HIV/AIDS Working Group to Meeting January 28th

The DC Center invites all interested individuals and organizations to join us at the table for our first meeting of the Gay, Bi, and Trans HIV/AIDS Working Group.

The DC Center and SMYAL recently organized the HIV/AIDS Town Hall Listen, Gay Men in Their Twenties Talk About Their Lives, Their Futures, and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in DC.

Building on this effort, this working group will provide a place for us to come together and plan concrete steps to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic among gay, bisexual, and transgender men in the District of Columbia.

Please join us Wednesday January 28th at 7:00 PM at The DC Center, 1111 14th St NW Suite 350.

We've also set up a new e-mail list for this working group which you can join by clicking here.

WWC Announces Changes

Kaiser Daily provides a summary of this Article.

The deteriorating state of the economy will force Whitman-Walker Clinic to close or outsource some programs and lay off up to 45 employees by the end of the first quarter of 2009. A combination of declining revenues and an increase in new patients coming to the clinic for uncompensated health care led Whitman-Walker to take action. Many new patients lost their jobs and no longer have either the income or the health coverage to pay for care they need. Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia will close by the end of the first quarter of 2009. All patients have the option to transition to the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center or Max Robinson Center. The Bridge Back program, a residential addictions treatment program, will also close by the end of the first quarter of 2009. Current patients whose course of treatment will end on or before Feb. 28 will be allowed to complete the program before it's closed. Other patients will be transitioned to other treatment programs in the community. While up to 20 administrative positions will be eliminated, some additional positions to generate revenue or to improve efficiency of operations will be created. The clinic expanded their grant requests to include more health care areas such as primary care and chronic disease management.

Washington Post Examines History of Whitman Walker Clinic

The Washington Post on Tuesday examined the history of Whitman Walker Clinic, which recently sold its property for $8 million to "beat back mounting debt," the Post reports, adding that the organization will continue to operate in a new, smaller space two blocks from the old location. The clinic currently serves about 10,000 clients, 3,400 of whom are living with HIV. According to the Post, the sale of the clinic's property "was just another real estate deal among many," and the move is a "kind of requiem" for the people who have been involved with the clinic.

Whitman-Walker purchased its former property in 1986 for $1.25 million. Jim Graham -- a lawyer who was Whitman-Walker's executive director for 14 years and currently is a district council member -- made the purchase to "launch a full scale defense for AIDS patients: medical, dental, psychological and legal services," the Post reports. Graham said, "You took great satisfaction in doing what you could do, but you knew the suffering was horrific. It affected everything you did." The Post reports that the clinic "desperately needed money" to provide services to people living with the virus, and "when other institutions wanted nothing to do with AIDS" then-Mayor Marion Barry and the Meyer Foundation were the earliest financial supporters of the clinic, in addition to the gay community, which covered almost half of the operating costs through donations.

According to the Post, the clinic had a staff of 34 with 700 volunteers by 1987 and was able to hire a full-time lawyer and open a food bank. The clinic in 1987 "could not provide the most elusive antidote: medicine to stop or cure the virus"; however, that same year treatment and prevention of pneumocystis pneumonia -- which is often fatal in people living with AIDS -- was found in aerosol pentamidine and Bactrim tablets, and the first FDA-approved antiretroviral drug -- zidovudine, also known as AZT -- was made available to people living with the virus.

According to the Post, the clinic began to apply for grant money totaling $3 million in 1991. About 10 years into the epidemic, the clinic had treated 2,600 clients, of which 1,600 had died. The Post reports that education about AIDS "had calmed some of the paranoia, but not all," and that "race was a tricky complication." Barbara Chin, a clinic staff member, said, "The white boys had gotten to the point where they said, 'I'm gay and to hell with you.' African-Americans were afraid that someone would label them HIV. This was their home town."

The Post reports that in the early 1990s, many of the clinic's clients were entering into clinical research trials in an attempt to increase their life expectancies. Patricia Hawkins, a psychologist and social worker with the clinic since 1984, said the participants "are the unsung heroes of the epidemic. It was all about the people who would come later. And they were right." By 1994, the clinic had purchased additional property and expanded its operations, and the clinic "that used to represent death adjusted to caring for people living long-term with HIV," according to the Post.

