Category Archives: Health Alerts

Commentary, Health Alerts, HIV care, Research

NIH Funding Cuts Disrupt Clinical Trials, Affecting 74,000 Participants

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From POZ online…

The Trump administration has terminated billions of dollars in grants to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), impacting over 74,000 people enrolled in medical studies and clinical trials, including cancer research, according to a report published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Doctor wearing face mask

The report shows that between the end of February and mid-August, 383 studies—testing treatments for cancer, heart disease, brain disease and more—have been affected by NIH cuts. What’s more, the cuts disproportionately impacted research into infectious diseases, including the flu, pneumonia and COVID-19.

During the study period, about 11,008 NIH-funded studies were disrupted at varying levels. Some participants may have signed up for trials that never started or were delayed in hopes of securing alternate funding. Others may never see the results of their trial published. Trials that were active and not recruiting, where participants may have been receiving interventions, had a total of 74,311 enrolled patients, according to CBS News.

Read the full article on POZ.com.

Health Alerts, News and Information, Prevention, Research

‘Devastating’: NIH cancels future funding plans for HIV vaccine consortia

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From Science.org…

In a move that could bring future research on HIV vaccines to a near halt, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) notified researchers today that it will not renew funding next year for two major consortia in the beleaguered field, Science has learned. NIAID also recently stopped funding three research groups that evaluate experimental vaccines in monkeys.

H.I.V. vaccine bottle and needle

The notification, which was communicated verbally by NIAID program officers, “couldn’t have happened at a worse time, because the recent clinical trial results [for candidate HIV vaccines] are very promising,” says Dennis Burton of Scripps Research, who heads one of the two Consortia for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD).

Although researchers in the field acknowledge a vaccine for the AIDS-causing virus remains far off, the new leads have brought a fresh sense of optimism, and many scientists say they demand vigorous follow up. “This sets us back at a pivotal moment,” says Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, a nonprofit that advocates for HIV prevention. The consortia “really have been pioneers in vaccine discovery,” says Warren, who is not involved in their work.

Read the full article.

Health Alerts, Research, STIs

CDC Releases 2023 STI Surveillance Report

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From HIV.gov…

After several years of increases, the data suggest that the STI epidemic may be slowing. We still have much more work to do, but the 2023 data are promising in several aspects:

  • Gonorrhea dropped for a second year—declining 7% from 2022 and falling below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.
  • Overall, syphilis increased by only 1% after years of double-digit increases.
  • Primary and secondary syphilis cases, the most infectious stages of syphilis, went down 10%—the first substantial decline in more than two decades. These cases also dropped 13% among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex men for the first time since CDC began reporting national trends among this group in the mid-2000s.
  • Increases in congenital syphilis cases appear to be slowing in some areas—with a 3% increase over 2022 nationally, compared to 30% annual increases in prior years.
C D C logo

These signs of hope hint at what’s possible when the nation prioritizes – and invests in – STI prevention. The data arrive on the heels of important innovations such as doxy PEP to prevent bacterial STIs and self-tests (or at-home tests); a nationally coordinated response to the U.S. syphilis epidemic spearheaded by the National Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Syndemic Task Force; and the unprecedented – but temporary – infusion of funding into health department disease intervention specialist programs (PDF, 1.03MB).

Read more on HIV.gov. You can read a summary of the Srveillance Report here.

Health Alerts, Mpox

Health Alert: CDC reports a sharp rise in new cases of Mpox

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The CDC reports Mpox cases in the United States are twice as high as they were at this time last year. As of January 1st, In New York City (for example) 1,149 people have tested positive for the virus as reported by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Ninety-four percent of the cases were among men who have sex with men.

M pox vaccine bottle with needle

Locally, in Pittsburgh, 11 new cases have been reported so far this year, up from only 2 in all of 2023. Dr. Ken Ho, an infectious disease doctor and researcher at UPMC, notes that he also sees an uptick in new infections. “One way to effectively fight Mpox is to get fully vaccinated,” said Dr. Ho, who is also an HIV treatment specialist. “While the majority of cases have been in gay and bisexual men, the virus is transmitted by close contact—including sexual contact—and anyone can get it.”

You can go to your doctor’s office to get vaccinated. Other local clinics and drug stores also provide the vaccine. To find local providers, go to https://npin.cdc.gov/web-tools/mpox-vaccine-locator .

To find out more about Mpox, and how to protect yourself, go to the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/index.html.

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Health Alerts are created in partnership with the Pitt Men’s Study, at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Health Alerts, Prevention

HHS Announces Department Actions to Slow Surging Syphilis Epidemic

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From HIV.gov…

U.S. Syphilis Cases Reach Highest Levels Since the 1950s, Creating a Critical Public Health Need.

