A Doctor, a Mutation and a Potential Cure for AIDS The startling case of an AIDS patient who underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia is stirring new hope that gene-therapy strategies on the far edges of AIDS research might someday cure the disease. The patient, a 42-year-old American living in Berlin, is still recovering from his leukemia therapy, but he appears to have won his...

A prominent South African Aids activist has told the BBC former President Thabo Mbeki should be called to account for his decision to block HIV medication. A recent Harvard School of Public Health study said 330,000 deaths were caused by his 1999 decision to declare available drugs toxic and dangerous. Zackie Achmat said Mr Mbeki had ignored the scientific evidence. Mr Mbeki's spokesman referred...

This is news from last week with a follow-up comment.  I subscribe to the afro-nets listserv, which some of you might be interested in as well. Info at the bottom.  AIDS-hit kids go without aid due to procedural lapse   http://www.tribuneindia.com/ 2008/20081010/himachal.htm#9  Tribune News Service  Hamirpur, October 9  A procedural lapse on part of the officials in the Health and Family Welfare...

  Your mobile phone beeps, you have received a text message. It begins: "I swear, I will make sure I give you HIV..."

[ source ] by Guy Newey Wed Jul 30, 9:09 PM ET China has defied calls to lift its ban on foreign visitors with HIV-AIDS ahead of the Olympics, highlighting a restriction that critics say fuels prejudice against those with the disease. Despite last week removing a ban on visitors with leprosy entering the country -- a move state media highlighted ahead of next month's...

Aids activists in South Africa have dismissed as unconstitutional a call for all Muslim couples to have a compulsory HIV test before marriage. "It undermines public health and it will further stigmatise and discriminate against people," Aids activist Fatima Ahmed told the BBC. The proposal was made by opposition MP Maulana Rafeek Shah. He told the BBC the objective was not to discriminate...

LIMBÉ, 23 July 2008 (IRIN) - The persistent and increasing outbreaks of violence against members of the gay community in Africa are jeopardising efforts undertaken to combat HIV, both within this group and across the population as a whole, AIDS activists warned at a recent meeting in Limbé, Cameroon. The extreme vulnerability of members of the gay community to HIV on the continent was highlighted...

JOHANNESBURG, 21 July 2008 (PlusNews) - A move by the United States Senate to repeal legislation prohibiting HIV-positive visitors and immigrants has been hailed as an important step in the fight against stigma and discrimination. On 16 July, the Senate passed the re-authorisation of the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which also amends the Immigration Act to lift the ban...

[Note: .pdf of policy document here .] 16 July 2008 Recent estimates indicate that 86 million people across the world are international labour migrants. Migrant workers bring huge benefits to their families and countries of origin through remittances – the sending of money home; and to their countries of destination by contributing to the workforce, economy and society in which they live....

NAIROBI, 18 July 2008 (PLUSNEWS) - HIV-positive people are living longer on antiretroviral (ARV) medication, but many of them remain poor and hungry, highlighting the need to create incomes for them, says a new report, http://www.plurpol.org/ reports/Impact_of_ART_July_ 2008.pdf "The long-term sustainability of people on ART [antiretroviral therapy] and the [treatment] programmes are threatened...