THEGAYUK

Tag: HIV

Read the latest news and analysis of HIV in the UK and abroad. Browse THEGAYUK’s entire archive on news about HIV.

  • ADVICE | He Has HIV, Should I Call It Off?

    This week, sexual health expert Jose Perez de la Cruz, answers a reader’s question about a potential new boyfriend, who is HIV positive and is worried about having a sexual relationship with him.

    Hey there,

    I’ve met a really cute guy recently at a bar and we made out and he’s incredibly sexy and we had a great connection.

    We didn’t have sex, but the next day he texted me to say he was HIV+.

    Now I’m really nervous, I want to see him again, but I’m worried I might catch HIV if we have sex. Also long term, I like having sex unprotected, (only in a long-term) but that’s not going to be possible ever is it?

    Should I call it off?

     

    Hello,

    There is certainly no need to call off what could potentially be a very satisfying relationship, solely based on the fact that he is HIV positive.

    The risk of contracting HIV from someone during unprotected sex is determined by a number of factors. If an HIV positive individual is on medication, and his viral load is undetectable then there is very little chance of catching HIV from them, though, we cannot say it is impossible. An undetectable viral load means that the quantity of active HIV in a person’s bloodstream is so low that it is in fact almost zero. Conversely, the higher the viral load the more likely and indeed the easier it is to catch HIV.

    Therefore, I think the best thing to do prior to engaging in any sexual intercourse of any kind is to establish whether he is undetectable or not.

    Even if he isn’t there is always the option of using condoms. I understand that many people don’t like them, but if you choose to have unprotected sex with anyone, at least use a good water based lubricant.

    To a degree lube also reduces the risk of catching HIV as it reduces the internal trauma which commonly occurs during sex.

    Hope this helps.

    Jose Perez de la Cruz, BPubHtlth,

    Public Health Practitioner

    Did you know you can order an at-home HIV test online? Click here to buy one

    The advice given in this article is for guidance only and you should always seek your own independent, professional medical advice from your own GP if you are concerned about your health.  

    OTHER QUESTIONS: HIV | WILLY WONDERS | HOLES | DOING IT | STIs | LUMPS & BUMPS | BACK TO SEX CLINIC HOME PAGE

     

    Got a problem you’d like advice on?

  • Kay Burley Slammed For Calling Sexual Health Clinic “AIDS Clinic”

    Sky News’s Kay Burley has been criticised for calling 56 Dean Street, an “AIDS Clinic”

    Kay Burley has come under fire for calling 56 Dean Street, the NHS sexual health clinic, currently under fire for an email data breach, an “AIDS clinic.” 56 Dean Street is a sexual health clinic which is predominantly aimed at the gay community in London

    Tweeting about the email breach of around 780 of the clinic’s HIV patients, Kay Burley said,

    “Aids clinic which revealed patients names: Clearly this is completely unacceptable. We are urgently investigating how this has happened”

    Aids clinic which revealed patients names: Clearly this is completely unacceptable. We are urgently investigating how this has happened

     

    Slamming Ms. Burley, GMFA CEO Matthew Hodson corrected her by Tweeting,

    “Because of the great work of @56deanstreet & others very few people now progress to #AIDS. @KayBurley please get your terminology right.”

    Britain’s Got Talent’s Aaron Carty, who wowed judges with his Beyonce Experience, corrected the news anchor by saying,

    “It’s actually a sexual health clinic @KayBurley @SkyNews @56deanstreet”

    https://twitter.com/AaronCarty/status/639061301390655488

     

    Speaking to THEGAYUK about the mistake, a spokesperson for the clinic said,

    “We can confirm that due to an administrative error, a newsletter about services at 56 Dean Street was sent to an email group rather than individual recipients.

    We have immediately contacted all the email recipients to inform them of the error and apologise. Any concerned patients can call 020 3315 9555 and 020 3315 9594.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Clinic, Kings Head Theatre

    What happens when you go to a clinic? Well, if you’ve been taking drugs and having lots of unsafe sex, then you might be more likely be HIV+. The new play “The Clinic” explores this scenario, and so much more.

    Not so much a play but more of a health education lesson, “The Clinic” is produced by David Stuart, the Lead Substance Use Advisor at 56 Dean Street (a London sexual health clinic based in the heart of Soho), and written by Patrick Cash (writer for QX Magazine).

