/Media/DH_098663
Help influence government policy
DrugScope is urging people to lobby their local MP to support a parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) recognising the value of drug treatment and calling for continuing investment. EDMs allow MPs to express their support for a particular cause.
This one states that 'an effective treatment system must provide a range of evidence-based services, as different approaches will suit different people at different points of their journey out of drug dependency'.
A template letter/email is available on DrugScope's website
The full text of EDM 1071 reads: "That this House welcomes the progress made to improve the availability and quality of drug treatment and the contribution made by drug-service providers to the health and well-being of the nation; recognises that drug treatment is cost-effective and brings significant benefits to individuals, families, neighbourhoods and communities; believes that an effective treatment system must provide a range of evidence-based services, as different approaches will suit different people at different points in their journey out of drug dependency; and urges hon. Members to commit to continued public investment in drug treatment, informed by the best available research." Original signatories (co-sponsors) to the EDM included Peter Lilley MP (Con), Kevin Barron MP (Lab), Paul Mann MP (Lab), Lynne Jones MP (Lab), Sandra Gidley MP (Lib Dem) Paul Rowen MP (Lib Dem).
Access to free NHS treatment and care
The UK Court of Appeal has just ruled that refused asylum seekers are not entitled to free NHS treatment and care because they are not ordinary UK residents.
This ruling overturns a ruling made in a lower court a year ago.
However, refused asylum seekers who are currently receiving HIV care can continue to do so for free. NHS rules mean that if you start receiving care for free, then it should remain free for the duration of your treatment.
If you think this ruling affects you, it's important to obtain reliable information. A good place to start is THT Direct 0845 12 21 200.
World TB Day 24 March 2009
Cases of Tuberculosis (TB) in the United Kingdom have increased by 2% from 8,496 cases reported in 2007 to 8,679 in 2008 according to new provisional figures released today by the Health Protection Agency to mark World TB Day.
TB is an infection caused by a bacteria that usually spreads in the air when a person with a TB infection in the lung coughs or sneezes. It usually affects the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body too. The TB infection develops slowly in the body, and usually takes several months for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever and night sweats, persistent cough, losing weight, blood in your sputum (phlegm or spit) at any time.
London continues to have the most cases with 3,415 new diagnoses reported in 2008 which is 39% of the total for the UK and an increase of 2% on 2007. The West Midlands region reported the second highest number of cases with 1,027 for 2008; an increase of 9% from 2007 when 941 provisional cases were reported.
Source: Health Protection Agency Press Release
Injecting drug use is the major route of TB transmission in most of the world. drugsandstuff provide infection control training.
Link to article: http://www.hpa.org.uk/
Wednesday March 11 is No Smoking Day
It's a fact that as well as being extremely damaging to your health, smoking is also extremely damaging to your wealth! Now that the UK is smoke-free at work and in enclosed public spaces, why not quit? See our tobacco page or visit the official site.
World AIDS Day
This year's theme for World AIDS Day, 1 December 2008, is RESPECT & PROTECT. Two straplines accompany the theme: Together we can stop the spread of HIV and Together we can end HIV prejudice. The theme is inclusive and highlights the responsibility everyone has to transform attitudes to HIV and encourage actions that stop its spread. The World AIDS Day 2008 website is www.worldAIDSday.org
If you'd like help arranging HIV training or briefings linked to World AIDS Day, please get in touch.
HIV rates among drug users rising
24 Sept 2008
The rate of HIV infection among injecting drug users appears to be rising, researchers say. The report, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, says 3m self-injecting drug users worldwide could now be HIV-positive. In nine countries, more than 40% of drug users were infected. Ailsa Spindler, of the charity Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland, said health among IDUs was "relatively good" in the UK, but the number of new HIV diagnoses among the group had increased gradually over the past five years.
Source: BBC News
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7632804.stm
Breast milk purged of HIV virus
22 Sept 2008
A simple nipple shield that prevents HIV transmission from a breast-feeding mother to her child has been devised by a Cambridge University engineer.
Source: BBC News
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/7629253.stm
Selenium pills 'may combat HIV'
5 May 2007
Taking daily selenium supplements may block the build up of HIV in a patient's blood, researchers at the University of Miami suggest.
Advances in antiretroviral therapy (HART) have given people with HIV a longer life expectancy. However, strict adherence to the therapy is required to keep HIV viral counts low, and there is a risk of side effects.
Therefore, scientists have been searching for alternative treatments to keep HIV under control.
In the trial, those with higher selenium levels in their blood were more likely to have a lower HIV viral load, and higher numbers of CD4 cells, which play a key role in fighting off infection.
