PAETC | Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center

Home HIV Test Should Be Approved, FDA Rules

mkipper — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:12:37 +0000

An expert panel voted Tuesday to recommend that the Food and Drug Administration approve the first over-the-counter HIV test saying that the overwhelming benefit of identifying new infections and averting transmission far outweighs risks of missing some people who are infected or of unanswered questions about who might use the test and how they would act upon learning the results.
The committee made its recommendation by voting separately, 17 to 0 each time, to say that the benefits of the OraQuick In-Home HIV test, manufactured by OraSure Technologies, outweigh potential risks and that available data provide reasonable assurance that the test is safe and effective for its intended use. There were no abstentions. Read more..

New York State Plan for Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV

mkipper — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:52:45 +0000

The AIDS Institute convened a New York State Advisory Panel for the Prevention of Perinatal HIV Transimission. As a result, the “New York Strategic Plan for Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV”was created.

Additionally, there is a User Guide to accompany the Plan which provides background information, rationale, and action steps for strategies under the Plan’s goals.

CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) Annual Report

mkipper — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:15:29 +0000

Accelerating Progress, Investing for ImpactThis annual report provides an overview of some of the CDC’s HIV prevention activities during late 2010 to the end of 2011.

2013 Reauthorization Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Solicitation of Comments (Document ID HRSA-2012-0003-0001)

mkipper — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:32 +0000

Health and Human Services is soliciting comments on Parts A through F of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to inform the 2013 reauthorization of the Program. Comments are due on July 31, 2012. As part of this process, HRSA will also convene at least four webinar or teleconference listening sessions over the next few months, each focused on a different geographic region.
Details about the listening sessions will be posted online once they are available

Supporting the Integration of HIV Testing Into Primary Care Settings

mkipper — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:25:25 +0000

Supporting the Integration of HIV Testing Into Primary Care Settings

Summary of Changes in Federal Recommendations for HIV Treatment

mkipper — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:24:37 +0000

“Revised U.S. Guidelines: HIV Treatment is Recommended for All People Living with HIV”.

LGBT Resources

mkipper — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 20:34:25 +0000

“Better Health and Well-Being: Making Improvements for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender (LGBT) Americans”This message from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius focuses on President Obama’s efforts toward making improvements among LGBT’s in America.

Interactive Quiz: How the Affordable Care Act Benefits Gay and Transgender Individuals: Get Educated About the Reforms Helping These Communities.

SAMHSA Releases “Top Health Issues for LGBT Populations Information & Resource Kit.” This FREE kit focuses on the health issues of LGBT individuals to improve access to care and the quality of behavioral health services. This kit, which contains seven fact sheets as well as PowerPoint slides that can be used individually or together, informs healthcare providers and prevention specialists about the health experiences of LGBT populations.

Health Care Rights and Transgender PeopleThis guide from the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) describes the rights and protections transgender people have in healthcare, and the process for reporting instances of discrimination.

Updated HIV Surveillance by Race/Ethnicity Slide Set from CDC

mkipper — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:12:04 +0000

HIV Surveillance by race and Ethnicity This slide set provides statistical information on diagnoses of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States and dependent areas, broken down by race/ethnicity.

Updated HHS Adult and Adolescent Antiretroviral Treatment Guidelines Now Available

mkipper — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:00:35 +0000

Updated Guidelines
Included in the additions are: new section on HIV and the older patient; new table on cost of antiretroviral drugs; updated recommendations on initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in treatment-naive individuals; expanded discussion of use of hormonal contraceptives in HIV-infected women; preliminary recommendations on coadministration of the newly approved hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitors (PIs) boceprevir and telaprevir; recommendations on “when to start” ART in HIV-infected individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis but not receiving ART; discussion of the role of effective ART in preventing HIV transmission.

LGBT Data in Health IT

mkipper — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:21:22 +0000

This fact sheet “Gathering Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Health IT” addresses significant disparities in health status and services that the LGBT communitiy faces and how useful the collection of data on gender identity and sexual orientation can improve these inequalities.