Living with HIV and other LGBTQ Issues!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Help Paying for Meds: Patient Assistance and Co-Pay Programs for HIV and Viral Hepatitis Drugs

Do you lack health insurance but make too much money to qualify for government assistance? Are your prescription co-payments so high that you can’t afford other basic necessities? Help may be available from pharmaceutical companies in the form of patient assistance programs (PAPs) and co-pay programs.

Over the past two years, the Fair Pricing Coalition (FPC) has been working closely with the pharmaceutical industry to streamline access to co-pay programs and PAPs for people living with HIV and/or viral hepatitis. The FPC has negotiated co-pay programs with virtually every major HIV drug manufacturer. The FPC is also working on expanding PAPs and making it easier for people to access them, especially for people who have been put on waiting lists for state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs). Following is a list of co-pay and patient assistance programs for HIV and hepatitis B and C, and contact information for these programs. This is a living document that will be updated as program changes are implemented.

AIDSmeds.com is a place that can help: http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/PAPs_Copays_19740.shtml

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Reconciling Sexual Orientation with the Scriptures

Reconciling Sexual Orientation with the Scriptures
Rev. Kevin A. Konkle
Senior Pastor, True Love Christian Fellowship
........Indianapolis, ....Indiana

Sexual Orientation We believe that gender is unimportant in God’s eyes here on Earth for there is neither male nor female, but we are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians ....3:28). We believe that gender is unimportant in God’s eyes in heaven, for there will be neither male nor female in heaven, but we will be as the angels (Mark ....12:25). Therefore we believe that God does not look at gender as a factor in determining what a loving, committed, covenant relationship is. God looks for true love and true commitment between two people, no matter what the gender of the persons involved, to determine what a loving, committed, covenant relationship is.
The Bible says we were made in the image of God when God looks in the mirror our reflection is what He sees. God created male and female in His image (Genesis ....1:26-27). Then the image of God is not that of male or female alone, but of both. God created Adam and Eve originally for two purposes: companionship- helping each other, and reproduction of the species. Over time the humans race has reproduced plentifully and efficiently. The need to be fruitful and multiply is not as urgent today. In fact today many loving, committed, covenant relatioships exist that are not primarily for the reproduction of the species, but are primarily for companionship and helping each other. These loving, committed, covenant relationships are just as important and special in God’s eyes as those relationship that are also for the reproduction of the species. The ancient stereotype of relationships that exist where no children are born are less special, is not a proper scriptural or sociological view in our society.
We believe that God loves variety, and created each person uniquely with physical, emotional, mental, temperamental, and sexual orientation characteristics, that may be different from others (Psalms 139:14-16). We believe that each person is a masterpiece from God’s artistic collection. We believe that God knit us together in our mother’s womb with different eyes, hips, laughs, temperments, and sexual orientation. This He did to add beauty and variety to our world.
There are some examples in scripture of two people of the same sex in a loving, committed, covenant relationship:
Jonathon & David (1 Samuel 18:1), Ruth & Naomi (Ruth ....1:16-17), Centurion Soldier & "Servant" (Luke 7:2)
We believe that the proper expression of sexual love in God’s eyes is within the context of two persons of the same or opposite sex in a loving, committed, monogamous relationship. This relationship should be as close to a marriage type relationship as legally possible. Sexual activity with another person in any other context is displeasing to God. We strongly believe, any sexual activity between minors and adults in displeasing to God and should be illegal.
Acting on homosexual lust or heterosexual lust is displeasing to God. (Ephesians 5:3)
The scriptures speak against:
*Homosexual gang rape - ........Sodom and ........Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-7)
*Straight people experimenting with homosexuality for pleasure (Romans ....1:26-27)
*Homosexual activity and prostitution in worship of idols (Leviticus ....18:22)
*Homosexuals acting on their most carnal, lustful desires towards other humans, with no love. (1Corinthians 6:9-10)
All of the above we believe are displeasing to God, and that one can repent of and be forgiven for these actions. (1 John 1:9).
We believe just as David, Abraham, and Solomon had sexual partners that they shouldn’t have had, God still loved them and used them- but He wanted them to change that area of their life. People engaged in sexual activity that is displeasing to God should not be judged or treated horribly, but should be helped into a better relationship with Jesus and a healthier more meaningful lifestyle.
What does the New Testament say about the Old Testament laws?
Colossians 2:14 "having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." NIV
Closeted Christians:
*Jesus said whatever you are in your heart, that’s what you are, whether you act on it or not. (Whited Sepulchers- Matthew 23:27, adultery- Matthew 5:28) If you are gay in your heart, and if what you are in your heart is what you really are in the eyes of God- then you are gay whether you act on it or not. So if being gay is a sin and you are gay in your heart, then you have no hope for salvation, since your status with God is reflected by what’s in your heart, and not by what others see. However, being gay is not a sin. Jesus loves and accepts you as you are- not as other people see you! Jesus knows you are gay. You have been out of the closet to God since He created you. He’s not surprised to know you are gay, and He loves you and accepts you just as you are. In fact He knew you were gay but He still chose to commune with you and use you for His glory! Be yourself and be free in Christ Jesus!
*Jesus gave the death penalty to the dishonest (Annanias & Saphira- Acts 5:4-5). He gave new life and new hope to the people with questionable sexual histories (Adulteress woman- John ....8:11), but who were honest. He became more upset about dishonesty, then He did about sexuality. Psalms 101:7 NIV "No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence."
*Jesus never condemned homosexuality- he condemned adultery, judgemental people, religious hypocrites, and ceremonial-loving Pharisees, but never homosexuality. In fact many Biblical scholars believe Jesus told a gay Roman centurion soldier that the soldier had greater faith, then the faith Jesus had seen in all ........Israel(Matthew 8). The centurion asked Jesus to heal his "pais." This is a Greek term often used in ancient times to refer to a servant who was his master’s same-sex partner. [K.J. Cover, Greek Homosexuality (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978), p. 16]. Many Biblical scholars believe this was Greek at the time for "gay lover/partner" Jesus didn’t launch into a sermon about the evil of his relationship with another man and condemning him, Jesus just healed this gay centurion’s "pais" or very dear servant. By this miracle of healing, Jesus preserved this loving same-sex relationship. We feel the church should be the same way- healing, not judging.
*The Acts of the Apostles shows the early church did not condemn homosexuals. Phillip was sent by God into the desert just to convert and baptize what many Biblical scholars believe was a gay black man, the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts ....8:27-37). At that time, eunuchs had a reputation as having homosexual orientation. In fact in Bible days saying one was a "eunuch" would be similar to saying today that one was an "Male hairdresser from ........San Francisco". The eunuchs were very much stereotyped by their society- some things never change. Yet Phillip didn’t talk to him about whether he was gay or not, he just told him the good news about Jesus and baptized him. We believe the church should be the same way- converting and baptizing, not judging.

