TREATMENT NEWS
BY LAURA WHITEHORN
Vaginal Gel Blocks HIV— and Herpes A microbicide gel containing ining the HIV drug tenofovir (found in Atripla, Complera, Viread iread and Truvada) has been shown wn to be somewhat of a barrier to HIV. But it also offers the positive side effect of blocking ocking herpes, too. In fact, while it reduces the chance of HIV transmission by 39 percent, cent, it reduces the chance you’ll contract herpes by 51 percent. It’s important to notee that only the gel, not the pill form of tenofovir, ofovir, produces this result. The gel is not yet available, but given its harm reduction ability, we’re hoping it hits the streets soon.
Java offers a jolt for hep C treatment.
Struggling With Your Hep C Treatment? Grab a Cup of Joe. Are you coinfected with hepatitis C? If you’re battling daily to keep taking your HIV meds and the drugs for hepatitis C treatment, consider pouring on the coffee. As we’ve previously reported, coffee has been shown to help slow the progression of liver disease and improve chances for some people to clear hepatitis C with treatment. Now it turns out that drinking three or more cups a day helps people overcome some of the treatment’s nasty side effects too. Not to mention that the extra caffeine may give you an energy boost and put an extra spring in your step. If you are having trouble taking your meds for either virus, ask your doctor or clinic for help. Good adherence is essential to fight both viruses. So treat yourself to a large cup of joe and keep your viruses at bay.
22 POZ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 poz.com
The injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera doesn’t just fail to protect against HIV—it actually raises the risk of giving and getting the virus during vaginal sex. How much? Women using the injections may be about twice as likely to contract HIV from HIV-positive sexual partners. And HIV-positive women who use injected or oral hormone-based contraceptives have about a two-times greater risk of transmitting HIV to negative partners. It’s not the first bad press for injectable contraceptives. In the United States, controversy has surrounded Depo-Provera and Norplant for years, partly because women on welfare were being coerced to take the shots. One Depo dose prevents pregnancy for three months; Norplant for five years.
CREDIT
Hormonal Contraceptive Shots Raise HIV Risk