However, the clinic recently has experienced financial difficulties as the issue of HIV has become "more of a poverty issue," the Post reports. The clinic's staff has been reduced from 252 to 173 employees, with additional restructuring expected. Hawkins said that data scheduled to be released soon will show that HIV prevalence in the district is increasing. "I wake up every day fearing that a new, faster, more virulent form of this virus will hit us," Hawkins said.

-From Kaiser Daily Health Update

Read the article

Spotlight: HIV/AIDS and Heterosexuals in Washington DC

The new HIV/AIDS data reveals that heterosexual contact now leads as the risk factor for newly reported HIV cases. The new District of Columbia infection numbers are significantly higher than the national statistics.

Heterosexuals accounted for 37% of new HIV infections among adults and adolescents in the District, but comprised only 17% of new HIV infections among adults and adolescents in the United States in 2005.

Find out more. View the Squidoo HIV/AIDS and Heterosexuals Page

Recovery from Crystal Meth: One Man's Story

The DC Crystal Meth Working Group has released it's first video featuring Jimmy Garza talking about his recovery from crystal meth addiction.

This is a first in a series of videos the group will do with local gay, bisexual, and transgender men talking about health and wellness issues that impact our lives and our community.

If you are interested in telling your story, or assisting with the video project, please e-mail videoproject@thedccenter.org.

Watch our first video below or at www.letstalkaboutmeth.org.

The Basics: HIV/AIDS Microbicide Research

What is a Microbicide?

A microbicide is a product designed to prevent or greatly reduce the risk of acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) during sexual activity. Many potential microbicides are now being tested, but none have been proven to be effective.

Virtually all of these products are 'topical' microbicides. A topical microbicide can take many forms, such as a foam, cream, or gel, which is applied directly to the vagina or rectum. It could also be a suppository (medication that is inserted into a body cavity like the vagina or rectum).

You may also hear people use the term 'oral' microbicide. This refers to a pill that could be taken (swallowed) to prevent the transmission of HIV and other STD's. Tenofovir, a drug that is now widely used in treatment of HIV and AIDS, is currently being tested for possible use as such a product that HIV-negative people could take regularly to reduce their risk of HIV infection.

A New Tool in the Prevention Toolbox

If a microbicide is discovered, it would be a welcome addition to current HIV prevention tools. It would not, however, replace other prevention tools like male condoms, female condoms, dental dams, or latex gloves. The proper and consistent use of a condom during intercourse is still your best bet for preventing HIV transmission, and that is unlikely to change even if a microbicide is found.

In fact, it's likely that the first microbicide (or HIV Vaccine) to be developed will only be partially effective. A partially effective microbicide doesn't sound very promising, but it could actually have a huge impact on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Experts suggest that over a three year period, a partially effective microbicide could prevent well over two million HIV infections worldwide. ¹

For those who consistently use condoms, a microbicide could be used as an added preventive measure. For those who, for whatever reason, do not always use condoms, a microbicide could be used alone to reduce risk of HIV transmission.

Women & Vaginal Microbicides

Male-to-female transmission of HIV and female-to-male transmission of HIV are not the same. Women are twice as likely as men to contract HIV from a single act of unprotected sex because of their biological differences. ² This is one reason women are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS.

In the United States women comprise a growing share of new AIDS cases each year. The proportion of AIDS cases among women has more than tripled since 1986 from 7% to 23% ³. In sub-Saharan Africa, women make up 57% of those living with HIV, and 75% of young people infected are women and girls. ⁴

New HIV prevention strategies for women are clearly needed. A microbicide is one such strategy. For millions of women around the world, negotiating condom use with a partner can be extremely difficult, if not impossible. A microbicide would help to address this by empowering women to take action and reduce their risk of HIV infection on their own.

Microbicides would not just benefit women, though. In theory, such a microbicide could also prevent HIV transmission from a woman to her male partner.

Rectal Microbicides

Less research has been done on rectal microbicides, than vaginal microbicides. Unfortunately, just because a microbicide works vaginally, does not mean it will also work rectally. There are many differences between the rectum and vagina which include:

• The vagina is an enclosed space, while the anus, rectum, and colon are continuous and open-ended.