Maria Mejia response to gregory(hiv questions founder)

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Did Gilead's Viread Break My Ankle? - Sean Strub

Living With HIV

A recently published study contains some very good news for people living with HIV. It suggests that the life expectancy for a person newly diagnosed with HIV, with no symptoms, has jumped from seven years to 24.

This changes everything. Most experts agree that HIV infection is no longer a death sentence. Instead, it is a chronic, long-term disease. Before 1995, a newly infected person faced the near-certainty of dying with AIDS. Today a newly infected person can look forward to 24 years -and potentially much more! - of living with HIV.
We spoke with three HIV experts about this change, and about what it means to people living with HIV today.
Let’s start with a little history.
1995: The Year Everything Changed
Prior to 1995, there were no effective treatments for HIV. But in1995 the first protease inhibitors were introduced, and doctors discovered that a combination of three or more HIV medications could stop HIV in its tracks. The new combination treatments were called HAART - Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy - and the results were dramatic! People who were days away from death came back to life.
“I’ve been involved with HIV since early medical school,” says Rick Stryker, MD, a Clinician and Regional Director for Abbott Laboratories’ Global Antiviral Team. “When I first started doing this, I would have dozens of patients in the hospital, many with a poor prognosis. We didn’t know enough about HIV to successfully treat them. I could tell you many sad stories about patients - including personal friends and even a family member - who passed away before effective treatments were found.”
“Everything changed overnight in 1995 with the first protease inhibitor,” Dr. Stryker continues. “In the beginning of 1995, most of my patients were in the hospital. That all went away within a year. And things have continued to improve with the availability of newer and better treatments.”
The Diabetes Comparison
Gary Thal, MD, Director of Medical Affairs for Bristol-Myers Squibbs, compares HIV to another chronic long-term disease: diabetes. “The typical person with HIV needs to think about how to manage a chronic disease for the rest of their life, as they would with diabetes,” Dr. Thal says. “For most patients in the developed world, HIV is no longer a death sentence. But it’s certainly not a trivial disease or anything to be cavalier about. It’s not easy to live with HIV, just as it’s not easy to be a diabetic. But it is doable. Patients need to make that commitment to manage it.”
Dan Seekins, MD, Director of Efavirenz and Nucleoside Agents for BMS in the US and globally, agrees with the diabetes comparison. “Yes, I think it’s fair to compare HIV to diabetes,” Dr. Seekins says. “You see the same thing with diabetes as you do with HIV: people who eat right and take their medications do well, and those who don’t, don’t. So I think that’s a pretty fair analogy.”
Getting your full 24 - and more!
What does it take to make sure you get your full 24 years, and even more?
“Seek treatment early, be fully adherent and have a good partnership with your physician,” says Dr. Stryker. “The adherence part is absolutely critical. Studies show that patients who take their medication 95 - 100% of the time have the best prognosis. It drops off fairly sharply after that. Even after years and years of undetectable viral load, if something changes the virus can and will escape rather quickly.”
Dr. Seekins also stresses the importance of adherence. “Medicines don’t work if patients don’t take them,” Dr. Seekins says. “People feel better, they’re working again and dating again, and they forget to take their pills. That’s the biggest mistake you can make.”
“Pick a treatment that fits your lifestyle,” Dr. Seekins continues. “Make sure it’s something you can commit to. That involves understanding your treatment options and what you’re going to have to do as a patient to really get good results.”
And don’t overlook the obvious: “The biggest thing anyone can do to live longer is stop smoking,” Dr. Seekins notes. “Moderate exercise also clearly shows a benefit, not only directly but also by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol.”
Hope for the Future

