FDA Approves New HIV Med

Yesterday the FDA approved the second all-in-one daily combination pill for the treatment of HIV infection. The first such medication, Atripla, has been on the market for several years.

Complera, a complete single-tablet regimen containing Janssen Therapeutics’ Edurant (rilpivirine) and Gilead Sciences’ Viread (tenofovir) and Emtriva (emtricitabine), was approved August 10 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to an announcement by Gilead. Complera, the second all-in-one fixed-dose combination tablet for people living with HIV, is approved for those starting antiretroviral (ARV) therapy for the first time.

The new combination pill is not yet available in Europe.

The Changing Face Of AIDS

Hit this link for a huge interactive version of the above image. Definitely worth a few minutes of your day.

Mark King Attends The ADAP Conference

JMG reader Mark King sends us his recap of the AIDS Drugs Assistance Program (ADAP) conference, boiling the entire event down into a few minutes.

Quote Of The Day - Regan Hofmann

"I find it disconcerting that so many HIV treatment activists today, many of whom are living with HIV themselves, are wildly supportive of a prevention modality that has no benefit to people living with HIV other than arguably allowing HIV-positive people to have unprotected sex with HIV-negative people with a reduced risk of transmitting HIV, a risk that would be reduced further if the positive person was on treatment themselves. And especially when all activists could be advocating as vociferously for universal access to care for all people living with HIV; a prevention modality that has the added benefit of saving tens of millions of lives while stopping the spread of AIDS dead in its tracks. [snip] Make no mistake: PrEP is a profit-driven sex toy for rich Westerners, disguised as a harm-reduction and prevention tool for disenfranchised people at risk for HIV. And it's coming to a drugstore near you soon." - Regan Hofmann, Poz Magazine editor-in-chief.