Re: Fwd: someone from SMART who's staying off meds

[Guest guest]

Hi Tim

I'm sorry if the wording was too frank and perhaps I could have toned it down a

bit. But by asking for people who'd already made this decision before we

understand what happened, I think you missed the importance of waiting for the

results. People do feel passionately about this, they are shocked that the study

answered its question so early, an this is why the detailed results from are so

important.

Because such a large study was stopped so early, I wouldn't encourage anyone to

pre-empt any decision for their own treatment, which your email suggested, until

we know what went on. Personally I hope that this does not limit further

research into STIs, or think that it necessarily commits people to lifelong

treatment - but that is just my speculation. I will have to re-assess my own

optimistic opinion if new evidence challenges this.

I want to know the details as much as everyone else, and I have no doubt that

POZ will accurately report both the data and the implications when this becomes

public this week, and I look forward to reading your coverage.

Simon

On Friday, February 03, 2006, at 03:00PM, Tim

wrote:

>Thanks for your frank (to say the least) response,

>Simon, but I disagree: POZ will accurately report the

>SMART data and its implications, but it's framing the

>story to say that SMART's ending by no means that STIs

>are no longer viable, and much is left to be explored

>in differently structured STIs. I don't think many

>people would be calling for the continuation of SMART

>if there weren't strong feeling that the book hasn't

>been closed on STIs.

>

>But again, thanks for your bracingly frank thoughts.

>

>Tim

>

>

>

>--- simon collins wrote:

>

>> Why on earth would a community publication rush to

>> publicise the

>> benefits of personal decision to stay off HAART,

>> before the data for

>> why the trial has stopped has even been released?

>>

>> Deciding to chase the issue before there is any

>> understanding of what

>> went on, for the sake of a week or two, is at best

>> misdirected and at

>> worst, just stupid.

>>

>> Simon

>>

>>

>> >In a message dated 2/2/2006 5:17:13 P.M. Central

>> Standard Time,

>> >timmurphy2005@... writes:

>> >

>> >Hey Tom! Hey !

>> >

>> >Hope both you guys are well. Could you do me a huge

>> favor and post

>> >this query to the PozHealth and ATAC groups,

>> respectively?

>> >

>> >POZ is looking for someone who was in the " off

>> meds " (D/C) arm of

>> >the SMART study who has decided to continue with

>> their break despite

>> >that arm closing--to illustrate that the end of

>> SMART doesn't

>> >necessarily mean the end of STIs in a real-world

>> setting. This

>> >person would also have to be open to being

>> beautifully photographed.

>> >It all has to happen next week, so if ya know of

>> anyone, let me

>> >know. They can reach me at

>>

>>timmurphy2005@....

>> >

>> >Also--for selfsame POZ piece, I'm eagerly awaiting

>> the SMART

>> >late-breaker at CROI though I won't be there. I

>> need to absorb the

>> >data and get some commentary on it as soon as it

>> breaks. If either

>> >of you have the goodwill to email me at (or shortly

>> thereafter) that

>> >moment--if you're going to be at CROI--or call me

>> on to

>> >fill me in and give me some insight, I'd much love

>> that.

>> >

>> >Thanks. Hope to see you both sometime. Hey...if you

>> don't get the

>> >Housing Works weekly update I now write, you can

>> subscribe by

>> >scrolling to the bottom of

>>

>><http://www.hwadvocacy.com/update>www.hwadvocacy.com/update.

>> >

>> >xo Tim

>> >

>> >

>> >Regards,

>> >

>> > Vergel

>> >powerusa dot org

>> >

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