• The vaginal epithelium (membrane tissue) is 40 cell layers thick, while the epithelium of the rectum is only 1 cell layer thick, and therefore more fragile.


• The human vagina is a moderately acidic environment, the rectum is not; Both have different ecologies. ⁵

What works as an effective vaginal microbicide, could actually be harmful if used rectally. We cannot make any assumptions. Clearly it will be important to test microbicides for safety in both environments and to educate consumers about the differences that may exist.

Rectal microbicide research will be crucial for gay, bisexual, and transgender men, but many others will benefit from this research as well. One study showed that among a group of women at high risk for becoming HIV positive, 32% had engaged in anal intercourse. ⁶

The State of Microbicide Research

Most microbicide research is funded by the public sector (like our federal government and other countries) and philanthropic organizations (like non-profit organizations). Pharmaceutical companies have traditionally shied away from microbicide out of concerns including the scientific feasibility, the demand for a microbicide, and the profit margins. ⁸ This, however, is starting to change.

70% of all United States funding for Microbicide research and development is through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH supports microbicide research in part, through the Microbicide Trials Network (http://www.mtnstopshiv.org/). ¹⁰

For more information on Microbicide Research

Alliance for Microbicide Development

8484 Georgia Ave, Suite 940, Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 587-9690

www.microbicide.org

The Alliance for Microbicide Development is a global, non-profit organization whose sole mission is to speed the development of safe, effective, and affordable microbicides to prevent sexually transmitted infections, most critically HIV/AIDS.

Global Campaign for Microbicides (c/o PATH)

1800 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006
(202) 822-0033

www.global-campaign.org

The Global Campaign for Microbicides is a broad-based, international effort to build support among policymakers, opinion leaders, and the general public for increased investment into microbicides and other user-controlled prevention methods.

---

1. Topical Microbicides, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, June, 2003 note: the Global Campaign for Microbicides, apparently looking at the same study (AIDS Volume 17:1227-1237, May 23, 2002) puts this number at 2.5 million.

2. The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. Media Briefing Report. (Available on-line at http://womenandaids.unaids.org/themes/theme_7.html).

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, Year-End Editions, 1986, 1999

4. UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNIFEM. Women and HIV/AIDS: Confronting the Crisis, 2004.

5. These three bullet points are adapted from the presentation: Shake That Booty, No One Left Behind: Rectal Microbicides, LifeLube, and the Fight for the Next Generation HIV Prevention, Jim Picket, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, May 24th, 2005

6. Gross M, Holte SE, Marmor M, et al. Anal sex among HIV-seronegative women at high risk of HIV exposure. The HIVNET Vaccine Preparedness Study 2 Protocol Team, Journal of AIDS, 24(4):393-8,2000.

7. Shake That Booty, No One Left Behind: Rectal Microbicides, LifeLube, and the Fight for the Next Generation HIV Prevention, Jim Picket, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, May 24th, 2005

8. Preparing for Microbicide Access and Use, A Report by the Access Working Group of the Microbicide Initiative funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, 2000

9. Public and Philanthropic Investments, The Microbicide Quarterly, Alliance for Microbicide Development. January, February, March, 2005 v.3 no.1 page 18.

10. Public and Philanthropic Investments, The Microbicide Quarterly, Alliance for Microbicide Development. January, February, March, 2005 v.3 no.1 page 18.


Written by David Mariner, special thanks to Jim Pickett and Anna Forbes

Condom Distribution Program Public Health Analyst Position

The DC Condom Distribution Program in the DC Dept. of Health HIV/AIDS Administration aims to increase condom availability, education and safe sex materials in the District of Columbia. The goal is to reach 3 million free condoms per year. According to recent surveys, only about 1 in 4 residents use condoms on a semi-regular basis. Condoms are 95% effective in blocking transmission of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

The Public Health Analyst will be a key member of the team to implement the program, including strategic planning to increase the number of venues in the city for condom distribution, developing new educational and promotional materials, coordinating procurement and supply chain management for condom purchases and distribution, analyzing budget trends, coordinating consultation with community partners, conducting site visits to community locations, developing and coordinating community promotional events, coordinating with other District agencies on condom availability, working with social marketing contractor on media and creative promotional material, and reviewing and updating agency web site.