    We are introduced to characters that we may recognize and identify with, portrayed by a cast of London scenesters. DJ Stewart Who plays a sexual health advisor at the clinic; he used to be a drug addicted party animal but now he dispenses HIV advice and results to men much younger than him.

    Then there’s the wealthy businessman (Matthew Hodson) who enjoys sex with young men and thinks that he can buy them his love and affection. He’s also in HIV denial.

    Zacharian Fletcher is the confused young man, an extreme party boy who likes to go clubbing and take drugs, not necessarily in that order. He’s also into chillouts (orgies). And he’s got HIV. He meets (via Grinder) Damien Killen’s character, a young respectable guy who seems to have a good head on his shoulders, is handsome with a good body, who came to London only to somehow become HIV+. He feels like he’s no longer desired but now damaged.

    Then there’s Shirley (Pretty Miss Cairo). She runs a Vauxhall beauty clinic which acts as a sanctuary for the drugged out boys when the clubs close.

    These characters may not be real people, but they are composites of characters that Cash met and interviewed after 56 Dean Street commissioned him to write this play. He interviewed not just the people who work at the clinic but some of the patients as well.

    It’s a bare bones production, played in the very warm King’s Head Theatre in Angel (take a bottle of water with you, and a hand fan). And the cast should be admired for taking part in this play. It’s difficult at times to hear some of the dialogue (Stewart Who seems to be muttering his words while Fletcher is so soft-spoken I could hardly hear him at all), but Hodson (who is perfect as the villian), Miss Cairo and Killeen more than make up for the play’s faults.

    And as you enter the theatre before the play starts, you are given a glossary of terms referred to in the play. There were several words in the glossary that I had never heard of before, so I did learn something new by going to see the play ‘The Clinic.’

    It’s a perfect setting for a gay play, a place where we’ve all been to.

    ‘The Clinic’ is now playing at the Kings Head Theatre in London until August 29th.

    To buy tickets, please click here:

     

  • THEGAYUK supports The Freedom To Donate Blood Campaign

    TheGayUK’s editor has come out in support of a movement to change the laws surrounding blood donations from HIV-negative gay men in the UK.

    Speaking to Freedom to Donate, Jake Hook, THEGAYUK’s Editor in Chief offered a bold statement to back the campaign.

    He said,

    “TheGayUK is firmly committed to supporting the rights of gay, bisexual men who want to donate blood. Refusing blood from gay men, at a time where blood stocks are at crisis point, is not only deeply offensive, but also sends a damaging message that gay and bisexual men are poisonous, damaged and are not equal both societally and legally.”

    Also supporting the campaign, the GMFA’s Chief Executive, Matthew Hodson said,

    “We need a sensible policy on blood donations, which can ensure a safe supply for much needed transfusions, without risk or prejudice.”

    As it stands, the law in the UK bans gay and bisexual men from donating blood if they have had sex with another man within 12-months.

  • Fundraising Evening Raises Emergency Funding For HIV Patients

    Over £1,000 has been raised to provide emergency nonclinical support for members of the Bloomsbury Patient Network at a Robert Grace Trust fundraising evening.

    For the last five years donations from the charity have provided support for patients of the Bloomsbury Clinic – one of the largest HIV clinics in Europe.

    The £1,100 raised will support patients in need at times of crisis and to help them engage in their care. Some items that have been purchased in the past include groceries, powdered milk for babies, school uniforms, beds, mattresses, fridges, cookers and hostel accommodation. The fund also subsidises travel and child care so that patients can attend the Bloomsbury Network’s events.

    Christopher Sandford, Patient Representative at the Bloomsbury Clinic, said,

    “The emergency fund is designed to help people when they have no-one else to turn to in times of crisis. If someone cannot afford to eat, or has nowhere to live, or can’t send their children to school, can’t afford the fares to attend the clinic, then you can’t expect people to take their medication effectively and stay healthy.

    “We are grateful to the Robert Grace Trust for their continued support of our work. So many people’s lives have been filled with hope thanks to the fund.”

    Attendees enjoyed wine and nibbles as the speakers – Patricia Pearson, Chair of the Robert Grace Trust; Dr Laura Waters, Consultant Physician at the Bloomsbury Clinic; and Christopher Sandford – discussed recent developments in HIV treatment and the difference the emergency fund has made.

