More than 20 years into the HIV/Aids epidemic, the numbers
of infections continue to rise: UNAIDS projects 45 million new infections
this decade.
But Dr Helene Gayle, Director of the HIV/Aids & TB Program at the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said this was not inevitable.
"Prevention hasn't failed," she said. "We have failed prevention."
She said that this was mostly due to inadequate funding and lack of political
will, rather than a lack of proven interventions that work: "Currently
we spend one quarter of the money that UNAIDS estimates could maintain
an effective global HIV prevention effort".
HIV prevention has relied on the 'holy trinity' of education, voluntary
counselling and testing, and condom use. At Barcelona, there were plenty
of studies to show that, in part, these continue to be effective. But
there was much new information: about new risks being taken by gay men,
about 'pre' and 'post' prevention using antiretrovirals, the possible
role of circumcision, and the hope that we may have a vaccine by the end
of the decade.
Barebacking
Here in the UK, the epidemic continues to disproportionately affect gay,
bisexual and other men who have sex with men (known collectively as MSM),
and there is concern that unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) - 'barebacking',
to the gay community - is on the rise.
A study of MSM aged 15-35 in Vancouver identified the characteristics
associated with those who became HIV positive - who they were, and
page 1 of 5
contents
of issue 82
back
issues
the
gazette
recipes
small
ads
contacting
us
weblinks
what they had done. It found that barebacking multiplies the risk of catching HIV 3.5 times (if you're active) and 5.1 times (if you're
