HIV

Robert K. Massie Jr, PhD, MA, of the Society for Progress, was born with severe factor VIII hemophilia in August 1956. He contracted HIV in 1978 and later hepatitis C, both from contaminated blood products.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the initial appearance in the United States of what we now know to be HIV and AIDS, first manifesting as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Kaposi’s sarcoma among gay men and intravenous drug users.

This week, the top managed care news included nationwide pharmacies to receive vaccine doses; experts issue recommendations for improving health care in 2021; HIV may increase risk of severe COVID-19 infection.

McKinsey pays $573 million over its role in the opioid crisis; a British study will test mixing 2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines; new clinical trial data point to a potential vaccine approach to combat HIV.

With New York being at the crossroads of the HIV epidemic and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a group of researchers wanted to know what, if any, correlation there was between the 2 disease states.

Individuals with serious mental illness have a greater risk of acquiring HIV compared with the general population and could therefore benefit from preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services in the community.

A 13.9% increase in diagnosed cases of HIV was seen following expansion of Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

A recent study found that women had varying levels of willingness to use long-acting injectable HIV medications, based on their history with intravenous drug use.

The FDA approved the first injectable monthly treatment for HIV; Eli Lilly announced positive effects of its monoclonal antibody treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on food insecurity.

Consider social determinants of health when trying to help gay and bisexual men, stressed Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

HHS aims to ease access to medication-assisted treatment for patients with opioid use disorder; David Kessler, MD, named top Operation Warp Speed official; President-Elect Joe Biden unveils coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) relief package.

Study findings show that antiretroviral therapy (ART) improved overall quality of life for these individuals, as well as their physical, psychological, environment, and spiritual well-being and level of independence.

Several economic benefits stem from engaging in care soon after HIV transmission and maintaining viral load suppression, noted Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Researchers are studying the blood of Robert K. Massie, Jr, PhD, MA, Society for Progress, who was born with severe factor VIII hemophilia and contracted HIV and hepatitis C from contaminated blood products. He did not require antiretrovirals until undergoing a liver transplant a decade ago.

Four of our top 5 HIV articles for 2020 saw the HIV pandemic overlap with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and had Anthony Fauci, MD, in common. The fifth is from this year's AIDS 2020 virtual conference, itself a product of the overlapping pandemics.

Four principal themes emerged in this study, describing why Latino/a and Black transgender women and men who have sex with men discontinued their preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV.

Insurance status can influence an individual’s ability to access care, stated Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Results from a 5-year study show significantly higher rates of several gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, as well as hospital-related costs, among patients living with HIV compared with controls.

With age comes a greater comorbidity burden, noted Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy who practices at Northwestern Medicine's Infectious Disease Center in Chicago.

The most recent data from the CDC show a 36.6% decrease in overall mortality among individuals living with HIV; despite this progress, the virus remains a leading cause of death among certain races and ethnicities.

Certain antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs can decrease contraception’s effectiveness, said Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Clinicians must make sure patients are engaged in their care, stressed Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

While death rates related to HIV infection declined from 2010 to 2017, differences in HIV-related deaths remain among certain populations.

A poster on telehealth presented at ID Week in October attempted to identify where care advancement and improvement are needed for individuals living with HIV.

Even heterosexual women are at risk of contracting HIV, so gay men should not be singled out as the only population with a transmission risk, said Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Living in a neighborhood rife with violent crime and prostitution was linked in this recent study to worse virologic control among pregnant woman living with HIV.

What is feasible for one person may be unaffordable for another, said Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy, who practices at the Northwestern Medicine Infectious Disease Center.

Partnering with pharmacists ensures prescription availability for patients with HIV during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), noted Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, of Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Smaller babies born to mothers living with HIV are often considered “undesirable” in sub-Saharan Africa, and the mothers themselves often are blamed for this.

The patients must always come first, emphasized Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, who practices at the Northwestern Medicine Infectious Disease Center in Chicago.