    Sean, a patient who volunteered at the fundraiser, said:

    “I just wanted to say how moved and proud I was listening to the presentations. When I think back to that first year of diagnosis there was so much to adjust to and joining the Bloomsbury Network has meant everything to me in terms of keeping me healthy, stable and supported. That is thanks to the incredible work that the Patient Representative Team does, building a supportive welcoming community. It is truly one of my favourite places to be. I was so moved listening to the stories from the emergency fund and so inspired by the idea of how the patient representatives are empowering so many people and transforming lives, including mine.”

    The Bloomsbury Patient Network, run by three patient representatives, offers peer support for people to live positively with their HIV diagnosis. They offer a range of social, educational and motivational events thought the year.

    Robert Grace was a South-African architect and a patient of the Bloomsbury Clinic. The Trust was founded in his memory after he passed away in 1987 to provide emergency support for patients and carers.

  • Terrence Higgins Trust Backs PrEP This Pride Season

    Terrence Higgins Trust will leverage its position in the lead section at Pride this year by putting its full support behind the HIV prevention PrEP – (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) – a game changing treatment which prevents HIV transmission.

    Over 100 supporters of the UK’s leading sexual health and HIV charity will front London Pride this coming June 27, with placards that simply state ‘Stop HIV. PrEP now’.

    Terrence Higgins Trust CEO Dr Rosemary Gillespie said:
    “It’s a rallying cry. PrEP could be the treatment to stop HIV, and Terrence Higgins Trust will campaign until the Government, NHS England, and local authorities agree to use it to place HIV firmly in the past.”

    In February this year, the PROUD study reported that PrEP reduced the risk of HIV infection by 86 per cent for gay and other men who have sex with men (MSM), when delivered in sexual health clinics in England.

    Speaking today at a Terrence Higgins Lecture ‘HIV prevention, PrEP and the road ahead’ Sheena McCormack, Chief Investigator of the PROUD study, said:

    “The PROUD trial and the proven efficacy of PrEP shows just how much our current standards of prevention are failing some gay men.”
    “I love doing clinical trials because you don’t know what is going to happen, and when the result exceeds expectations as PROUD did – showing how incredibly effective PrEP is in a real-world setting it is especially rewarding.”
    PHE estimates there are over 2,500 new HIV infections annually in gay men in the UK, a number that has not fallen over the past decade.

    Dr Michael Brady, Medical Director, Terrence Higgins Trust said:
    “The 86 per cent reduction in HIV transmission offered by PrEP is staggering. On the basis of the PROUD results we would only need to treat 13 men for a year to prevent one HIV infection.

    “From a cost perspective, it is hard to see how PrEP would not be value for money. Truvada* costs just over £400 a month, and the price will drop significantly when the drug comes off patent.

    “People will not need to take PrEP for ever, nor will they necessarily take it all the time, whereas HIV requires lifetime treatment that currently costs the NHS up to £350,000 per person”

    For more information on marching with Terrence Higgins Trust to ‘Stop HIV. PrEP now’ please see here.
    Follow the action at #prepnow.

  • Gay European Men In Homophobic Countries At Greater Risk Of HIV

    Europe’s most homophobic countries may be paving the way for a rise in HIV cases among gay and bisexual men, according to new research published in the journal AIDS.

    An international team of researchers from Europe and the US looked at HIV-related service use, need and behaviours among 175,000 gay or bisexual men living in 38 European countries with differing levels of national homophobia.

    They found that men in homophobic countries had fewer sexual partners and were less likely to be diagnosed with HIV. However, they also found those men knew less about HIV, were less likely to use condoms and are at greater potential risk of getting HIV when they do have sex.

    As technological advancements such as mobile sex-seeking apps mean men in the most homophobic countries have increasing opportunities for sexual contact, they are quickly overcoming the relative lack of brick-and-mortar sex venues such as bars and saunas. The researchers warn the effects of homophobia could therefore have a very concerning impact on the spread of HIV.

    Co-author Dr Ford Hickson from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “Our findings are surprising as it may appear it’s effectively safer for men to stay in the closet in the most homophobic countries because their HIV-risk is lower there. But the closet is a difficult, shameful place which is particularly harmful to mental health and wellbeing. It’s also a place where men are kept ignorant, under-resourced and poorly skilled when dealing with sex and HIV. As the way people meet changes with technology, the homophobia that may have appeared to be protecting these men will now be exposing them to huge risk.”

