HIV-positive men living in New York City who clear hepatitis C virus (HCV), whether spontaneously or through treatment, are reinfected with hep C at a high rate that is comparable to that of their European counterparts. Previous studies conducted among HIV-positive MSM in Europe have found that those treated for Read more…
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, cities struggling with the AIDS crisis began considering a then-radical idea: give drug users sterile needles and syringes so they wouldn’t spread HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Underlying the idea was the acceptance that some drug use was inevitable and a belief Read more…
The opioid epidemic now brings one more worry for public health professionals in the city and at least one suburban county, as the number of new HIV diagnoses — which had been declining — has substantially increased among those who inject drugs. “There is a new epidemic among people who Read more…
Canada’s prisoner service is considering opening overdose prevention sites as it expands a needle-exchange program that is now offered at a fifth institution for offenders who inject smuggled drugs. “At the very least, let’s start opening up (the sites) so we can get away from the needle-in-the-cell thing,” he said, Read more…
Press release from the Louisiana Department of Health March 26, 2019 The Louisiana Department of Health and Department of Corrections announced today their selection of Asegua Therapeutics LLC (a subsidiary of Gilead Sciences, Inc.) as their hepatitis C subscription model pharmaceutical partner, to provide the State with unrestricted access to Read more…
The first prospective study of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with any type of cancer has not only demonstrated that the treatment is safe and efficacious in this population, but that attaining sustained virologic response (SVR) can confer eligibility to participate in chemotherapeutic trials. Read more…
By: Kat HumphriesMarch 14, 2019 There is a common misconception that people who inject drugs (PWID) don’t care about their health. However, their widespread participation in syringe access (needle exchange) and other available health services suggests otherwise. Stigma, complex involvement in shared experiences around substance use disorder, and moral investment Read more…
The first study to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening among pregnant women in the US in the era of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment demonstrates that it would be “highly” cost effective, even in states with low HCV prevalence. The investigators called for the currently disparate guidelines Read more…
A team of Penn surgeons has successfully transplanted hepatitis C-infected hearts into uninfected patients and then cured them of the virus, according to a new study published by the American Journal of Transplantation. The clinical trial — which tested the safety of hepatitis C-infected donor organs — included 10 transplant Read more…
Click the link below to see a video of Priya Mammen, MD, MPH, discussing how Thomas Jefferson’s Emergency Out Out Program is saving and improving the lives of many Philadelphians through HIV screening. Click Here to Watch!