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Over the three decades since HIV was identified, there have been many and varied efforts to educate people about the disease and to try to change the negative attitudes towards those living with it. However, as the science of ARV treatment continues to transform the lives of many, the prejudice and discrimination attached to HIV positive people persists. A world first: Timothy Ray Brown, better known as the Berlin Patient, the first person to be cured of Aids through a medical procedure.

Standards for psychological support for adults living with HIV

Psychological health and wellbeing are key components of health and quality of life for everyone. However, despite significant medical advances in HIV treatment, people living with HIV experience significantly higher rates of psychological difficulties than the general population. This has a major impact on quality of life, complicates clinical care, compromises physical health outcomes and heightens the risks of onward HIV transmission.

Statement of the EU and its Member States on World AIDS Day

The EU recognizes that in times of financial crisis it is crucial to make optimal allocation of available resources, including in relation to health promotion and prevention activities. Therefore, we are strongly committed to enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of ongoing programs and services as well as to strengthen national health systems and human resources necessary to deliver health, education and social services of vital importance to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

Demythologizing the high costs of pharmaceutical research

Industry executives, well supplied with facts and figures by the industry’s global press network, awe audiences with staggering figures for the cost of a single trial, like tribal chieftains and their scribes who recount the mythic costs of a great victory in a remote pass where no outside witnesses saw the battle. Companies tightly control access to verifiable facts about their risks and costs, allowing access only to supported economists at consulting firms and universities, who develop methods for showing how large costs and risks are; and then the public, politicians and journalists often take them at face value, accepting them as fact.

The Global Fund is alive and well, But Global Health Progress is in Peril

The rumors of The Global Fund’s demise are greatly exaggerated. At its last meeting, the Global Fund Board acted responsibly to transition to a new, more strategic approach to grant making that will begin in 2014.

Millions of people are now at risk of death in the coming years

The wonder of our world is that scientific knowledge is now so powerful that we can save millions of children, mothers, and fathers from killer diseases each year at little cost. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria has mobilized that knowledge over the past decade to save more than 7 million lives and to protect the health of hundreds of millions more. Yet now the Global Fund is under mortal threat because of budget cuts approved by President Obama and the Congress.

A gift from The Global Fund by December 1-st

Médecins Sans Frontières response to unprecedented decision to cancel funding round of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, taken at board meeting in Accra, Ghana, November 21-22, 2011.

Lithuania: Breaking The Silence

HIV/AIDS stigma does not allow effectively fight with this infection. The fear of discrimination often frightens the willingness of an individual to carry out a test regarding HIV and, in case it is detected, to go through treatment. Finally all citizens of Lithuania have the possibility to carry out HIV test free of charge. In 2011 by the beginning of May 1708 HIV cases were registered in Lithuania. 80% of individuals infected with HIV in Lithuania are between the years of 20 – 40.

HIV in Europe Conference

The HIV in Europe Initiative is happy to announce that the next HIV in Europe Conference will be: 19-20 March 2012, Copenhagen, Denmark. Scholarship applications are available for conference participants. Applications are welcome from those working with late presentation for HIV care, optimal testing and earlier care on different levels.

A Network of Low HIV Prevalence Countries in Central and South East Europe

Activists meet in Belgrade to advance the newly launched Network of Low HIV Prevalence Countries in Central and South East Europe (NeLP). Dangerous shortages of treatments and diagnostics are prime issue in the regions today. With fewer people living with HIV, fewer supporters and fewer medical staff, the capacity to respond to HIV in these countries is muted. With less overall societal impact, the perceived need to respond to the epidemicis less urgent.

Russia’s policy can lead to 5 million people becoming infected in the nearest future

International consortium of organizations working in drug policy, HIV and human rights: "Russia is under a threat of a new round of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Russia’s policy can lead to 5 million people becoming infected in the nearest future."

UNAIDS: "Play Against Life"

While the Executive Director of UNIADS Michel Sidibé is playing football with Russian officials, his colleagues in the Russian office leave no chances to survive for Russian prisoners with HIV/TB co-infection.

Only 34 days left to enter! - EU Journalist Award "Together against discrimination!"

Now in its eighth year, the EU Journalist Award "Together against discrimination!" is the only journalism competition for print and online journalists focused on discrimination and diversity issues in the EU. Through the Award, the European Commission recognises journalists who contribute to a better understanding of the value and benefits of diversity and the fight against discrimination in the EU.

An HIV vaccine is certainly exciting, but questions remain

A New York City-based infectious disease specialist said a new vaccine developed by Spanish scientists, which could turn HIV into minor infection status, is reason to be cautiously optimistic. The vaccine, developed by scientists at the Spanish Superior Scientific Research Council in Madrid, works by training the immune system to detect HIV and learn how to combat the virus.

MDG-6 Forum, Moscow

The International MDG-6 Forum, an initiative to mobilize all participants in a review of the situation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia regarding MDG6 (Millennium Development Goal: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases). The Forum will be held at Moscow (Russian Federation) at October 10 - 12, 2011. Latvia will be presented at this Forum by Society AGIHAS.

Report on the Hepatitis C (HCV) and its treatment situation in Latvia

The given report comes as the result of the project „Hepatitis C: Hesitation is Dangerous!”, accomplished in 2011 by the Society „Association HIV.LV”, with the financial support of the Foundation „Open Society Institute”.

HIV-activists detained again in Moscow

August 29, 2011. Moscow. Yet another demonstration of Russian HIV-activists protesting against the absence of vital medications and tests for HIV treatment took place beside the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development in Moscow August 29, 2011, 11.30 a.m.

Internet flashmob: "funeral bureau"

We need help in internet flashmob. We want Google and Yandex search systems to show the web site of a Russian Ministry of Health as an answer to the request of words “funeral bureau”. What we want to say is that the Ministry of Health with it’s badly working old health system is burying HIV positive people alive, and does not treat those all in need.

Eurohealth

Pharmaceutical policy and the effects of the economic crisis. Focus on the Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.

TB Europe Coalition members visited Latvia

TB incidence is meant to increase slightly in 2011, due to harsh economic conditions in Latvia. Although TB care is entirely free, rising unemployment and declining living conditions explain the upcoming raise. The economic crisis impacted the level of diagnosis and treatment. Due to harsher economic conditions, Latvia has become eligible to apply for Global Fund’s grant in 2012 as well as STOP TB Partnership’s grants.