Sexual Health Buzz

Experimental HIV Vaccine Prevents Infection in Nearly 1/3 of Subjects

Researchers optimistic, but questions remain

On Thursday, September 24, 2009, The Surgeon General of the U.S. Army released results from the Thai Phase III HIV vaccine study that demonstrated modest results in preventing HIV infection among participants in the clinical trial. The study found the vaccine regimen to be safe and 31 percent effective in preventing HIV infection.

The potential breakthrough comes after several failed vaccine trials; many scientists believed an HIV vaccine might not be possible. For the first time, however, the Thai Phase III study used the combination of two vaccines, Sanofi Pasteur’s ALVAC vaccine and the AIDSVAX B/E vaccine, developed by Vaxgen Inc. and licensed to the nonprofit Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases (GSID) in 2008. The research was sponsored jointly by the U.S. Army and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), along with Sanofi Pasteur and GSID.

The study, conducted in two Thai provinces, began in October 2003 and involved approximately 16,402 HIV-negative subjects ages 18-30 at various levels of risk for HIV infection. Trial participants were evenly divided into groups and received either the vaccine or placebo upon enrollment in the study and again after 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Participants were counseled on HIV risk reduction strategies and tested for the virus twice a year for three years. Among the 8,197 subjects who received the combination of vaccines, 51 contracted HIV during the study. This compares to 74 of the 8,198 participants in the placebo group who became infected with the virus. Those who became HIV-positive during the study have been offered treatment at no cost.

In a press release, Anthony S Fauci, M.D. and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, acknowledges these new findings as “an important step forward in HIV vaccine research,” but cautions that “additional research is needed to better understand how this vaccine regimen reduced the risk of HIV infection.”

The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that 7,000 people worldwide are newly infected with HIV everyday; 2 million people died of AIDS in 2007. There is much to consider regarding future HIV vaccine research. Yet, after more than two decades, the search for a safe, effective vaccine that protects against HIV infection has made an encouraging advance.

HIV AND AIDS Questions & Answers

More HIV Information

You can also talk about HIV here

These are the posts that you guys were most interested in last month.

Getting the H1N1 Vaccine?

I am having my doubts on the H1N1 vaccine. I don’t think our family will be participating in it this time. We are definitely going to get the regular flu shot.

You Are Beautiful Inside And Out

Positive and encouraging is what it’s all about. :]

The Bathroom And Herpes

This topic comes up A LOT.

I think the thing that people need to remember is that you are not going to contract herpes from a toilet seat. As far as sharing towels go – why would you share a towel with someone anyway?

In an encouraging development, an investigational vaccine regimen has been shown to be well-tolerated and to prevent HIV infection in a clinical trial involving more than 16,000 adult participants in Thailand.

Following a final analysis of the trial data, the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, the trial sponsor, announced today that the prime-boost investigational vaccine regimen was safe and 31 percent effective in preventing HIV infection.

“These new findings represent an important step forward in HIV vaccine research,” says Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the NIH, which provided major funding and other support for the study.

“For the first time, an investigational HIV vaccine has demonstrated some ability to prevent HIV infection among vaccinated individuals. Additional research is needed to better understand how this vaccine regimen reduced the risk of HIV infection, but certainly this is an encouraging advance for the HIV vaccine field.”

For more information – Talk about clinical trials and vaccine research – Talk about HIV – More HIV Information

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 25 percent of HIV-infected people in the United States are also infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

HCV infection is a major cause of liver damage and progresses more rapidly in HIV-infected people. Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are enrolling volunteers for a clinical trial to evaluate a new treatment that may suppress the HCV virus in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.

The clinical trial is being conducted at the NIH in Bethesda, MD.

For more information – HIV Information – Talk About HIV – HEP Information – Talk About HEP

NIAID News gave me permission to share this information with you. I want all of my readers to know what is going on with HIV. Thanks so much for reading my blog.

A new, large-scale clinical trial is examining whether antiretroviral medications normally used to treat HIV infection can also prevent HIV infection in women when applied as a vaginal gel or taken as oral tablets once daily.

