The State of the HIV Epidemic

January 6, 2016 10:06 AM

"This summer will mark 35 years since the first reports of AIDS. Additionally, two decades have now passed since combination antiretroviral treatment began to transform a health crisis into a more manageable public health concern. "

Related: Atlanta’s alarming HIV/AIDS epidemic reminiscent of New York in the ’80s

AIDS at 35

posted by roomthreeseventeen (7 comments total)

Happy, uh, birthday?

Heartening fact I have no source for but remember reading: more than half of the world's HIV cases are being treated with antiretrovirals, the highest number ever.

I find it astonishing how many heterosexual people have never heard of Truvada (pre-exposure prophylaxis). Including physicians I know. As this awareness spreads (and eventually the drug becomes generic), we're looking at a changed world.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 10:12 AM on January 6, 2016

Speaking yesterday to employees at the Health and Human Services Department, Reagan declared, "One of our highest public-health priorities is going to continue to be finding a cure for AIDS."

However, in the budget he sent to Congress yesterday, the administration proposed dramatic cuts in the money for research and care programs related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Those cuts were called "mindboggling" by Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D., Calif.), chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees the AIDS spending.

Ah, Ronnie...and they want your likeness put up on Mt Rushmore?
posted by Postroad at 10:15 AM on January 6, 2016

When I think back to my time as a young gay man in the 1980s and how many friends died of this disease, I'm absolutely stunned and thrilled by the fact that there are large swaths of the population who have their disease under control. However, it still amazes me that so many people who consider themselves worldly on many topics have absolutely no idea how the virus works, what the risks actually are with undetectable viral loads/prep, and what your chances are of living with the disease. I think it's easy to think that things have been all wrapped up with HIV due to antiviral drugs, but without a concerted last push to eliminate the virus once and for all, we could so easily backslide, and that scares me.
posted by xingcat at 10:29 AM on January 6, 2016 [7 favorites]

My local department of health currently has a campaign going on with posters on the subways and city buses about PrEP, featuring both gay and straight couples. It's really great.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:40 AM on January 6, 2016 [8 favorites]

.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:15 PM on January 6, 2016

However, it still amazes me that so many people who consider themselves worldly on many topics have absolutely no idea how the virus works, what the risks actually are with undetectable viral loads/prep, and what your chances are of living with the disease.

On the other side of the coin I am surprised by how many (generally straight) people are unaware of the extent to which treatment has progressed.
posted by atoxyl at 1:05 AM on January 7, 2016

I don't know where else to put this, but I lost another friend this week. HIV-related cancer.

On one hand, my list of the dead hasn't grown very much over the last 15 years. On the other hand, my list has grown. I keep losing people. It is so very sad and painful.
posted by Sophie1 at 11:23 AM on January 8, 2016