Views

Sharing our developing Community of Practice and opportunities to get involved

Oluwakemi Agunbiade reflects on the persistent inequalities in HIV testing and health outcomes for people living with HIV and the action needed to be taken for Black communities.

Oluwakemi Agunbiade reflects on the impact of the Timms Review and potential changes in disability benefits for people living with HIV.

At the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne there has been lots of talk about the criminal law can impede the global fight against HIV.

It has been thirty years since the HIV virus was discovered, and despite great progress, more people are contracting HIV in the UK than ever before. In addition, as was true at the start of the epidemic, it is still gay men who are disproportionately affected. Worryingly, diagnoses among young gay men have doubled in 10 years. The lack of progress in reducing HIV transmissions is unacceptable, and urgently requires renewed leadership from local and national government.

Tomorrow is London Pride. NAT will be there marching in the sun (we’re still hopeful). It is an amazing event and, even if it does rain, draws a huge crowd of supporters, there to celebrate successes and campaign for LGBT rights.

Last week the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) issued the first formal guidelines on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a promising new way of preventing HIV transmission. PrEP involves people who do not have HIV taking a daily dose of one or two of the drugs that are used to treat HIV. Studies suggest that this can prevent transmission if the user is exposed to HIV.