Staff from Fenway Health and The Fenway Institute will be attending AIDS 2012: The XIX International AIDS Conference

Staff from Fenway Health and The Fenway Institute are packing their bags and heading off to AIDS 2012: Turning the Tide Together, the 19th International AIDS Conference, which takes place July 22–27 in Washington, DC. Fenway’s Dr. Kenneth H. Mayer sits on the Governing Council of the International AIDS Society, which sponsors the conference, and is a member of the Track Committee on Epidemiology and Prevention Science.

The International AIDS Conference is the premier gathering for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learned, and collectively chart a course forward. We’ll be providing regular updates during the conference here on the blog and will be sending out a special post-conference edition of The Fenway Institute’s Making Life Healthier email newsletter.

Given some of our recent advances in the fight against HIV, including the FDA’s approval of PrEP for HIV prevention earlier this week, there is a sense of optimism in advance of AIDS 2012. We look forward to being able to share some of the news coming out of the conference with all of you.

THE FENWAY INSTITUTE TO RELEASE NEW PUBLICATIONS AT IAS 2012

The Fenway Institute will be releasing two new publications at a Monday night reception during the International AIDS Conference:

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention: Moving Toward Implementation
Second Edition
This review of PrEP implementation issues summarizes the state of PrEP and microbicides research as of June 2012, looks at willingness to use PrEP among various populations, addresses concerns about PrEP that could present obstacles to implementation, offers strategies for effective implementation, and examines policy issues related to cost and how to make PrEP accessible to those most vulnerable to HIV who could benefit most from PrEP. It examines regulatory developments and planning underway both within the U.S. and globally. This analysis concludes with recommendations for implementation of PrEP.

Improving the Healthcare of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People
The LGBT community is diverse. While L, G, B, and T are usually tied together as an acronym that suggests homogeneity, each letter represents a wide range of people of different races, ethnicities, ages, socioeconomic status and identities. What binds them together as social and gender minorities are common experiences of stigma and discrimination, the struggle of living at the intersection of many cultural backgrounds and trying to be a part of each, and, specifically with respect to health care, a long history of discrimination and lack of awareness of health needs by health professionals. Here, we review LGBT concepts, terminology, and demographics; discuss health disparities affecting LGBT groups; and outline steps clinicians and health care organizations can take to provide access to patient-centered care for their LGBT patients.

SATELLITE PRESENTATIONS CO-SPONSORED BY THE FENWAY INSTITUTE

More information about both of these Satellite Presentations is available online.

Sunday, July 22, 1:30 p.m.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention: Maximizing success
Mini Room 9
Moderated by Sean Cahill, Director of Health Policy Research; The Fenway Institute, United States and Lisa Diane White, Director of Programs; Sister Love, United States

Panelists:

• Beatriz Grinsztejn, Site Investigator; Instituto de Pesquisa Clinica Evandro Chagas, Brazil
• Kenneth Mayer, Medical Research Director and Co-Chair; The Fenway Institute, United States
• Paul Semugoma, Founding Member; African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR), Uganda
• Elizabeth Bukusi; Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
• Blair Hanewall, Deputy Director, Innovation Introduction, Integrated Delivery; The Gates Foundation, United States
• Helen Rees, Executive Director – Reproductive Health Research Unit; University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Thursday, July 26, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Health Sector Partnerships: Creating Local Clinical Service Networks for MSM in Diverse Global Settings
Room 4
Moderated by Chris Beyrer, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, United States, and Kenneth Mayer, The Fenway Institute, United States

Panelists:

• Gift Trapence, Centre for the Development of People, Malawi
• Dr. Fatou Drame, Enda Santé, Senegal
• Ben Brown, Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, South Africa
• Vivek Anand, Humsafar Trust, India
• Evanson Gichuru; Kenyan Medical Research Institute, Kenya

FENWAY ABSTRACTS

Several abstracts from staff at The Fenway Institute and Fenway Health have been accepted for the International AIDS Conference. Click here for a PDF list.