Fw: News & Views: Dr. Bob on Alternative Medicine; Goodbye, Vienna; Microbicide Questions; and More

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Sent via BlackberryFrom: "News at The Body" <update@...>Date: 29 Jul 2010 13:58:36 -0400<nelsonvergel@...>Reply "News at The Body" <update@...>Subject: News Views: Dr. Bob on Alternative Medicine; Goodbye, Vienna; Microbicide Questions; and MoreIf you have trouble reading this e-mail, you can see the online version at: www.thebody.com/updates.htmlJuly 29, 2010Top Stories at TheBody.comNews Views LibraryChange/Update SubscriptionOn the Personal SideHIV News ViewsHIV TransmissionHIV Treatment Health IssuesON THE PERSONAL SIDE Mark S. King: A Final Look at AIDS 2010 in Vienna"Life is such an arbitrary thing; I was born here, you were born there, she was born over there," muses Mark S. King in his final video blog entry from the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010). "That simple geography equation will mean virtually everything when it comes to our human rights, our access to basic health care and services, and how long we will likely live on this planet." A River Runs Through AIDS 2010: Longtime HIVer Brings Comedy to the Conference"I really thought people would come for the title of my show, and leave mid-performance with confused looks on their faces," writes blogger, artist, performer, activist and 19-year HIV survivor River Huston. "It was an international audience and I can offend just about anyone." Simpson: "I Am a Delicate Flower""My muscles, tendons ... [e]ven my brain, which houses motivation, is ready, willing and able to deal with the physical and mental demands of iron man training," writes blogger and HIV-positive triathlete Simpson. "My immune system -- not so much." Why Is My Brother Avoiding Treatment?(A recent post from the " My Loved One Has HIV/AIDS " board)"My younger brother found out he was HIV positive about a year ago. Since then, he has found a very good doctor (well, I found the doctor for him). He has been to see him a few times, but I don't think he is being very proactive in his treatment. For example, the doc wanted him to start meds, but once my brother found out how much they would be, he blew it off and never gave it a second look. I'm also concerned about his drinking. He is young (24), so I expect him to have fun with his friends, but I'm not sure at what point it goes from fun to being a problem. Any advice?"-- dilly730Click here to respond to dilly730, or to start your own discussion!To do this, you'll need to register with TheBody.com's bulletin boards if you're a new user. Registration is quick and anonymous (all you need is an e-mail address) -- click here to get started.HIV NEWS VIEWS Obama Pledges to Up HIV/AIDS Fight Despite Tough TimesU.S. President Barack Obama took considerable heat during AIDS 2010 for what activists said was an inability to follow through on commitments to the global fight against HIV/AIDS. In a video-link address during the conference's closing ceremony, Obama pledged to step up his country's efforts. ADAP Update: State and Federal Programs Get an A for Effort, but Waiting Lists Keep GrowingFor what feels like the first time in months, there's good news about U.S. AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting lists. But despite a sharp reduction in North Carolina's waiting list, numbers keep going up nationwide -- and $25 million in emergency federal funds is being viewed by some as a Band-Aid on a gushing wound. Bell: What Message Do We Want to Take to AIDS 2012 in Washington, D.C.?"I can't keep track of the number of conversations I have had with American black folks who have told me that they didn't think that HIV was a problem [in the U.S.] because they hardly hear about it," writes blogger and HIV advocate Bell. "So what do we do? How do we get black folks' attention, especially with the next International HIV Conference in Washington, D.C., looming?"More News Views Headlines:At IAC Closing Ceremony, a Sharp Look at U.S. Domestic Policies on HIV/AIDS (From Housing Works)HIV/AIDS Activists Lobby for "Robin Hood" Levy (From the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Call to End War on Drugs Falls on Distracted Ears (From the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)AIDS 2010 Opinions: U.S. AIDS Funding; Human Rights and HIV; Invest in Primary Care; Microbicide Gel's Possibilities (From the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)HIV TRANSMISSION In the Wake of a Microbicide's Success, Many Questions RemainLast week, we learned that a partially effective microbicide gel might be in the works. But that revelation has raised a huge number of questions about the