We Are So Very Close Now . . . !

[MrM]

Breakthrough in the fight against HIV and AIDS!

 

N6 may be the key to a cure we've been looking for these 40-some years now:

https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-scientists-identify-potent-antibody-neutralizes-nearly-all-hiv-strains

Edited November 18, 2016 by MrM

[wenmale64]

Why is this in 'The Pit' and not a more general area?  I see nothing political here and it is very much a part of many of our lives.  Just asking.

[MrM]

Why is this in 'The Pit' and not a more general area?  I see nothing political here and it is very much a part of many of our lives.  Just asking.

 

 

I wasn't sure if this would be controversial or not so I played it safe and put it in the Pit. I get in enough trouble with my big mouth as it is, but I wanted to put this news somewhere. 

[drpaladin]

You can always ask us.      I wondered why you posted this in the Pit.

[MrM]

You can always ask us.      I wondered why you posted this in the Pit.

 

 

Well, I wanted to get it over here before I forgot. My brain is doing a thousand things today so I'm completely scatterbrained. This seemed to be the safest place.

 

You guys are welcome to move it anywhere you like. I'm just excited that they've discovered this! Yay!

[Sasha Distan]

This is very very cool.

 

Dare I ask what people think of the the drug PrEP they are going to start supplying here in the UK, on the NHS no less, which is a preventative protective measure for those seen to be most at risk of infection?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/02/users-of-hiv-prevention-prep-urge-nhs-to-fund-life-changing-medicine

 

I think it's awesome (the fewer people with HIV and AIDS, the better) but at the same time, part of me still can't believe there are people in the UK (where we have education, condoms, the internet, a free and fully accessible medical service and all people under 25 are now issued with a C card (for getting condoms free from all doctors surgeries, clinics, and some shops) at 16) are still putting themselves at risk of infection. I look at my students and part of me can't help but think: you managed to be organised enough to put a cover on your iphone, how hard could it be to get a condom on yourself?

[Carlos Hazday]

This is very very cool.

 

Dare I ask what people think of the the drug PrEP they are going to start supplying here in the UK, on the NHS no less, which is a preventative protective measure for those seen to be most at risk of infection?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/02/users-of-hiv-prevention-prep-urge-nhs-to-fund-life-changing-medicine

 

I think it's awesome (the fewer people with HIV and AIDS, the better) but at the same time, part of me still can't believe there are people in the UK (where we have education, condoms, the internet, a free and fully accessible medical service and all people under 25 are now issued with a C card (for getting condoms free from all doctors surgeries, clinics, and some shops) at 16) are still putting themselves at risk of infection. I look at my students and part of me can't help but think: you managed to be organised enough to put a cover on your iphone, how hard could it be to get a condom on yourself?

 

I've been advocating for PrEP in my series from the beginning. Just as preaching abstinence won't work, no matter how much education we provide or how easily available we make condoms or needle exchanges, shit happens. Fighting a war from different angles makes it easier to achieve victory.

[MrM]

This is very very cool.

 

Dare I ask what people think of the the drug PrEP they are going to start supplying here in the UK, on the NHS no less, which is a preventative protective measure for those seen to be most at risk of infection?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/02/users-of-hiv-prevention-prep-urge-nhs-to-fund-life-changing-medicine

 

I think it's awesome (the fewer people with HIV and AIDS, the better) but at the same time, part of me still can't believe there are people in the UK (where we have education, condoms, the internet, a free and fully accessible medical service and all people under 25 are now issued with a C card (for getting condoms free from all doctors surgeries, clinics, and some shops) at 16) are still putting themselves at risk of infection. I look at my students and part of me can't help but think: you managed to be organised enough to put a cover on your iphone, how hard could it be to get a condom on yourself?

Well, here's the thing. I know here where I am the younger ones no longer take HIV as seriously as I think they should. They figure that there are medications that can control the virus so they don't take the precautions they should. It's scary to me so I'm a big advocate for PrEP.

 

I actually just got my battery of tests done to get ready to start PrEP myself. I'm not that active, but I'd like to have the protection anyway.  I grew up during the worst of the AIDS crisis. It's one of the reasons I didn't come out for a long time. I saw the devestation of that sum of all plagues first hand.

 

Playing with that beast is just crazy as far as I'm concerned.

Edited November 19, 2016 by MrM

[Sasha Distan]

Well, here's the thing. I know here where I am the younger ones no longer take HIV as seriously as I think they should. They figure that there are medications that can control the virus so they don't take the precautions they should. It's scary to me so I'm a big advocate for PrEP.

 

It's that fact which scares me, that young people have forgotten what came before, haven't learnt the lessons of the past, and are back putting themselves in harm's way again. Maybe a bit like the blanket availability of the morning-after pill for women and girls (teaching pregnant teenagers scares me, please, not again any time soon), PrEP might have the opposite effect in some ways - go throw caution to the wind because you're protected. But like with all these drugs, no one is fully 100% protected.

But I'll fully admit that I'm divided, because gods what we all wouldn't give to get rid of this plague forever, and i'd never wish it on anyone, even someone I utterly detest. I'll also admit that I haven't read up on everything, because it's one of those things which doesn't directly effect me. I know how lucky I am.

[Kitt]

If Sasha is lucky I am truly blessed when it comes to this topic. Being a straight woman in a monogamous marriage since before AIDS reared its ugly head, the only time I have NEEDED to think about protecting myself was during the years I was a first responder, and frankly from that perspective it is no worse than hepatitis or several other blood born antigens.

 

That being said, it really worries me that kids ignore the past and don't take precautions of any type, or get lazy about condoms because they take daily anti-viral meds.  It makes about as much sense to me as mothers who choose not to vaccinate against measles, and teen girls who don't use birth control.  I know sometimes the worst happens no matter how many precautions you take. Believe me, I have a niece who has 4 kids. The first was conceived at 16 using condoms, second at 17 using the pill, the third at 19 using birth control injections that occurred on schedule, bro drove her in for them regularly, and the fourth at 20 using implants AND  condoms.  Shit happens, and sometimes it is really bad shit like AIDS. Take precautions people! I lost enough friends back in the 80's.

[MrM]

If Sasha is lucky I am truly blessed when it comes to this topic. Being a straight woman in a monogamous marriage since before AIDS reared its ugly head, the only time I have NEEDED to think about protecting myself was during the years I was a first responder, and frankly from that perspective it is no worse than hepatitis or several other blood born antigens.

 

That being said, it really worries me that kids ignore the past and don't take precautions of any type, or get lazy about condoms because they take daily anti-viral meds.  It makes about as much sense to me as mothers who choose not to vaccinate against measles, and teen girls who don't use birth control.  I know sometimes the worst happens no matter how many precautions you take. Believe me, I have a niece who has 4 kids. The first was conceived at 16 using condoms, second at 17 using the pill, the third at 19 using birth control injections that occurred on schedule, bro drove her in for them regularly, and the fourth at 20 using implants AND  condoms.  Shit happens, and sometimes it is really bad shit like AIDS. Take precautions people! I lost enough friends back in the 80's.

 

 

Amen with a ragged Leonard Cohen Hallelujah