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March 07, 2007 ~ I'm totally brain fried

Hello again ~

It’s been a while since my last post. Last week I was at the 2007 14^th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Los Angeles, CA.

This conference is a science-focused meeting of the world's leading researchers who work to understand, prevent, and treat HIV/AIDS and its complications. In short, CROI is the place where people report on anything big happening in the HIV/AIDS science world. CROI is a huge mental workout because it is geared for scientists, not the average person like you or me. Thus, nothing is easy to understand. They speak in science like, “The influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the fractalkine (CX3CL1) gene, the natural ligand of the CX3CR1 HIV-1 coreceptor, and of the CCR2 chemokine receptor and CCL2 on the natural history of HIV-1 infection are not known of inconsistent, respectively.” Now don’t get me wrong, I was a science geek in school, but imagine having to take 7 hours of science for four days straight. It was a brain fry to say the least.

Keeping on top of the science, the following are some links to some of what was reported from the conference (compiled by Jules Levin of NATAP):

CD4 Counts Predict Non-AIDS Disease Risk in FIRST Trial - written by Mark Mascolini (02/26/07)

Therapies for Improved Lipids, Belly Fat, and Limb Fat (02/26/07)

Also….. check out my interview with Steve Felstead, Pfizer VP, about Maraviroc the first-in-class CCR5 inhibitor. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2101100643582810605&pr=goog-sl&hl=en.

Tags: croi, hiv, aids Wednesday March 7, 2007 - 10:25am (CST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Jan. 05, 2007 ~ Greed, bastards & the Alamo

Hello again ~

If you haven’t done so already, please read the January 3 article “Inside Abbott's tactics to protect AIDS drug” published in the Wall Street Journal and available online at http://post-gazette.com/pg/07003/750966-28.stm … Thank you, John Carreyrou, for telling the Abbott-Norvir story to the world. Also see related story Poz.com story "WSJ Uncovers Abbott's Norvir-Busting Marketing Strategies" http://www.poz.com/articles/761_11084.shtml.

Yes, in the HIV/AIDS activists’ realm, we refer to Abbott as “the greedy, dirty bastards.” My center (The Center for AIDS Information & Advocacy) vehemently decried their evils and helped lead the boycott against Abbott alongside many other prominent activists in the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition (ATAC) http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2004/7/emw142638.htm. Our center dropped its boycott of Abbott in December 2005 because of the postitive strides Abbott has made in the Houston community.

Carreyrou wrote, “Over time, the outcry faded . . ” I am here to bear witness that in the HIV/AIDS activists’ realm, the Novir pricing issue has faded as much as Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor has ~ meaning, of course, it hasn’t and never will!

In fact, we advocates are still at each other’s throats over the issue. Basically, there are two hunkered-down camps: the “don’t ever talk to those dirty bastards” group verses the “they’ve made strides, so let’s start the mend” group. Either way, the bigger issue remains that the Norvir price increase, and subsequent monopoly on the “boosting” market, proved(s) how low a company would stoop to make money.

Here’s our new Texas war cry: REMEMBER THE ALAMO; REMEMBER NORVIR!!!

Those greedy bastards!

Tags: hiv, aids, hivtreatment Friday January 5, 2007 - 05:00pm (CST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Dec 13, 2006 ~ The ones to watch

I loved, loved, loved Poz Magazine's 35 Ones-to-Watch list (http://www.poz.com/articles/1891_10868.shtml).

Yes, grassroots activists Julie David’s and Gregg Gonsalves have taken HIV advocacy to a higher realm ~ heck, they’ve rewritten the how-to manual. We follow in their dust.

I’m also pleased to see “Southern spitfire” Joyce Turner-Keller and Phill Wilson included. Charisma is thy name. I just can’t wait to hear what they do and say next.