The National Aids Trust, in a comment to the BBC said that "Selenium may have a supportive role alongside antiretroviral therapy but it cannot be a treatment in itself"
Source: BBC News
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6623631.stm
Early success with new HIV drug
13 April 2007
Early clinical trial results suggest drugs acting on a new HIV target are effective, say scientists.
Integrase-inhibitors work in a similar way to existing HIV drugs, by blocking an enzyme essential for HIV to be able to replicate itself.
Scientists are hopeful the new family of drugs will get round the problem of treatment-resistant HIV strains. Patients who tested one of these drugs, called raltegravir, showed marked improvement, The Lancet reports.
The study authors, led by Dr Bach-Yen Nguyen or Merck Research Laboratories in Pennsylvania, the US, said: "This drug has the potential to become an important component of combination treatment regimens...for patients failing current therapies with multidrug-resistant virus and limited treatment options."
Resistance to HIV medication is becoming increasingly common - more than one in 10 UK patients with HIV has some level of resistance to at least one drug before they have even begun therapy, a recent study found.
Source: BBC News
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6548303.stm
Drug 'stops HIV's entry to cells'
28 February 2007
A new HIV drug shows promising results in people for whom other treatments no longer work, a study suggests.
Pfizer's Maraviroc - which blocks HIV's entry to immune system cells - is one of a number of drugs being developed for this group of patients.
A study found twice as many people on the drug had undetectable virus levels compared to people on standard drugs.
The story continues in the original article...
Source: BBC News
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6404477.stm
HIV the number one killer, but tobacco the number one cause of death
HIV will be the number one cause of sickness and disability in the world by 2030, the World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
However, because tobacco is a cause of disease rather than a disease itself, cigarettes are not on the list, but they will cause eight million deaths a year by 2030, while AIDS will kill 6.3 million. All the top 10 slots are filled by diseases at least partly caused by smoking (lung cancer, emphysema, pneumonia), poor diet (diabetes, stomach cancer, colon cancer) or both (heart disease and strokes).
The story continues in the original article...
Source: UK and Ireland Gay.com 1 February 2007
Link to article: http://uk.gay.com/article/5294
'Molecular condom' to combat HIV
31 December 2006
A "molecular condom" to protect women against HIV is being developed by US scientists.
The liquid formulated by a University of Utah team turns into a gel-like coating when inserted into the vagina.
Then, when exposed to semen, it returns to liquid form and releases an anti-viral drug to attack HIV.
However, the technology, featured in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is still around five years away from being tested in humans.
Microbicides - drug-delivery systems such as this liquid, gels, rings, sponges or creams to prevent infection by HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases - are seen as a way for women to gain power by protecting themselves from HIV, particularly in impoverished nations where HIV is widespread, where rape is rampant, or, where conventional condoms are taboo, not reliably available or where men resist using them.
The story continues in the original article...
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6216197.stm
HIV drug can stop cervical cancer
24 August 2006
A commonly used HIV drug could be used to prevent cervical cancer, UK researchers believe.
Early lab tests show the antiviral drug lopinavir attacks the virus that causes cervical cancer - HPV - as well as HIV.
The University of Manchester team envisage that the oral drug could be made into a simple cream or pessary to apply to the cervix.
This would mean thousands of women could avoid surgery to remove early cancers, they told Antiviral Therapy.
Cervical cancer vaccines are already being developed, but these will only be effective in people who have not already caught the HPV virus.
Women who already have the virus currently have to have regular checks for cancer. If there are very early warning signs of a possible tumour, doctors advise a 'watch and wait' policy because many of these abnormalities disappear on their own.
However, some progress to become cancerous and have to be cut out.
Each year in the UK alone about 50,000 women have early cervical cancers removed, say the researchers.
In the laboratory study, small doses of the liquid protease inhibitor selectively killed HPV-infected cervical cancer cells.
Dr Ian Hampson and his team are hopeful that the HIV drug will do the same in real life and plan to carry out clinical trials in women soon.
The test treatment will be a cream or a pessary because the doses that reach the cervix after passing through the body when lopinavir is taken orally would not be strong enough.
The story continues in the original article...
Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5282206.stm
Woman jailed for giving boyfriend HIV
20 June, 2006
An HIV-positive woman who infected her boyfriend has been jailed for 32 months. The 43-year old kept her condition secret while having regular unprotected sex with a 31-year-old man with whom she had a two-year relationship. He attempted suicide after being diagnosed as HIV-positive.
Inner London crown court heard that the HIV-positive woman was in denial about having the condition.
After the hearing, police said the women had refused to cooperate in tracking down her former sexual partners. Detective Sergeant Brian McClusky said: "We located four. One was infected, and the quality of his life has been severely curtailed. For the others, there was still heartbreak and stress for them and their partners as they waited for test results."
The story continues in the original article...
Link to article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,,1801584,00.html