HIV & Aging News
Controlling HIV - A Conversation with Loreen Willenberg and Stephen A. Migueles, MD.
January 2024 - Seattle
Loreen may be the first person to be considered cured of the virus without a risky bone-marrow transplant or even medications.
We have discovered only two people like this so far—and Loreen is one of them! HIV apparently was sequestered in her body in such a way that it could not reproduce, scientists have reported.
The finding suggested that Loreen (and the other woman, known as the Esperanza Patient) may have achieved viral control without any therapy. Except for one test years ago that indicated a small amount of virus, researchers were never able to identify HIV in Loreen’s body.
You can hear her speak about her experiences and her journey here: https://youtu.be/4cq1lMKHUXg?si=F4ToL-dilBczEdnl
"The Last Gift" End of life Research Model for HIV Cure Research
January 16, 2024 - Seattle
A webinar to discuss the Last Gift study with the researchers and long-term survivors of HIV who helped create it. With Jeff Taylor, Sara Gianella Webel, Karine Dubé, Robert Deiss, P. Katie Riggs, and Cheryl Dullano.
Most HIV research today is conducted with blood samples.
But to cure HIV, we need a better understanding of how the virus hides in all the tissues of the body.
We also need to know if the virus circulating in the blood is the same as (or different from) the virus in the heart, lymph nodes, liver, genital tract, or any other tissues throughout the body.
The Last Gift is an end-of-life HIV research study being performed at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), with the goal of understanding the behavior of HIV throughout the human body.
Altruistic people living with HIV who are at the end of life are eligible to participate in the Last Gift study.
The unique samples they give through participating in the study are invaluable in providing an insight to where the virus hides—so we can find ways to combat it, and hopefully find a cure one day.
Watch video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hQpf6eth50
Fostering cognitive and mental health in people aging and living with HIV while prioritizing the community and lived experience perspectives
From IAS Symposium - July 2023
The symposium will include an overview of cognitive and mental health issues in people aging and living with HIV structured in 5 parts: 1. Overview of NeuroHIV health, current and future treatments. 2. Overview of mental health, interventions and treatments. 3. Cognitive health Interventions for people aging and living with HIV. 4. Perspectives from lower to middle-income countries on cognitive aging in people ageing and living with HIV. 5. Panel including community representatives and people with lived experience with selected questions and then QA from the audience. The cost of this symposium has been funded by the Queensland Positive People, Prof. Sean Rourke from the University of Toronto, A/Prof. Lucette Cysique from the University of New South Wales, Professor Amy Mullens from the University of Southern Queensland, Gilead, and ViiV. The symposium was also possible through the in-kind support of the National Association of People With HIV Australia (NAPWHA), Prof. Bruce Brew and the Peter Duncan Neuroscience Unit at St. Vincent's Applied Medical Research Centre, Positive Life NSW, NATAP, The HIV+ Aging Research Project | Palm Springs and St. Michael's Hospital Toronto MAP centre.
What’s Lost When an AIDS Walk Becomes a Health Equity Walk?
October 24, 2023 • By Trent Straube for POZ
And what’s gained when a long-running Palm Springs AIDS walk fundraiser changes its name to reflect expanded health services?
What’s in a name? For the newly rechristened DAP Health Equity Walk, the better question is, What’s not in a name? For starters, there’s DAP Health itself. Launched in 1984 as Desert AIDS Project, the nonprofit became DAP Health in 2021. Then there’s the AIDS walk. For 30 years, the annual HIV fundraiser in Palm Springs, California, was known as the Desert AIDS Walk. But this year, the event, scheduled for Saturday, October 28, has been rebranded with a name that, absent “HIV” or “AIDS,” leaves some folks living with HIV—the very community the event was founded to honor and serve—feeling erased.
Full article: https://www.poz.com/article/lost-palm-springs-hiv-aids-walk-becomes-health-equity-walk
Paul Edmonds, fifth person apparently cured of HIV, steps forward to share his story
by ABC NewsApril 13, 2023
ABC News
(NEW YORK) — One of only five people in the world to achieve full remission of HIV is stepping forward to share his story in an ABC broadcast exclusive.
Paul Edmond's journey into medical history began decades ago. He was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988 — a time when it was a potential death sentence. Thanks to his own perseverance and advances in treatment, he survived — even thrived — after his diagnosis.
Full article: https://1310kfka.com/abc-news/health/04/paul-edmonds-fifth-person-apparently-cured-of-hiv-steps-forward-to-share-his-story/
HIV Remission: What It Is and Isn't
A cure for HIV remains elusive, but one word that is commonly heard is “remission.” Even though it doesn’t mean eradication of the virus, remission is a good thing.