The study, called Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) or MTN-003, will involve up to 5,000 HIV-uninfected women at risk for HIV infection in four African countries. The trial will test the safety and efficacy of two different HIV prevention strategies: an investigational microbicide gel containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir, and oral tablets containing tenofovir or a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine known by the brand name Truvada. The tablets would be taken prior to exposure in an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Testing a microbicide and PrEP in the same trial will enable scientists to directly compare the two strategies in terms of their safety and acceptability.

The premise behind PrEP is that taking an antiretroviral drug before exposure to HIV could potentially inhibit HIV replication immediately after exposure to the virus, thwarting permanent infection. This strategy is used globally to successfully prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to infant.

Notably, the VOICE study is the first efficacy study of an investigational microbicide in which participants apply the gel once daily rather than shortly before sexual intercourse.

For more information – HIV Information – Talk About HIV

NIAID News gave me permission to share this information with you. I want all of my readers to know what is going on with HIV. Thanks so much for reading my blog.

I sent this note to everybody in my address book so 1.) I can say hello and 2.) I can see who’s e-mail addresses still work. I’m also posting it on my blog so those that are following it can stop by and say hello. I’d love to hear from you and find out where you are reading this blog from. Is it helpful to you?

I know I haven’t been around much lately. I’ve been pretty busy getting the 17 year old off to college, the 5 year old off to kindergarten, and the 3 year old still stays home w/me. We are super busy these days between swimming lessons, bible study, awana, working out at the gym, and still trying to keep up w/everything — it’s any wonder I make it through all the e-mails OR all the projects that need tackling on a daily basis. But … that’s life. You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. You just take things one day at a time, one moment at a time, one hour at a time, and you do what you can when you can get it done. Right?

I have a confession to make. I have been playing that scrabble game on Facebook called Lexulous. It’s pretty fun. What’s neat about that game is you don’t have to sit and finish out the game. You can log on, make your move, and then go about your business. You can also have more than one game going so that you can make your move on several games and then go about your business. It’s just been nice to take a break from the usual and have some fun. Even if that fun is just for five minutes in between everything else going on.

Ok … so I have been behind on getting my site updates out and for that I do apologize. Two days ago I did manage to get a few things tackled. Here’s what I completed:

1.) People have had some really cool things to say about me and the site which is nice. It’s nice to get encouragement, ya know? So thank you for that! :-)

2.) Do me a favor and make sure I’ve got your social group listed, k? There are a few newbies on the page and some national events to check out. Let me know if you’d like me to add one of your social outings. I’m happy to do that for you.

3.) Would you believe the last time I posted something on the blog was September 1st? And before that August 28th? I promise I am not slipping. I was able to get a couple of new posts up tonight. I think you’ll be able to appreciate them.. at least I hope so.

The Bathroom And Herpes
You Are Beautiful Inside And Out
Personal herpes questions asked & answered

4.) Are you guys ready for the fall? I love this time of the year. The only thing I could really do w/out is the high pollen count. Oh yeah.. one more thing. Picking Up the Pieces will be celebrating it’s 11th birthday. I hope you will stop by and say hi. We are 11 years old on October 1st. That’s just around the corner.

Ok… I’ll be checking the rest of my e-mail tomorrow and will get the rest of the stuff added here and there soon. I’ll probably send out another update when I finish just like this one.

Happy Fall Y’all,

Angela ;-)

Twitter: @Yoshi2me
Herpes Help
Message Board

Feel free to share this note with friends that share in our common bond. [[hugs!]]

When we aren’t on Picking Up the Pieces you can find us here:
— We have a pretty cool VIP room going. So far 30+ people have shared their photos. It’s been wonderful being able to put a face with a name. What’s nice about this forum is the only way to get in is to share your photo. Once your photo is posted, you get added to the VIP room. If you decide to take your photos down at any time, we remove the photos upon request, and then we take you off the VIP list. Pretty Cool, eh? Let me know what you think! :]

WOW – I guess I had a lot to say. ;-)

Seeing many people out there suffering & staying positive, it inspired me to write my tragic story so that others who are the victim may get inspired too. I say tragic because the emotional pain I went through is much more painful than the virus.