Other tasks include the direction of other safe sex products: female condoms and dental dams. Special projects will cover youth-oriented condom supplies and distribution and researching and helping develop a new program on female condom distribution. For the position, there is a preference for someone having skills in the logistics of supplies, community outreach and familiarity with DC.

Specific responsibilities include:

Team member of the DC free condom and safe sex materials distribution program.

Liaison between HAA and distribution contractor, tracking orders and shipments, managing the database of condom program participants, monitoring condom partner quantities and conducting quality assurance checks.

Conduct community outreach to recruit traditional and non-traditional partners to maximize condom availability to reach the goals of the program.

Work with the HAA social marketing contractor and community partners on creative material and marketing strategies to change condom behavior.

Facilitate internal HAA team working on the program.

For more information about this position contact the HIV/AIDS Administration.

Community Members Discuss HIV/AIDS and Younger Gay Men

Community members gathered at the HRC Equality Center last Thursday for: Listen, Gay Men in Their Twenties Talk About Their Lives, Their Futures, and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in DC. The event was co-sponsored by The DC Center, The DC Crystal Meth Working Group, and SMYAL. It was a great opportunity to have a frank conversation about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in DC.

click here to see pictures from this event

In 2009, we plan to establish an HIV/AIDS Working Group at The DC Center modelled after the DC Crystal Meth Working Group, to continue to work on this very important issue.

In the meantime, here are some ways you can stay involved:

• Visit the Fight HIV in DC Website (www.fighthivindc.org) or join the yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fighthivindc) for regular updates on HIV in DC
  
  
• Show your support by joining the Fight HIV in DC groups on Facebook (click here) or MySpace (click here).
  
  
• Join us February 11th at Be Bar for our first-ever Fight HIV in DC Benefit Event. 10% of the proceeds from the night will benefit our HIV/AIDS outreach, education, and advocacy efforts. For more information about this event click here.
  
  
• Consider volunteering for Figh HIV in DC by blogging or coming into our office at The DC Center once a week to voluneer

Thanks to everyone who helped to make this event a success!

Be Charitable: Fight HIV in DC

Join us for our first ever Fight HIV in DC benefit event.

Stop by Be Bar on Sunday on February 8th from 5:00 to 9:00 PM for drinks and fun. Ten percent of the proceeds for the night will benefit Fight HIV in DC outreach, education, and advocacy efforts.

We'll also be taking $5 donations at the door and raffle off some great prizes (if you have a raffle prize you would like to donate, please send an e-mail here)

Be Bar is located at 1318 9th Street NW DC 20001.

To RSVP for this event on facebook, click here.

Hope DC Holiday Social

Hope DC will hold their annual holiday party will take place Saturday, December 13th at 8:00 PM. To get more details, call (202) 466-5783.

Hope DC, a group for HIV positive gay men and their supporters in DC, organizes monthly social events in our area. For more information, visit www.hopedc.org.

Beyond Bread Focuses on HIV/AIDS in DC

Beyond Bread, the official blog of Bread for the City, Bread for the City, will mark World AIDS Day by blogging daily about HIV/AIDS this week. Be sure to check out their blog at:

http://breadforthecity.blogspot.com

DC Fights Back Calls for an End to the HIV/AIDS Housing Waiting List

Calling attention to the hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS on waiting lists for housing in the District of Columbia, DC Fights Back staged a demonstration on World AIDS Day.

People living with HIV/AIDS and advocates picketed at the DC Branch office of the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, and erected tents labeled 'AIDS Housing' to call attention to the issue.

See pictures from this event here.

DC Fights Back (DCFB) is an all-volunteer network of people living with HIV/AIDS and their allies working to engage themselves and the community in every aspect of HIV advocacy for District residents and to end stigma to ensure the best possible treatment and care for those living with HIV/AIDS and implement the best possible science-based HIV prevention for everybody. Find out more at www.dcfightsback.org.