    The research was conducted by the Yale School of Public Health, Columbia University, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services, and the German Robert Koch Institute.

    Researchers measured national homophobia across Europe using a combination of the laws of a country and the results of social attitudes surveys. They then analysed data from 175,000 gay or bisexual men in 38 European countries who completed the European MSM Survey (EMIS) in 2010 to compare the level of HIV-related service use, need and behaviours among groups of men living in more homophobic and less homophobic countries.

    The researchers say their findings suggest new approaches need to be considered to reduce oppression without increasing the HIV risk.

    Dr Hickson added: “Previous research on HIV prevention in Europe has shown there are four key interventions in suppressing HIV: condom distribution, peer-led group education, peer-outreach education projects, and universal access to anti-retrovirals for men with HIV. All health authorities could be commissioning these services as well as working to protect the human rights of sexual minorities.”

  • Welsh Lib Dems Call For End To Gay Blood Ban

    Marking National Blood Week, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to end the ban on gay and bisexual men giving blood.

    Currently, UK Government guidelines prevent gay and bisexual men from donating blood if they have had sex with another male within the preceding twelve months. Proponents of the ban argue that gay and bisexual men are more likely than any other group to contract HIV, but figures for 2012 show that more people contract HIV through heterosexual sex than homosexual sex.

    Welsh Lib Dem AM Peter Black raised the issue in the Welsh Assembly earlier today. The Welsh Minister for Government Business agreed to ask the Minister for Health and Social Services to look at the matter further.

    Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Equalities Minister, said,

    “National Blood Week has brought to our attention that the blood service needs 204,000 extra donors to meet demand. Given this huge demand for blood donors, I completely fail to understand why the ban on men who have sex with men giving blood is still in place.

    “This ban not only turns away thousands of willing and healthy potential donors, but it also serves to reinforce negative stereotypes about gay and bisexual men. Straight people get HIV too, and all donated blood is tested for HIV and other diseases before being transfused for precisely that reason.

    “The sooner this unfair and discriminatory ban is lifted, the sooner our blood services can benefit from a greater supply of donated blood and more lives can be saved.”

  • COMMENT | Truvada Friend or an enemy?

    The use of Truvada as a prophylactic medication has awakened a rage of discussion and controversy.

    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos
    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos

    In Europe, the discussion is not that heated yet, but in the US, it is already on fire. Last year, the president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation wrote an article in New York Times about Truvada, and that caught my interest. He was advocating against Truvada. It made me wonder, why are people for or against a medication like this?

    I decided to do a little “research”, and browsed through numerous articles and discussions about the expanded use of a medication such as Truvada.

    What I found in numerous comments was that, stigma and judgment are well positioned and in place, and that is a shame. Stigma and judgment will not bring anything good to the table. There are already two camps that developed – those who are for using Truvada and those who are against it or do not want anyone to use it.

    Since the discovery of HIV, we have been dreaming about a vaccine or an effective treatment.

    Right from the beginning, large amounts of resources have been deployed to find a cure and to find a vaccine. However, we soon understood that neither a cure nor a vaccine would be found overnight. We have never given up hope though, and today, there are several companies and different entities that specialise in such research.

    I believe that in 10 or 20 years, we will either have a new form of effective treatment or a vaccine. But, how are we going to react? I know Truvada is not a vaccine. It’s actually not a new drug. It was discovered in 2004, but has always been used only for the treatment of HIV – until now.

    So, what is wrong or good with Truvada?

    Those who advocate for it say that it is a sort of a revolution in the prevention of HIV. You take a tablet each day, and you sorted out (well, sort of). Those opposing Truvada say that it does not protect you from other STDs, and, if not taken properly, not only will it not fully protect, it also gives you false security.

    People may ask you, what do you think? How to respond to a question like this?

    “You know, I do not like condoms, and I will never use them. But I am willing to use Truvada, and it is something I actually believe in. What do you think?”

    How should one respond to such a question? Advocate for the use of condoms, just for the sake of it, or recommend Truvada on its own, or together with condoms?

