Category: gay
Treatment Protects Partners
posted: 13/05/2011
There’s been a lot of publicity in the last day or so about HIV treatment helping stop the spread of HIV. 96% of HIV transmissions among couples are blocked by early treatment of the partner with HIV, was the headline result from a multinational study.
The results were so striking that the study was stopped three years early and everyone with HIV who was not already on HIV treatment was immediately offered HIV treatment.
The results show that treating people living with HIV is at least as good as using condoms to prevent HIV transmission.
Universal access to treatment goal
This treatment for prevention success offers an extra reason for pushing the world to achieve the internationally agreed World Health Organisation goal of universal access to HIV treatment, prevention and care. The goal was to reach universal access by 2010, but better late than never. Millennium Development Goal 6 includes halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.
Gay men too?
The study included hardly any gay couples (only 3% were gay), so the results don’t prove a 96% reduction in transmission in gay couples. Other evidence already strongly suggests gay men living with HIV on successful treatment are also much less likely to transmit HIV, but probably not by the same amount. (Anal sex is riskier than vaginal sex for passing on HIV, gay men tend to have more partners than heterosexual couples, and other sexually transmitted infections also raise the risks).
What they found
The study began in 2005 of 1763 couples where one partner has HIV and the other did not (97% were heterosexual couples). They wanted to find out whether HIV treatment prevented the uninfected partner from getting HIV. It was an international study at 13 sites in Botswana, Brazil, India, Kenya, Malawi, S Africa, Thailand, USA (only one couple were from the USA), and Zimbabwe.
They split the couples in half randomly and half the partners with HIV immediately started HIV treatment (with CD4 counts higher than normal for starting treatment at between 350 and 550). The other half of positive partners only started treatment when their CD4 count fell to 250 or less, or they developed an AIDS defining illness.
- 39 (2.2%) of the negative partners out of 1763 got HIV
- Up to 11 of the 39 got HIV from someone else, not their partner in the study
- 28 (1.5%) got HIV from their partner in the study, and all but one of those were infected by positive partners who were in the delayed treatment half of the study.
That result was so stark they stopped the study and offered immediate treatment to everyone with HIV not already on treatment because the prevention effect of early treatment was so clear. Early treatment also prevented partners from getting tuberculosis (TB) with only 3 of the people treated early getting TB, compared with 17 of those treated after their CD4 count fell below 250. There were slightly more deaths among the deferred treatment group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
You can read the report from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases here and their Q&A page about the study here
Aidsmap’s report
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Hear Results of Euro Sex Survey
posted: 27/04/2011
Come and find out the results from the biggest every survey of gay men's sex lives. In summer 2010 over 1650 men from North-West England (800+ in Greater Manchester), took part in the online European gay men’s sex survey. 180,000 gay and bi men across Europe joined in – the world’s biggest survey of gay men's sex lives and life.
Find out what’s going on
On Tuesday 31 May in the early evening, at LGF in the heart of Manchester’s gay village, you can find out
- A bit about this Europe-wide survey
- Find out what’s going on across Europe
- See how the UK compares with other countries
- Find out how NW England measures up to other UK regions
Over about two hours there will be a mix of Presentations, Question and Answers, and Group Discussions.
Welcome to all interested in gay men's sexlives and HIV prevention needs
It’s open to everyone interested – people from the gay community, people interested in HIV prevention for men who have sex with men, people providing or commissioning health and social services, gay community organisation staff and volunteers, clinic and social services staff, gay businesses, helpline and switchboard workers, gay youth groups, …..
Book your seat by Friday 20 May
Refreshments and nibbles provided, and it’s free – you just need to book so there’ll be enough room, nibbles and refreshments for all
There’s a simple booking form HERE you email back to Shaun at LGF
All he needs to know is your name and an email address and tell him you want to come to the GMSS Seminar on 31 May. If you work for an organisation he would like to know your organisation's name and your work email.
When and where
The evening is on Tuesday 31st May, it starts at 5.30pm and ends 7.30pm
Lesbian & Gay Foundation, 5 Richmond Street, Manchester, M1 3HF
Survey Results for anyone who wants to do some homework and ask smarter questions, here are the results for NW England
All the UK results are here
The rest of Europe, by country is here
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Changes to Our Services
posted: 18/04/2011
There are some exciting changes to services at George House Trust. Some of the group spaces will happen less often, but we will have three new services for everyone. People using George House Trust services have asked us for more chances to meet with a wide mix of people living with HIV – opportunities to meet others that are not based on gender, race, or sexuality.
Saturday Space is every month and will stay the same.
Weekly Gay Men’s Space
For the time being Gay Men’s Space will stay weekly on Monday evenings. This will be reviewed over the next 5 months. For now the gay men’s space is funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation but this funding will stop at the end of September. We have already talked about this at the space and all changes will be discussed fully with men at the space before changes are made.
African Space on 1st Tuesday of every month
The African Space will become monthly starting in May. African Space will be the first Tuesday of the month. It will be just like the African Space is now.
