AIDS

New Pandemic Agreement: Pharma Wins, Developing World Loses, says AHF Global Public Health Institute

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 24, 2024

As the final Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement approaches, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the AHF Global Public Health Institute are voicing significant concerns about the April 16, 2024, Proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement .

Key Points: 
  • As the final Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement approaches, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the AHF Global Public Health Institute are voicing significant concerns about the April 16, 2024, Proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement .
  • In addition to the GPMB and the IPPPR, the Panel for a Global Public Health Convention and Spark Street Advisors have also emphasized the critical need for independent monitoring.
  • Empty handshakes in Geneva will not prevent another global health disaster, nor will it keep countries from trampling over each other when the next pandemic comes.
  • To learn more about the AHF Global Public Health Institute, visit https://ahfinstitute.org/ .

Vir Biotechnology Announces Nomination of Norbert Bischofberger, Ph.D. and Ramy Farid, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (“Vir” or “the Company”, Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the nomination of Norbert Bischofberger, Ph.D. and Ramy Farid, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors (the “Board”) at its upcoming annual meeting of stockholders on May 29, 2024 (the “Annual Meeting”).

Key Points: 
  • Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (“Vir” or “the Company”, Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the nomination of Norbert Bischofberger, Ph.D. and Ramy Farid, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors (the “Board”) at its upcoming annual meeting of stockholders on May 29, 2024 (the “Annual Meeting”).
  • The nomination of the two new independent directors demonstrates Vir’s commitment to ongoing Board refreshment.
  • Marianne De Backer, M.Sc., Ph.D., MBA, Vir’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are incredibly excited about the prospect of adding such highly talented directors in Norbert and Ramy to the Board.
  • Previously, he served on the board of directors of Nimbus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company he helped found in 2009.

Measles is Back Thanks to Vaccination Backlash, Notes AHF

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 16, 2024

The largest burden of cases is in Chicago, IL (Cook County), where there are more than 50 cases.

Key Points: 
  • The largest burden of cases is in Chicago, IL (Cook County), where there are more than 50 cases.
  • In 2023, Chicago had five total cases of measles – the first cases in the state since 2019.
  • Fifty-six percent of measles cases this year have led to hospitalization.
  • “Sixty-five percent of people diagnosed with measles are under the age of five, and this is a fully preventable virus,” said Dr. Michael Dube, National Medical Director for AHF Public Health Division.

MISTR, Known for its Free Online PrEP and Long-Term HIV Care, is Now Prescribing DoxyPEP

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 16, 2024

MISTR, the largest telemedicine provider offering free online PrEP and long-term HIV care in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, is now prescribing Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (DoxyPEP), an antibiotic that reduces bacterial STIs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis.

Key Points: 
  • MISTR, the largest telemedicine provider offering free online PrEP and long-term HIV care in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, is now prescribing Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (DoxyPEP), an antibiotic that reduces bacterial STIs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis.
  • Beginning today, patients can now use MISTR’s seamless telehealth platform to receive DoxyPEP online for free.
  • “I’m proud that MISTR is democratizing access to PrEP, HIV Care, and now DoxyPEP.”
    DoxyPEP has already shown promising results in reducing the rates of certain STIs.
  • Now MISTR patients can receive DoxyPEP, in addition to their PrEP or HIV care medications.

Vir Biotechnology to Provide Business Update and Report First Quarter 2024 Financial Results on May 2, 2024

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 11, 2024

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the Company will provide a corporate update and report financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, on May 2, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the Company will provide a corporate update and report financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, on May 2, 2024.
  • The Company will host a conference call at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time / 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on May 2, 2024.
  • The corporate update and financial results will be provided via a press release after market close and will be accessible under Press Releases in the Investors section of the Vir website at www.vir.bio .
  • A recorded version of the call will be available on the website approximately two hours after the completion of the event and will be archived there for 30 days.

Moderna Betrays Africa, Says AHF

Retrieved on: 
Friday, April 12, 2024

It raked in $30 billion in profit since 2021.

Key Points: 
  • It raked in $30 billion in profit since 2021.
  • Now, it claims the mRNA factory in Kenya is no longer worth the investment because the African market for vaccines is not profitable enough.
  • The only reason Moderna was able to achieve such astronomical profits in the first place was because it exploited publicly funded research and gained a stranglehold on the global supply of COVID-19 vaccines,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein.
  • To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org , find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare .

