from Hacker News

The global fight against HIV is at risk

by the88doctor on 11/4/23, 11:58 AM with 96 comments

by sargun on 11/4/23, 4:45 PM
One thing I'm confused about is why HIV at-home tests are not more available. There's Oraquick (https://oraquick.com/), which in bulk is $15/test, whereas its about $40 retail. On the other hand, we've gotten COVID tests down to something like $5 retail. On top of that, it's relatively easy to get free COVID tests.
Imagine if you could test for this right before you "got down." I imagine that'd change the game.
Although, a terrible part of me wonders if the condom debate will become the same as masks.
by thenerdhead on 11/4/23, 7:21 PM
> Scientists, health care experts, global health leaders, and advocates must stand up at this critical moment, learn more about PEPFAR, and articulate with clarity what the program does and does not do. Now is the time to meet and share information with lawmakers and Congressional staff. Write letters. Speak out. The lives of millions hang in the balance.
It is at risk. 20 years of investment have gone into it. Now, many renowned HIV researchers seem to be pivoting to help covid / long covid efforts, an epidemic within the pandemic. And they are finding it is similar to HIV - the only reason we cannot cure HIV is because the virus hides where the HIV drugs can’t go in. Leading to high inflammation.
Many researchers believe that if we go all in on one of these, it is possible we can make breakthroughs in HIV, ME/CFS, and post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS) in general. I remain hopeful.
We need a real moonshot here for many things. i.e. similar to what long covid is trying right now https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03225-w
by photochemsyn on 11/4/23, 3:50 PM
The main issue is not even mentioned - cheap anti-HIV drugs require escape from patents and promotion of generic manufacturing to reduce costs to the level that poor countries can afford to buy or produce the necessary retrovirals.
https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/75/Supplement_4/S557/68...
> "Critical to the therapeutics market has been the role of generic drug manufacturers’ ability to supply low- and middle-income (LMIC) markets with off-patent and licensed products at a high volume and relatively low cost."
HIV patients in wealthy countries are a cash cow for the pharmaceutical industry, at least for as long as a permanent one-shot cure is not discovered, but there's no profit in making drugs for people who can't afford to pay for them. As Goldman Sachs noted, discovery of a cure would destroy the market. Isn't capitalism great?
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/11/goldman-asks-is-curing-patie...
by loeg on 11/4/23, 4:50 PM
The tl;dr portion relevant to the title is buried in the middle of one of the paragraphs:
> Yet, current reauthorization is at an impasse because of misperceptions and inaccurate assertions that have no bearing whatsoever on PEPFAR’s purpose and work. Some conservative voices contend that PEPFAR funds support access to abortions, assertions that PEPFAR staff and public health leaders repeatedly affirm are groundless. Other concerns point to PEPFAR language regarding groups that scientific data have shown to be at-risk for HIV and whose members need HIV prevention and treatment services, including transgender people and sex workers.
by graphe on 11/4/23, 5:06 PM
The title should be "consideration for the reallocation of funds to more beneficial uses". HIV infections in the US are easily preventable even with current treatments.
by lionkor on 11/4/23, 4:15 PM
> global fight
it sounds like this is mostly about the US?
by Throw83858 on 11/4/23, 3:58 PM
It is also crisis of trust. Western medical companies, Bill Gates foundations etc do not have best reputation in Africa. There were all sorts of experiments done on people, some medications were not as effective as promised... And there is a heavy political and cultural interference, that is just not acceptable in Africa!
by huytersd on 11/4/23, 3:31 PM
I’m going to be very mad if there is a resurgence in HIV because of the asinine GOP. If people have to be worried again about their next sexual contact (condoms only offer between 70-90% protection against HIV), we will return to a prudish lifestyle again at a time the west can least afford it with falling birth rates.