I got married 6 yrs ago. I noticed blisters type in the private part during my pregnancy. Doc said it is herpes without any testing. I refused to believe and lived in denial for a year.

It got worse and at the same time my marriage breaking up due to so many silly reasons. Naive as I am, I initially thought that it was just a kind of irritation that women get especially during period. But when my loving hubby who promised me moon before the marriage stopped sleeping with me, I realized it is something serious and I got it tested but from wrong doctors again (gyn).

After several visits to doctors & testings, I could got it right. Like any other infected person, I got shocked, ashamed and even angry at myself. The worse part is that I dont know how I got it & when exactly. I started my medication & by taking care of myself, the outbreaks became lessor except for small irritation once in a while which do not worry me much. I’m basically a woman who dont get frighten easily by anything.

What I want to point out here is that my hubby started fighting with me for all wrong reasons and even stopped sleeping with me. To make it worse he throw accusation on my face every time we argue that he got it from me. But what I dont understand is that he is the first one who showed me the red spot on his penis.

I honestly dont know who contracted whom but I dont care even if I got it from him. I only want a cure if there is any and if there is no cure than remedies.

I would still love him even if I got from him but unfortunately he seems to stopped loving me. He has even started cheating on me. We have not sleep together for the past five years and he even refuse to talk to me. Now we are like a total strangers even at home. No one can imagine the emotional turmoil and mental harassment I gone through, in these past five years. The only beautiful thing that happened to me in these hard period of my life is my beautiful son. He brightens my life and keep me going. I feel suicidal at times not because of herpes virus because my hubby refuse to even touch me because of the disease (as though he is not having).

I am a christian and as a strong believer I ask God to make me strong and give me energy & also tolerance to bear it all.

His rudeness, his accusations, his unfaithfulness & my mental tension due to the virus is driving me crazy. But God is great! He gives me strength to bear and motivates me too.

Today my marriage on the verge of break up & I have even told my husband to leave me if he so scared of the disease because I know without making love, there will be hardly any compassion or care for each other. I also know he will cheat me again if we keep going like this which I cannot tolerate any more.

As for me, I want to live life as any normal person and not bogged down by getting guilty because of disease nor do I like any one reminding me. yeah! He let me feel guilty by not sleeping with me and making me feel dirty at my self. But in reality I feel it is not something you have to worry so much about.

I would rather say am happy because it is not AIDS/HIV or cancer. I am also happy because through this emotional & physical pain I have become closer to God and today I can proudly say that God is with me and he inspires me in everything I do. If its God’s will he will even heal me one day for good.

Lastly I would like to thank all of you out there for inspiring me with your stories.

God bless.

Love rose

These are the posts that you guys were most interested in last month.

Dear Seeking Asian Man – SeekingAsianMan wrote in with a subject line that stated the following: Trying to find an Asian or Native American male with H is hard.

Can you get HIV if you have Herpes? – That was the question sent to me a few days ago. Usually when people ask this question they are meaning to ask if the Herpes Virus can turn into HIV? The answer to that question is no, the Herpes Virus does not magically turn into the HIV virus.

Planned Parenthood forever challenging Pro-Life Laws – An Alaska school teacher and Planned Parenthood have filed suit seeking to block a ballot initiative that would mandate parental involvement with teens seeking abortions.

Your site gave me Courage – Your site gave me courage to tell the guy I was dating about my ’situation’. Despite it still haunting me (I’ve had it for less than a year), I like to think that I have mostly come to terms with it. I had feared telling him, had cried a lot over it, but he was accepting when I told him. So, in short, I would like to thank you. Thank you for your informative and real site. It has helped me a lot.

HT: Checkup Today: Govt Healthcare by Mike Rogers

Feel free to copy it and send it around to your other representatives. Or in this case repost it on your blog if you have one. If you are on Facebook you can repost it as a Facebook note and then tag all of your Facebook Friends.