microbicide's development, its likely cost and who will be able to use it, along with a host of ethical issues surrounding the people who volunteered to test it. Get Prepared for PrEP: "Treatment as Prevention" Moves AheadAlthough the microbicide news captured global headlines, there's another type of experimental prevention strategy that's slowly making its way through clinical trials: pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), in which an HIV-negative person takes one or more HIV medications before a potential exposure to reduce his or her infection risk.More HIV Transmission Headlines:Preliminary Results From First Safety Study of Daily Tenofovir for HIV Prevention Among MSM Find No Significant Concerns (From the U.S. Centers for Control and Prevention)United Kingdom: One in Six Gay Men Testing HIV Positive Was Infected Recently (From aidsmap.com)MACS: Childhood Sex Abuse and Victimization Linked to Increased HIV Risk (From AIDSmeds.com)Indirect Evidence That Treatment Is Bringing Down HIV Transmission in Denmark (From aidsmap.com)TheBody.com was on the scene last week at the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) in Vienna, Austria. We brought you highlights, blog entries, videos, interviews and much more -- as well as a daily rundown of underreported stories and the buzz from bloggers, Twitterers and other personalities on the Web. It's all available on our AIDS 2010 homepage -- stop by and take a look!HIV TREATMENT HEALTH ISSUES Dr. Bob on So-Called-Alternative Medicines (SCAMs): "The Acronym Says It All""The allure of So-Called-Alternative Medicine (SCAM!) is easy to understand. ... Who wouldn't want to believe in a simple natural cure to eradicate the virus?" asks Bob Frascino, M.D. But in this blog entry, which covers "SCAMs" from coconut milk to bloodletting, he cautions: "These mythical cures and treatments deceive hapless victims and can cause significant harm." The Alphabet Soup of Immune Control: AIDS 2010 ResearchIn the final entry of her four-part look at the latest research on long-term HIV nonprogressors, blogger Loreen Willenberg focuses on exciting new study results presented at AIDS 2010. These findings may help pave new roads forward in the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine -- or a more effective way to give an HIV-positive person complete control over the virus in his or her body. Is There a Cure for HIV/AIDS? At AIDS 2010 Forum, Top Minds Talk StrategyAbout 200 researchers came together at AIDS 2010 last week in an effort to resurrect the search for a definitive HIV/AIDS cure. Convened by 2008 Nobel laureate Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, attendees exchanged ideas and discussed how best to prioritize and coordinate their efforts.More Headlines on HIV Treatment and Health Issues:Small Study Suggests Once-Daily Selzentry Plus Boosted Reyataz Can Be Viable First Regimen (From National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project)Once-Daily Extended-Release Nevirapine Works as Well as Twice-Daily Formulation (From aidsmap.com)International AIDS Society-USA Recommends Starting Treatment Before CD4 Drops Below 500 (From the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Types of Kidney Problems May Be Changing as HAART Era Matures (From National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project)Worried Your Spam Filter Might Trash Our Mailings?TheBody.com's e-mail updates are especially prone to being caught up in spam filters, since our newsletters tend to refer frequently to sex, drugs, the human anatomy and so forth.To make sure you never miss one of our mailings because anti-spam software labeled it as junk mail, add update@... to your address book, talk to the person who manages your e-mail security or check your anti-spam program's instructions for more information.About This E-mailThis e-mail update has been sent to nelsonvergel@....Want to change your subscription? Click here or send us a message at updates@....Missed an update? Our archive of past updates will keep you in the loop.Have any other questions or comments, and don't want to send an e-mail? Feel free to snail-mail us at:TheBody.com's E-Mail UpdatesThe HealthCentral Network, Inc.250 West 57th StreetNew York, NY 10107 July 29: LiveBlog the Fed Meeting on "Strategic Realignment of Funding" in Sex Health/STDs in Racial/Ethnic Minorities This Week: Call on Congress to Reform Drug Sentencing to Fight HIV/AIDS President Obama: Address the ADAP Crisis! Participate in a New Survey on HIV Prevention Strategies Targeting MSM NMAC Asks for Your Help Ending S.B. 1070; Promoting Comprehensive Federal Immigration Reform Action Alert: Help Homeless AIDS Activist Get Into Housing Today