AIDS drug is designed to protect against HIV infection

The majority of AIDS patients have been infected with HIV during unprotected sex. This was announced by the German Aids Help e.V. on the occasion of the World AIDS Day. In this context, a pharmaceutical company has unveiled a new drug designed to protect against HIV infection. However, the new drug is under heavy criticism.

24/11/2010

After the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) pointed out in the run-up to the World AIDS Day that around 3,000 people are still living with HIV in Germany every year and around 70,000 people suffer from AIDS in Germany, the discussion is about the right prevention measures and dealing with those affected in full swing. For example, the German AIDS Aid stated that around 90 percent of those infected with HIV were infected during unprotected sexual intercourse. The initiators of the World AIDS Day supplemented that society's handling of AIDS is still difficult today. Because many people underestimate the risk of infection and the reaction of the other people to a disease in their personal environment is often uncomprehending, negative or exclusionary, so the statement of the experts.

Campaign for the World AIDS Day
For the World Aids Day, the German Aids-Hilfe therefore launches the nationwide campaign „Living together positively - but for sure“, which aims, on the one hand, to contribute to the reduction of stigmatization and discrimination against those infected with HIV and, on the other hand, to sensitize the population to effective self-protection. Because according to the German Aids help, about 90 percent of those affected in unprotected sexual intercourse, most of them being male. Contrary to widespread prejudices, it is by no means only gays who are affected, but heterosexual men as well. However, with around 42,000 of the 70,000 infections, homosexual men still account for by far the largest share among those infected with HIV, according to the RKI. Here, condoms provide effective protection that could have prevented infections during intercourse, the German Aids-Hilfe further explained. It is „everyone (...) is responsible for themselves and can protect themselves, "emphasized Bernhard Eberhardt of Aids-Hilfe.

30 percent of those infected with HIV do not know anything about their infection
As Waltraud Schwendele of the German Aids help in the press conference announced, know „About 30 percent of those infected (...) have not heard of their infection“. Therefore, the German Aids-Hilfe appeals as well as the doctor Cornelia Otto of the health department to people who had unprotected sex with casual acquaintances to be tested. On the one hand, this would reduce the risk of infection for others, as those affected would often unknowingly transmit the pathogen and, on the other hand, improve the chances of treating themselves. The sooner the infection is detected, the more possibilities there are in therapy. This is how Bernhard Eberhardt explained: „AIDS is preventable today if the treatment starts early.“ The doctor from the health department, Cornelia Otto stressed that the drugs were also getting better, that is, the effectiveness increased and the side effects were reduced. Today, patients sometimes come out with one tablet a day, taking it „earlier (...) were some 20 ", explained the expert.

With optimal treatment, an HIV-infected person today has so few viruses in the body that he can hardly pass them on, added Waltraud Schwendele. In order to detect all infections as early as possible, Aids-Hilfe, in cooperation with the health department, offers rapid tests once a month, which are relatively well received. In addition to persons from the risk groups, couples who want to stay together longer and refrain from condoms can also be examined more frequently as a precautionary measure, explained the German AIDS Aid.

New drug to protect against HIV infection
While HIV prevention through appropriate sexual intercourse is an effective way to prevent disease, many researchers and pharmaceutical manufacturers are already looking for a drug that protects against HIV infection in a preventive manner. They have now been able to achieve further successes, such as Robert Grant and colleagues from the University of California in San Francisco in the current issue of the „New England Journal of Medicine“ to report. For example, in a study of 2,499 healthy men from South America, South Africa, Thailand and the United States, who had intercourse with other men on a regular basis, the researchers could demonstrate that with the preventive use of the drug „Truvada“ the number of HIV infections has fallen by nearly 44 percent. Among the subjects who took the drug on at least 90 percent of the days, the risk of infection had even reduced by 72.8 percent, the scientists further reported. In contrast to previously used preventive drugs, the participants in the study period of 14 months would have suffered relatively rarely from side effects, so the statement of the US researchers. Here, the pharmaceutical manufacturers are already scenting lucrative business, because with a preparation that must be taken continuously preventive to protect against HIV infection, could truly make a lot of money.

New drug for AIDS prevention is criticized
The fact that the risk of HIV infection can be reduced with the help of preventive medicines has long been known in the art. But the procedure is not undisputed. For example, the AIDS researcher from the University Hospital Essen, explained. Stefan Esser, that he is „ethically questionable“ finds, when instead of the infected the healthy ones are treated with medicines. Even with the drug treatment of AIDS patients, the risk of infection for all others can be minimized and at the same time help those affected. It makes more sense, instead of healthy to give the infected persons medication. This would save the lives of AIDS victims and at the same time, the sexual partners are relatively well protected from illness, stressed the Essen AIDS researchers.

Through the drug treatment, the pathogens in the body of the HIV-infected are reduced so much that the risk of infection for the partner during sexual intercourse can be reduced by 90 percent. Given a reduction in the risk of infection of a maximum of almost 73 percent, which in the current study by the preventive intake of „Truvada“ 90 percent is a very convincing value. While it may be justified in individual cases that, for example, medical personnel who come into contact with the pathogen receives preventive medication to prevent HIV infection, but in general, the treatment of the affected patients seems more appropriate. The experts agree that until today the use of a condom offers the best infection protection. (Fp)

Also read:
70,000 people in Germany suffer from AIDS
Precursors of AIDS viruses tens of thousands of years old
AIDS: SI virus is considered a precursor to HIV
Why some people do not get AIDS despite HIV
World AIDS Day: more solidarity demanded
AIDS: No fate with real antibodies?

Picture credits: segovax