Stephen Fraser, M.D.
July 23, 2009

Senator Bayh,

As a practicing physician I have major concerns with the healthcare bill before Congress. I actually have read the bill and am shocked by the brazenness of the government’s proposed involvement in the patient physician relationship. The very idea that the government will dictate and ration patient care is dangerous and certainly not helpful in designing a healthcare system that works for all. Every physician I work with agrees that we need to fix our healthcare system, but the proposed bills currently making their way through congress will be a disaster if passed.

I ask you respectfully and as a patriotic American to look at the following troubling lines that I have read in the bill. You cannot possibly believe that these proposals are in the best interests of the country and our fellow citizens.

Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all employers that self insure!!

Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill: THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!

Page 42 of HC Bill: The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC Benefits for you. You have no choice!

Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise.

Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to individuals finances and a National ID Health card will be issued!

Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to you, your banks accounts for elective funds transfer.

Page 65 Sec 164: is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions and community organizations: (ACORN).

Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the Exchange.

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services. Example – Translation: illegal aliens.

Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan.

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. AARP members – your Health care WILL be rationed.

Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill: Medicaid Eligible Individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.

Page 124 Lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt Monopoly.

Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors / American Medical Association – The Govt will tell YOU what you can make! (salary)

Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE!

Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k and above who does not provide public option pays 2-6% tax on all payroll.

Page 150 Lines 9-13: Business’s with payroll btw 251k and 401k who doesn’t provide public option pays 2-6% on all payroll.

Page 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn’t have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay)

Page 195 HC Bill: Officers and employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans finances / personal records.

Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax” Yes, it says that!

Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors, low income and poor are affected.

Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors, doesn’t matter what specialty you have, you’ll all be paid the same!

Page 253 Line 10-18: Govt sets value of Doctor’s time, profession, judgment, etc. Literally value of humans.

Page 265 Sec 1131: Govt mandates and controls productivity for private HC industries.

Page 268 Sec 1141: Federal Govt regulates rental and purchases of power driven wheelchairs.

Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever Govt deems preventable re-admissions.

Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission – Govt will penalize you.

Page 317 Lines 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Doctors what/how much they can own!

Page 317-318 Lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion – Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand.

Page 321 Lines 2-13: Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required. Can you say ACORN?!!

Page 335 Lines 16-25 Pg 336-339: Govt mandates establishment of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing.

Page 341 Lines 3-9: Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan.

Page 354 Sec 1177: Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people! Unbelievable!

Page 379 Sec 1191: Govt creates more bureaucracy – Tele-health Advisory Committee. Can you say HC by phone?

Page 425 Lines 4-12: Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life patients.

Page 425 Lines 17-19: Govt will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney. Mandatory!

Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3; Govt provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death. (assisted suicide)

Page 427 Lines 15-24: Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends.

Page 429 Lines 1-9: An “advanced care planning consultant” will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.

Page 429 Line 10-12: “advanced care consultation” may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOVT!

Page 449 Lines 13-25: The Govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life!

Page 469: Community Based Home Medical Services = Non profit organizations. Hello, ACORN Medical Services here!!?

Page 472 Lines 14-17: PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORIGINATION. One monthly payment to a community-based organization. Like ACORN?

Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover Marriage and Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt into your marriage.

Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, rationing those services.

Senator, I guarantee that I personally will do everything possible to inform patients and my fellow physicians about the dangers of the proposed bills you and your colleagues are debating.

Furthermore, If you vote for a bill that enforces socialized medicine on the country and destroys the doctor/patient relationship, I will do everything in my power to make sure you lose your job in the next election.

Respectfully,

Stephen E Fraser MD

Dr. John Batter from Canada spoke at our rally against Socialized Medicine

Attention House Blue Dog Democrats and Senate Gang of Six

Attention NE Senators and Congressman

HT: Domestic Divapalooza: Here’s a letter to Senator Bayh about the Healthcare Bill