Eight takeaways from IAS 2023
IAS 2023, the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science, laid out new breaking research on the journey towards realizing a world where HIV is no longer a threat to public health and individual well-being.
https://www.iasociety.org/conferences/ias2023/takeaways-from-ias-2023
Patient achieves HIV and blood cancer remission three decades after HIV diagnosis through stem cell transplant at City of Hope
LOS ANGELES — City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, announced today that a 66-year-old man who was diagnosed with HIV in 1988 has been in remission of the virus for over 17 months after stopping antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the disease following a stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor for leukemia, according to research presented today at the AIDS 2022 press conference by Jana K. Dickter, M.D., City of Hope associate clinical professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases. He received the transplant nearly 3 1/2 years ago at City of Hope.
By Letisia Marquez
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
‘We should’ve been ahead of this:’ Palm Springs doctor concerned about area’s lack of monkeypox preparedness
A Palm Springs doctor at a local clinic for testing and treating sexually transmitted infections says the county may not be ready for monkeypox.
Monkeypox is a virus related to smallpox but much less infectious and with milder symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) says about 30% of smallpox patients die, and the rate is around 3% to 6% for monkeypox patients.
Kendall Balchan
Monday, June 27, 2022
THE THIRD ERA OF THE MARTIN DELANEY COLLABORATORIES
Research towards an HIV-1 cure expands
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) held its Joint Martin Delaney Collaboratories Towards an HIV-1 Cure meeting on December 14 – 15, 2021. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the newly funded Collaboratories to each other and to the public. In August 2021, the NIH expanded the Martin Delaney program by 75% to ten Collaboratories to advance the search towards an HIV cure.
By Karine Dubé, William E. Carter, Jeff Taylor, Lynda Dee, Jeff Berry, Michael Louella
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
https://www.positivelyaware.com/articles/third-era-martin-delaney-collaboratories
Living Through a Second Pandemic: The Sixth Annual Aging Positively —
Reunion Project Conference Creates Community for Long-Term HIV Survivors
In 1988, Jeff Taylor was given a death sentence. “I’m a 40 year survivor,” said Taylor, one of the organizers the sixth annual Aging Positively—Reunion Project conference. “I had HIV early on before anybody knew what it was and how to protect yourself. I lived through the really horrible early days, never knowing.
By Jimmy Boegle
Thursday, September 16, 2021
GOVERNOR NEWSOM SIGNS HIV & AGING ACT
SACRAMENTO — On Friday, August 23, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the signing of Senate Bill 258, the HIV & Aging Act, authored by Senator John Laird (D – Santa Cruz). Senate Bill 258 will ensure HIV+ seniors are included in the definition of “greatest social need”.
CONTACT: Joshua Stickney, Equality California
Monday, July 26, 2021
Are People Living With HIV Ready to Contribute to the Next Step in Cure Trials?
In Palm Springs, Jeff Taylor works to get more people living with HIV like himself engaged and educated about participating in cure trials.
By Tim Murphy / CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Moving Ahead Together: A Framework for Integrating HIV/AIDS & Aging Services
Moving Ahead Together offers recommendations for bringing health care (HIV, geriatrics, primary, and specialty care), mental and behavioral health care, psychosocial support, and social services closer and policies for improving the wellbeing of older people living with HIV.
By Grantmakers in Aging (GIA)
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
https://www.giaging.org/documents/201116_GIA-HIV_Moving_Ahead_Together_Full_Framework_FINAL.pdf
How should we care for older people with HIV?
As people living with HIV are living into old age, clinicians are developing new models of care. Dr Tom Levett and colleagues in Brighton, England, have recently described a combined HIV and geriatrics clinic – the Silver Clinic – that was designed to meet the needs of such patients by combining HIV care with geriatric care.
By Paul Clift / aidsmap
Thursday, November 19, 2020
https://www.aidsmap.com/news/nov-2020/how-should-we-care-older-people-hiv
Case study illustrates need for researcher-community partnerships throughout research process
Research paper demonstrates ethical perils and harms stemming from research practices exemplified in case study.
AUTHOR: IQBAL PITTALWALA
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
POZ at Home: HIV and Aging
A conversation with Sherri Lewis, Derrick Mapp and Jeff Taylor about the challenges of growing older while living with HIV.
Hosted by Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
Thursday, September 17, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrGY-RjQvbc&feature=emb_title
The San Francisco Principles 2020: Addressing the unmet needs of long-term HIV survivors in San Francisco
Five long-term survivors outline the challenges they face and demands for inclusion, resources, and treatment that addresses the specific needs related to aging with HIV.
By Hank Trout, MA / San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
An Update on COVID-19 For NIAID Community Advisory Boards
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvbVTn7edKk&feature=emb_title