Coffee Morning on 2nd Tuesdays of every month
There will be a new Coffee Morning, run by volunteers on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, starting on the 10th of May. This will be from 10.30 – 12.30 and there will be a crèche. Coffee Mornings are for all people living with HIV. The Coffee Mornings will be run by volunteers and during the Coffee Morning there will be no access to staff, the reception, computers, phone nor emergency payments.
Women’s Space on 3rd Tuesday of every month
The Women’s Space will become monthly starting in May. Women’s Space will be the third Tuesday. It will be just like the Women’s Space is now.
Health Information Sessions on 4th Tuesday of every month
There will be new monthly Health Information Sessions, on the 4th Tuesday of the month. These will be from 12 noon – 2.30 and open to all people living with HIV. There is no need to book. These sessions will usually be led by George House Trust staff and each month there will be a different topic. There will be a crèche and some food.
When there are five Tuesdays in the month there will be no space or other service on the 5th Tuesday.
Monthly HIV Workshops - dates and times vary
In addition to the Tuesday services we will also be offering a monthly HIV workshop. There will not be a regular date because our training room is sometimes booked. The Monthly HIV Workshops will last about 3.5 hours. There will not be a crèche but we can help with child care costs if you ask in advance.
The next workshop will be about Disclosure, telling other people about having HIV, on Friday 27th May. We have not set the exact time yet.
You will need to book a place at these workshops in advance - please contact Nathan Perry the George House Trust Health Trainer for more details
Computers and Phone in reception
If you want to use the computers in our reception, please ring and book if you have credit on your phone. If you have not booked and just arrive you will be able to use the computer if one is free.
No appointment?
We want to strongly encourage people to always make appointments. The services team will only be able to see people without appointments if it is most urgent.
Check the website diary for more details and dates
The website diary has the dates and details of all services until the end of May, and for some services for after this. We will add all the dates and details for the rest of the year to the diary before the end of April. See our services diary
Tell us what you think
Lynda, our director of services is happy to receive feedback on all aspects of our work and services, please email her It is really important that we have your support and backing - we want to provide the services that you want and need.
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Search HIV Conference Papers
posted: 18/04/2011
The Global Forum on Men who have Sex with Men and HIV (MSMGF) have produced a useful searchable online catalogue of all the papers presented at the last International AIDS Conference, held in Vienna - AIDS 2010 - concerning men who have sex with men (MSM) including transgender people.
Searchable catalogue of conference abstracts - you can search by global region, sub-populations (groups affected), and themes.
Here’s the list of search categories to make it easier to find what is available.
Sub-population (affected groups)
• Bisexual / MSMW
• Ethnic Minorities
• Incarcerated Individuals
• LGBT
• Migrant, Immigrant
• MSM
• Older Sexual Minorities
• People Living with HIV
• People Who Use Drugs
• Rural Populations
• Sex Workers
• Transgender
• Youth
HIV issues
• Access to Services
• Care & Treatment
• Condom Use
• Education
• Epidemiology
• Government AIDS Programs
• HIV & AIDS
• Prevention Interventions (ARV-Based)
• Prevention Interventions (Behavioural)
• Prevention Interventions (General)
• Resilience
• Risk Factors
• Testing
Cross-Cutting Themes / Issues
• Advocacy
• Capacity-Building Assistance
• Civil Society
• Funding
• Gender
• Health (Non-HIV)
• Human Rights
• Mental Health
• Policy and Legislation
• Recreational Drugs
• Religion
• Research
• Self-Identification
• Sexuality
• Sexually Transmitted Infections
• Stigma / Discrimination
• Structural Interventions
• Tools & Trainings
• Violence
Searchable catalogue of conference abstracts
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Gay Businesses - HIV Prevention
posted: 18/04/2011
Gay venues and businesses, like saunas, clubs, bars, profile and other gay websites, travel agencies and hotels, can either help reduce, or may increase the numbers of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among gay, bi and other men who have sex with men (MSM).
There’s a new guide which sets out for businesses standards that will help not hinder HIV prevention called Everywhere. It comes from the University of Brighton.
Persuading gay businesses to help reduce the numbers of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) needs more than persuasion skills, it needs HIV prevention organisations to have ways of selling the advantages of HIV and STI prevention to these businesses.
Sex sells, so how can HIV prevention help these businesses sell themselves? The answers and training for HIV prevention organisations are provided in a training manual to go with the prevention standards manual for gay businesses.
One part of the training manual is called ‘Incentives for MSM business to be socially responsible’ and another is about working with hostile businesses. The training manual for helping HIV prevention organisations work with gay serving businesses to reduce HIV and other STI transmissions, is the Training Workbook on Social Mediation with Gay and MSM Businesses regarding HIV/STI prevention.
Both the standards for businesses and the the training manual are the work of the Europe-wide Everywhere Consortium for HIV prevention and their website has sections for gay men’s HIV and sexual health organisations, for businesses serving gay and bi men, and for gay men a section of the website lists venues and businesses which meet these HIV and sexual health prevention standards. So far few businesses are listed as meeting these standards - in the UK there are some in London and Brighton; in France some in Paris, in Spain some in Madrid, for example.
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