I would have liked to seen more Southern grassroots spitfires such as: Tom Gegeny, former editor of RITA! (Research Initiative Treatment ACTION!); Judith Dillard, activist and peer educator; and Karen Bates, co-chair of South Carolina Campaign to End AIDS.

Lastly, next year’s list should most definitely include the Ms. Lynda Dee, director of AIDS Action Baltimore. She is a mover of mountains and shaker of people. When she talks, people listen ~ they have to because her unabashed opinions will not be stifled ~ oh, hell no!

Wednesday December 13, 2006 - 10:42am (CST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Dec 11, 2006 ~ You know this...so why do I have to say it?

I totally get that any “HIV is a gay disease” campaign seeks to empower the gay community and to call people into action. There is nothing wrong with taking ownership of issues in our communities to spur action. However, I fear that directing this particular message to the gay community sends the dangerous message that if you are not in and of that community, you are in the clear. We have made so many strides since the 1980s in getting the word out that HIV/AIDS is a huge issue that goes beyond the borders of the gay community. It would be a shame to see any step backwards. While true, HIV/AIDS is a gay disease, it is also a black disease, a Hispanic disease, a woman/man disease, and so on. Bottom line, it’s an equal-opportunity human disease. So let’s not leave anyone out of that message.

Monday December 11, 2006 - 01:13pm (CST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Nov. 30, 2006 ~ No gun pointing here!

Hello again ~ Tomorrow, December 1, is Worlds AIDS Day. If you’ve been living under a rock since 1988, you many not know this.

Now you would think that I would gung-ho about it and want to write inspiring words as to why we should all join hands and come together during this day of remembrance. Nope ~ not this chic, not on this blog. You see, I despise that this day has become a “We are the World” kind of moment where people light candles and sing songs in remembrance of a relative or a friend who died of AIDS.

Don’t get me wrong ~ I support people who do this and I certainly support rich celebrities who publicize AIDS, especially AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa, one of the hardest hit areas. But what I am saying is that we should turn World AIDS Day into World AIDS ACTION Day. Really! Wouldn’t it be great if in addition to attending a church service, lighting a candle, walking in a vigil if people time out to talk to call or write his or her state and national legislators to demand more funding for AIDS research, testing and treatment. Wouldn’t it be great if all of our leaders got inundated with calls and emails? How great would that be?

How much clearer can I (we activists) make it! Every year, the number of people being infected INCREASE…get bigger…become larger…I don’t know how many more ways to say it!!! Women, especially women of color, are increasingly being infected. So for me World AIDS Day is a reminder of these pitiful facts and personally I am saddened and embarrassed ~ aren’t you?

People ask me what they can do, well, here is a list:

Get educated about HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases.
Educate your friends and have them spread the word.
Get tested and know your status.
Once you know your status (either negative or positive) ~ protect yourself and others by using a condom (or abstaining ~ not the A word!), or by using clean needles (or getting off of drugs all together).

That’s it. 4 things. Yes, we can shout it to the rooftops ~ and have been. But while these “how not to get HIV” tips do work, no one can’t dictate to others how to live their lives. No one can be the “condom” or the “no sex, no drugs” police. No on can point a gun to people and tell people to only do things that are good (but don’t feel good) for them like wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle, putting on a seat belt, eating right and so on. It doesn’t work like that. People are human. We make our own choices based upon many, many factors and variables. And I’ll admit. I’ve done risky things, and will unfortunately continue to do risky things. So then the question becomes: how far I am willing to go to risk my health or wellness? Bottom line, like it or not, to solve our issues, we need to take personal responsibility. And we need to be accountable for our own actions…PERIOD. I am not saying that is good or bad, it’s just a fact of life.

So here is the deal. If you want to see change, look at the person in the mirror and start there. If you want more change, start the person next door and work from there. If you truly want more change, get a blog, write a letter to an editor, attend a meeting…just do something, anything. Of course I can't point a gun to your head, can I?

Thursday November 30, 2006 - 03:52pm (CST) Permanent Link | 0 Comments

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