    Questions likes these, related to the use of Truvada, will appear and challenge us, more and more in the coming years. I am sure there will be several more medications approved for prophylactic use, and, at the ultimate moment, the emergence of a vaccine will occur. I suppose a vaccine for HIV is a dream of many; just a single shot and you never get HIV. Sounds great? A vaccine will, again, protect us from HIV only, not from other STDs.

    So, are we going to be willing to give the vaccine to everyone, even if it would mean a widespread drop in the use of condoms?

     

    by JZ

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • ADVICE | I Had An Unprotected Blowjob: Can I get HIV?

    ADVICE | I Had An Unprotected Blowjob: Can I get HIV?

    A young reader asks if he can catch HIV from a quick blowjob from an ex.

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    Dear TGUK
    Me and a former boyfriend had partial sex several months ago. We performed hand jobs on one another and he gave me a blowjob. The blowjob wasn’t long (only four sucks) and I didn’t cum. However, as a hypochondriac I’m concerned about HIV. Prior to sex I asked him if he had sex before. He had sex only once in the past and it was only mutual masturbation and fellatio. My parents won’t let me take a test because it would worsen my health anxiety. But should I be worried?

    Joe 16,

    Hello Joe

    Thank you for writing to us with your worries, it sounds as though you had a very low-risk encounter with your ex. Oral sex is considered a low-risk activity for catching HIV, especially if you’re on the receiving end of the BJ. However it’s not just HIV that you have to consider here. Other nasties like Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea can be passed on by both receiver and giver, and might not even show symptoms, however all these infections can be treated effectively, if caught soon enough.

    If you are worried you should make an appointment to go to a clinic, or just pop along to a walk-in clinic. There are some amazing services – and now, there’s even an online clinic called S24, where you can take tests at home and have the results sent to your mobile phone, Google it.

    If your parents are standing in your way of getting a health check maybe you need to have a conversation with them about your worries, however at 16 you can go to a clinic by yourself you have the right to be treated confidentially.

    Hand-jobs and mutual masturbation are very safe activities, as long as you keep bodily fluids such as semen away from open cuts or sores. If you’re worried in future you can use condoms during oral, and there are even flavoured ones to try.

    Visiting a sex health clinic is an important part of life, taking responsibility for your health and for others you’re having sex with. Making regular visits every six months to once a year is suggested if you’re sexually active.

    So don’t delay and more importantly try not to worry yourself too much.

    Did you know you can order an at-home HIV test online? Click here to buy one

     

    OTHER QUESTIONS: HIV | WILLY WONDERS | HOLES | DOING IT | STIs | LUMPS & BUMPS | BACK TO SEX CLINIC HOME PAGE

    The advice given in this article is for guidance only and you should always seek your own independent, professional medical advice from your own GP if you are concerned about your health.  

    Got a problem you’d like advice on?

  • No One Loves A Fairy When She Is 40 Plus

    For the past week gay social media sites have been buzzing about the rather shocking discriminatory policy of IMPULSE SOUTH FLORIDA, a community outreach group dedicated to spreading HIV awareness and education.

    They recently threw a massive pool party in Miami to help promote the recently renovated Vagabond Hotel, a local landmark. They made men over 40 years of age pay a hefty $50 admission when it was free to anyone else. To add insult too injury the party had been rather ironically heavily promoted and hashtagged on Instagram and Twitter with #JudgmentIsDirty,

    “I’m amazed at the invite I just received – free admission up to 40 years of age and $50 over 40,” Ed Stevens, a would-be party goer said to South Florida Gay News. “In addition to whether this is even legal, It’s a shocking and blatant attempt to exclude mature people and another instance of how people in our community should know better, given the discrimination and judgments we face in the mainstream world. And I was looking forward to going back to this beautifully restored landmark.”

    “The primary strategy is to organically establish a following of socially active, young gay men through engagement at large, organised events, such as Evolution, which occurred in Miami on April 18,”

    Impulse responded in a press release yesterday. “The purpose of events like Evolution is to create a lively, fun atmosphere where these men can interact while simultaneously being exposed to information about HIV in a non-judgmental environment.”

    That’s all well and said but as many other disgruntled would-be partygoers have been pointing out this week is the reality that the very same group of gay men who were made to feel very unwelcome also constitute a significant percentage of the donors who have helped keep IMPULSE in funds in the past.
    @rogerwalkerdack