HIV

Revisiting a "cultural value" among Latin@s and an interview with documentarian Erica Fletcher who created a film Marianismo about Latinas living with HIV.

People who participate in clinical trials take the enormous step of volunteering to test a product that may be useful and, sometimes, life-saving if it turns out to be effective. They play an irreplaceable role in research to prevent, treat, and sometimes cure illness – as well as to find other ways to improve people’s health and lives.

A new study published this week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases suggests that use of hormonal contraceptives, particularly injectables, may double the risk of uninfected women acquiring HIV. 

An article in yesterday's New York Times suggesting that injectable contraceptive use might double the risk of HIV transmission among women in Africa sent waves of anxiety through the global public health community, leading some to ask whether we should halt delivery of injectables. But experts say: "Not so fast."

Follow Jodi Jacobson on Twitter, @jljacobson

Last week the porn industry voluntarily shut down production on movie sets around the country after an unnamed actress initially tested positive for HIV. While it turned out to be a false positive, the incident exposed the ongoing controversy around industry handling of the possibility of spreading infections on set. 

In a new--and much-anticipated--report, the Institute of Medicine recommends that health reform guidelines for preventive care to be developed by the HHS include no-copay for contraception and a wide range of preventive services.

Follow Jodi Jacobson on Twitter, @jljacobson

Kaiser Permanente makes it incredibly challenging for gay men to get the STD tests they need, hurdles that help fuel the spread of STIs in our community – including HIV. This is especially troubling at a time when new antibiotic-resistant strains of gonorrhea have emerged.

A federal court today ruled that the government cannot force U.S. organizations to "denounce" prositution and sex trafficking as a condition for recieving international HIV and AIDS funding. The ruling applies only to U.S.-based non-governmental organizations and does not relieve non-U.S. organizations recieving U.S. funds from being subject to restrictions.

Follow Jodi Jacobson on Twitter, @jljacobson

HIV testing represents one of the most potent weapons in the fight against HIV. Yet too many individuals who may be at risk of infection continue to avoid testing. This reluctance to test is driven in part by the pervasiveness of HIV stigma.