Health plan guide now available for people living with HIV, hepatitis C, hepatitis B and those considering PrEP

LOS ANGELES —Five leading California HIV organizations—Access Support Network, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Project Inform, and San Francisco AIDS Foundation—have released an updated guide for people living with HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV), and individuals considering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) on choosing a health insurance plan through Covered California. The…

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New study: Sex-related risks judged more harshly than comparable health hazards

ANN ARBOR—People with sexually transmitted infections are often irrationally stigmatized by the public, who overestimate the risk for STIs when compared to other health risks, according to a new University of Michigan study. Individuals who feel stigmatized often make riskier decisions, which can affect potential sexual partners, says Terri Conley, U-M associate professor of psychology…

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NIH to fund first large-scale trial for heart disease prevention among people with HIV

Studies have shown that individuals with HIV are 50–100 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke) than individuals without HIV; however, more research is needed to determine if use of statins is the answer.  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is now funding the largest cardiac prevention trial in HIV,…

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Michigan study to focus on HIV prevention and care for transgender and gender nonconforming youth

ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan is leading a national study to learn more about how transgender and gender nonconforming youth navigate the health care system for HIV prevention services and care. The U-M School of Public Health Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities study, Affirming Voices for Action, will help identify optimal HIV services to…

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More than 150 organizations demand that Turing Pharmaceuticals lower cost of life-saving drug

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) joined 151 other organizations from across the nation in signing an open letter to Turing Pharmaceuticals urging company CEO Martin Shkreli to immediately act on his promise to lower the price on Daraprim — a crucial and often lifesaving treatment for those living with HIV. “Physicians are reporting that…

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Bernie Sanders gives Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO’s donation to an HIV Clinic

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has given the donation of a pharmaceutical CEO who controversially raised the price of an AIDS medication to a Washington, D.C.-based clinic that specializes in the treatment of HIV patients and the LGBT community, reports The Advocate. Martin Shkreli, the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, had donated $2,700 to the Sanders…

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New York Attorney General launches antitrust inquiry into Turing Pharmaceuticals’ distribution practices

WASHINGTON — Today, at the urging of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the New York attorney general has begun investigating whether Turing Pharmaceuticals, which recently imposed an unconscionable 5,000 percent price hike on the life-saving drug Daraprim, may have violated antitrust laws by limiting its distribution. Chad Griffin, President of HRC, the nation’s largest lesbian,…

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HRC calls on Turing CEO to lower price on HIV drug

WASHINGTON – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) once again called on Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli to make good on his unfulfilled promise of Sept. 22 to lower the price on Daraprim — a crucial and often lifesaving treatment for those living with HIV — and urged officials to expeditiously investigate Turing’s reckless overnight 5,000…

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AHF: FDA commissioner nominee is ‘Too close for comfort’ to drug industry

LOS ANGELES — Friday AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) President Michael Weinstein released the following statement on President Obama nominating cardiologist Dr. Robert M. Califf to head the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): “While Dr. Califf’s contributions to the research and clinical science community are well known and commendable, his cozy relationship with the pharmaceutical…

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