World Bicycle Relief Announces Strategic Initiative to Distribute 300,000 Bicycles, Boosting Healthcare, Education and Economic Opportunities Worldwide

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

CHICAGO, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- World Bicycle Relief today released its 2023 Impact Report, demonstrating significant achievements in empowering marginalized rural populations to access education, healthcare, and economic opportunities through life-changing bicycles. The organization also revealed its global strategy for 2024-2026, which targets the distribution of 300,000 additional bicycles to improve the lives of 1,500,000 people. 

Key Points: 
  • CHICAGO, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- World Bicycle Relief today released its 2023 Impact Report, demonstrating significant achievements in empowering marginalized rural populations to access education, healthcare, and economic opportunities through life-changing bicycles.
  • World Bicycle Relief's 2023 Impact Report demonstrates compelling evidence of how its sustainable bicycle ecosystem model, centered around its purpose-built Buffalo Bicycles, has catalyzed positive change for rural populations in developing countries.
  • Moreover, participants in Zimbabwe and Kenya experienced a significant 50% reduction in transportation costs, underscoring the economic impact of bicycle mobility.
  • The growth pathway focuses on enhancing the Buffalo Bicycle ecosystem and World Bicycle Relief's Mobilized Communities model to increase bicycle distribution in three sectors: education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Dining Out For Life® San Diego Returns on April 25, 2024

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 16, 2024

SAN DIEGO, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Diego LGBT Community Center (The Center) is excited to announce the return of Dining Out For Life® San Diego (DOFLSD) on Thursday, April 25, 2024. This annual culinary event brings together food enthusiasts, community members, and local restaurants in support of vital HIV and AIDS services and prevention programs across San Diego County. The Center invites the community to dine out at participating locations. A minimum of 25% of sales, and at some sites, up to 100%, is donated to HIV services across the county!

Key Points: 
  • SAN DIEGO, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Diego LGBT Community Center (The Center) is excited to announce the return of Dining Out For Life® San Diego (DOFLSD) on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
  • Funds raised during Dining Out For Life® San Diego directly support HIV services and prevention programs.
  • "Every year, Dining Out For Life® San Diego brings our community together in a celebration of joy, generosity, and support," said Cara Dessert, CEO, The San Diego LGBT Community Center.
  • For a list of participating restaurants and more information, visit Dining Out For Life® San Diego at thecentersd.org/dofl .

South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 25, 2024

But what is the real state of young South Africans – defined as people below the age of 34 – after 30 years of democracy?

Key Points: 
  • But what is the real state of young South Africans – defined as people below the age of 34 – after 30 years of democracy?
  • My recent research paper tracing 30 years of analysing youth marginalisation has found that youth in South Africa, who make up 34.3% of the population, have not fared well under democracy.

Measuring marginalisation

  • The survey recorded indicators like unemployment and level of education, as well as subjective views like feelings of alienation (not belonging in society).
  • The results were arranged on a scale of how far some young people had been pushed to the margins of society.
  • Comparing data from the 1992 and 2018 indices of youth marginalisation, the same proportion (5%) is clearly “lost” – scoring off the chart on virtually every indicator.
  • In terms of how much potential South Africa has squandered, they represent an entire generation of opportunity lost to the country.

Marginalised but not lost

  • As ever, they demonstrated their instrumental value to the adults controlling violence on various sides.
  • Those same adults and the media spoke of a “lost generation” – specifically, black, male, urban youth.

Marginalisation over time

  • In 1993, after first presenting to assembled youth organisations in 1992, we released the first iteration of the marginalisation index, Growing up Tough.
  • Despite the belief of our church sponsors that no-one is ever truly “lost”, that became the central category of the index.
  • In all, 5% of respondents scored high on all, or most, of the indicators in the 12 dimensions.
  • Most of the items in the index were later used by the Gauteng City Region Observatory in its early Quality of Life survey, allowing analysis of marginalisation across the entire Gauteng province population.
  • Only 0.3% of white youth (and 0.5% of Indian youth) showed signs of high marginalisation.


David Everatt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Pandemic Accord Must Work for All, says AHF

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024

“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how woefully unprepared we were in responding to deadly outbreaks – and sadly, four years later, we are still not prepared for the next big health crisis,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein.

Key Points: 
  • “The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how woefully unprepared we were in responding to deadly outbreaks – and sadly, four years later, we are still not prepared for the next big health crisis,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein.
  • “World leaders must get the Pandemic Accord back on track and negotiate it in good faith for the entire world—not just what’s best for their political and financial interests.
  • The new pandemic agreement must be based on transparency, accountability, and cooperation.
  • If World Health Assembly Member States fail to heed lessons from the past pandemic, the world will be right back where we started with COVID-19.