In response to the surging number of syphilis and congenital syphilis cases nationwide, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is taking action to slow the spread with a focus on those most significantly impacted. Through the establishment of the National Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Syndemic (NSCSS) Federal Task Force, the Department is utilizing its agencies, its expertise, and its stakeholder network to respond to the U.S. syphilis and congenital syphilis epidemic. The actions of the Task Force leverage federal resources to reduce rates, promote health equity, engage impacted communities, and direct resources to support those most impacted.

“The syphilis crisis in our country is unacceptable. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to addressing this urgent issue and using all available means to eliminate disparities in our health care system,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These actions we are taking will help ensure we are improving outcomes for birthing parents and newborns. We must prevent more deaths caused by congenital syphilis, an entirely preventable disease.”

Read the full article on HIV.gov.

Health Alerts

Newborn syphilis cases spike in U.S. amid gaps in maternal screening, treatment

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From the University of Minnesota…

Syphilis infections passed from mothers to their newborns are at a 30-year high and have risen tenfold since 2012, and a fresh data analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that lack of timely testing and adequate treatment are the two biggest drivers and played a role in 90% of cases in 2022.

Pregnant woman making a symbol of a heart with her hands, over her stomach

The CDC detailed its findings today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report alongside a Vital Signs report designed to focus attention on the importance of identifying the infections, which can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, and developmental disabilities.

Read the full aricle on the University of Minnesota University. To find local testing for Syphilis and other STIs, you can search for clinics at https://gettested.cdc.gov/. Most testing is free.

 

Health Alerts, Prevention, Research, STIs

Health Alert: If you’re sexually active, get a full screening for sexually transmitted infections

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The CDC is reporting the number of new sexually transmitted infections continues to go up, with the highest number of STIs in the U.S. ever.

The newly released CDC 2020 STD Surveillance Report found that at the end of 2020:

  • Reported cases of gonorrhea and primary & secondary (P&S) syphilis were up 10% and 7%, respectively, compared to 2019.
  • Syphilis among newborns (i.e., congenital syphilis) also increased, with reported cases up nearly 15% from 2019, and 235% from 2016. Early data indicate primary and secondary syphilis and congenital syphilis cases continued to increase in 2021 as well.

As a result, the CDC is recommending that anyone who is sexually active get a full screening for STIs. To find local testing clinics near you, go to https://gettested.cdc.gov/. Most clinics are free.

To find out how to prevent STIs, you can go to the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/std/prevention/default.htm.

Health Alerts, STIs

Doctors Haven’t Seen So Many Cases of This STD in 72 Years

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From hivplugmag.com…

Syphilis bottomed out in the U.S. in the late 1990s, with the CDC hoping to fully eradicate the disease. Only years later, syphilis rates would start rising; by 2021, more than 52,000 cases were reported.

Many factors could be at play, but officials believe the COVID pandemic is mostly at fault. Testing and treatment took a backseat during the worst days of the crisis in 2020, while many people now feel sexually unshackled with COVID vaccines available, lockdowns over, and mask mandates lifted. Some health officials are calling for public messaging about condoms. Monkeypox, which exploded this year and last, is also complicating efforts and eating up health funding from the government.

The CDC’s Leandro Mena, who made the announcement about STDs at a Monday speech, is calling for swift action. One of his ideas is widely available home-test kits for STDs, akin to the COVID tests common today. Mena also called for battling stigma — ostensibly through public relations, marketing, or public service announcements — and increased testing and treatment.

Read the full article. Find out more about the rise of STDs on the CDC Website. To find local STD testing, go to https://gettested.cdc.gov. 

Health Alerts, HIV, HIV Activism, HIV Prevention and Care Project, HIV testing

Universities create special HIV testing initiative to provide free HIV self-test kits to PA residents

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According to a 2020 CDC report, out of more than 30,000 new cases of HIV infection in the United States, Black and Latinx populations bear the brunt of being most at risk, accounting for two-thirds (20,000) of the new infections. The reason (the CDC also reports) is due to institutionalized health disparities among those groups. In other words, Black and Latinx people face higher levels of discrimination when seeking health care.

To help address the issue, the HIV Prevention and Care Project at the University of Pittsburgh, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Expanded HIV Testing Initiative at Penn State University created a state-wide program that allows residents of Pennsylvania to obtain a free HIV self-test kit through the mail.

Ora Quick test kit image
The free test kits use an oral swab and you get results in 20 minutes

Knowing your HIV status is the first step in preventing the spread of the virus. People who test positive can obtain treatment that keeps the virus in check, and therefore makes it next to impossible to spread to others.

To obtain a free HIV self-test kit, go to www.getmyHIVtest.com. Taking care of your health is part of taking care of your community.

To find out more about the free HIV test kit program, and find other HIV/STI testing resources, you can go to the HIV Prevention and Care Project Website at https://hivhealthpa.com/resources/. If you still have questions, send an email to info@getmyHIVtest.com.