Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012 qnotes 1

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life, positively New advances could help keep HIV at bay Truvada, OraQuick newest tools for prevention efforts by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com special coverage presented by Two new advances in HIV/ AIDS prevention and testing could mean big changes for those at-risk of infection. This summer, the Federal Drug Administration offered their approval to new uses of AIDS medicine Truvada and to an athome HIV test. Dale Pierce, practice manager and Ryan White Program director at Rosedale ID in Huntersville, says the two new advances offer plenty of hope for prevention. Yet, he describes both as a sort of “double-edged sword.” Pierce, who is HIV-positive, said his experience taking HIV/ AIDS medications played a crucial role when he and his partner, who is HIV-negative, discussed Truvada. His partner had considered using the medicine for its newly-approved prevention method. Known as a pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, Truvada can be taken daily by an HIV-negative person to help reduce the risk of HIV transmission. OraQuick’s new at-home HIV test will benefit some who might find it uncomfortable to visit health centers or other public spaces for free HIV testing events. Photo Credit: Agência Brasil, licensed under Creative Commons. “As someone who has gone through having to take the medications and dealing with its side-effects and how the medicine alters your lifestyle, it wasn’t something we were willing to try,” Pierce says. “At this point, we are more focused on practicing safer sex and being aware of what’s going on.” Though Pierce and his partner have opted not to use Truvada, he says it can be of practical use to those at-risk. He offers some warning, hoping that the potential reduction in infection risk doesn’t give some a false sense of security. Safer sex practices, he said, are key to prevention. Pierce says he’s more hopeful about OraQuick, the new at-home HIV test from OraSure. He has his worries — chief among them the availability of medical and psychological counseling in the aftermath of a positive result. Generally, though, the test is a good step toward increasing the availability of HIV testing for more people. “It is easer access to testing for those people who might be fighting the stigma, who may not want to go to free testing events or the health department,” Pierce says. At the end of the day, Pierce is glad to see the improvements. But, he’s quick to remind: “There is no 100 percent sure-fire means to stop [HIV] transmission,” he says. Knowledge, awareness and safer sex practices need to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. : : — Compiled from the Federal Drug Administration and from information provided by the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA). Quick Facts Truvada Approved by the FDA in July to reduce the risk of HIV infection among uninfected individuals. Recommended for use by those who are at a high risk of infection or those with HIV-positive sex partners. Used daily as a preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Must be used in combination with safer sex practices. Shown to reduce HIV infection among MSM by as much as 42 percent and among heterosexuals by as as much as 72 percent. Available by prescription only. Critics have concerns that availability of the new drug could discourage safer sex practices. For more information, visit truvadapreprems.com. OraQuick Approved by the FDA in August. A rapid home-use kit used for self-testing. Provides results within 20-40 minutes. Test uses sample of fluid from moth. One line appears on stick if test is negative. Two lines indicate HIV antibodies were detected. Follow-up confirmation testing with more robust, lab-based testing methods is recommended to confirm result. Unable to determine HIV infection within the first three months of potential exposure. False negatives possible after three months. Available for sale in stores and online to all people age 17 or older. Critics have concerns that the in-home testing leaves individuals without immediate or effective counseling, referral care and the psychological impact of testing among casual sex partners or in other adverse situations. For more information, visit oraquick.com. : : 10 qnotes Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012
life, positively special coverage presented by Rosedale ID fundraiser nets thousands HIV/AIDS clinic provides food pantry, free testing by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com Nearly 350 people attended a special evening of music, awards and fundraising in early November at Rosedale ID’s annual Evening of Hope and Inspiration. The event, featuring gospel singers Christy Sutherland and Lynda Randle also featured their annual Inspiration Awards presented to radio hosts Matt Harris and Ramona Holloway and youth activist Jordan Mitzel. Dale Pierce, Rosedale’s practice manager and Ryan White Program director, said the event was a success. Proceeds will benefit their food pantry, named in honor of Jeanne White Ginder, the mother of 1980s AIDS victim Ryan White. Ginder was also present at the event. “We took donations prior and through sponsorships, we had a lot of local businesses…step up,” Pierce said of the support. “We’re looking at, after expenses, $5,000-$6,000. It doesn’t sound like a lot in the big scheme of some of the larger fundraisers in town, but helping people with $30 or $35 gift cards can have a huge impact on people who might not have food for the holidays.” Pierce said the event also served as a way to raise awareness. The diversity of the audience was astonishing, he said. Many people, he said, had not heard of Ginder or her son. “We got a lot of really good responses hearing feedback from people who had never heard Jeanne speak, which I thought was really important for people who might not have known who Ryan was or the significance of the Ryan White Program or the effect his mom had on the Youth activist Jordan Mitzel, who has raised thousands of dollars for the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network’s Charlotte AIDS Walk, speaks after receiving an Inspiration Award. Network President Debbie Warren, an Inspiration Award recipient in 2011, stands in the background.  Photo courtesy Dale Pierce movement,” Pierce said. “It really opened this generation’s eyes to what people really went through during the early stages of the fight.” Pierce said education and awareness are becoming increasing important as time slowly moves further and further away from the challenges of the 1980s AIDS Crisis. “We are starting to see a rise in cases of younger gay males coming in to Rosedale and finding they are HIV-positive,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like it has the same weight that it did back then.” He added, “The great thing is that it is manageable and there are great treatments and people are living longer…but the fact is that there still is no cure and people are still dying. It does alter your lifestyle.” Rosedale, a medical clinic which offers full treatment and care to those with HIV, has begun to offer free testing every Tuesday at their Huntersville offices. Soon, he said, they might expand their free testing. Several attendees at their fundraiser asked if Rosedale could do testing events at their churches or other organizations. Others also learned about different ways they could be involved. “We did a good job this year of … driving home the awareness factor and getting people more educated,” he said. “Several people talked to me…and didn’t know there was a Charlotte AIDS Walk. They wanted to know when it was and how to get involved. There were people who came just for the music portion of the event and then signed up to volunteer with us.” You can learn more about Rosedale ID, their services and their food pantry at rosedaleid.com. : : Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012 qnotes 11
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