The doctors we talked to all expect that the life expectancy for someone newly diagnosed with HIV can be even longer than 24 years in the future.
“I’m not sure there’s any reason why there has to be a more limited life expectancy for people with HIV than without,” say Dr. Thal. “We’re not there yet, but over time there’s no reason someone with HIV shouldn’t have a normal lifespan. It will require getting people into the system earlier, patient commitment, continued research, and continuing to identify optimal ways to treat. Of course, as long as there are patients who are not compliant or don’t have access to health care, their life expectancy is going to be limited and that will contribute to the overall demographics of the epidemic.”
“Chances are excellent that lifespan will continue to improve,” echoes Dr. Stryker. “Most of the increase is due to improved management and much better treatments that are capable of fully suppressing HIV and essentially putting someone into a remission state.”
“People should not be lured into thinking that HIV is not a big deal - that they can do whatever they want and we have the resources to pick up the pieces if they get infected,” Dr. Stryker adds. “Prevention is much better than treatment. That said, a patient who is really willing and able to fully participate in treatment can have a really excellent response. There’s every reason to believe many people will live a normal lifespan well beyond 24 years.”
Responsibility to the Next Generation
All of the doctors we spoke to agreed that the reported increase in life expectancy for people with HIV is a great thing - but they also cautioned against complacency.
“Not to diminish the good news,” said Dr. Thal. “But it’s important for the general population not to become complacent about this disease, not to diminish their efforts at risk-prevention. We can’t allow this to let us turn our back on HIV. We can’t say, ‘OK, we’ve solved this one, now let’s move on to the next disease of the week.’”
“If people with HIV stop reminding the rest of us, it could become a forgotten disease,” Dr. Thal continues. “If we become complacent about it, what happens to the millions of people outside the developed world who are still 20 years behind us?”
“Unless we keep working on it, the 24 years won’t turn into 34 , then 44, then 54. We need the reminder that, yes, you’re living longer. But you’re not living disease-free.”
A Cure?
Dr. Stryker says, “Early in the HAART era there was a lot of optimism that a combination of drugs would be able to able to eradicate the virus fully. But no one has completely eradicated HIV with the currently available drugs. There are sanctuary sites in the body where the virus can hide out. We’ll need new therapies that can eradicate the small amount of virus that remains in patients who are fully suppressed.”
“Is that around the corner? No. But it’s a goal that’s out there for the future.”
“A cure is an elusive goal and one that will take a long time to achieve,” agrees Dr. Thal. “The virus mutates itself and can escape the current medications. I hope that a cure is possible. I think it’s possible. In the short term? I doubt it. But you never know before you find something that you’re going to find it. We’re looking for both a cure and a preventative. We didn’t eradicate polio by curing it, we eradicated it by preventing it.”

This magazine is intended to enhance your relationship with your doctor - not replace it! Medical treatments and products should always be discussed with a licensed physician who has experience treating HIV and AIDS!

Buyer Beware!

From The Editor:
Remember when your mother told you, "If something seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true?" She was right.You can go on the Internet today and find web sites offering to sell you the made-in-India generic equivalent of HIV drugs that cost $1,600 in the United States for $275. These sites are very convincing, very persuasive. They tell you that your government has been bought out by the big drug companies, and why should you pay so much just to protect their patents? Don't worry, they say. The shipment will make it through U.S. Customs. If it doesn't, we'll ship it again.
Don't believe any of it. These web sites are illegal enterprises, run by criminals. When you order from them, you have no idea what you're getting. It could be HIV medicine. It could be a sugar pill. It could be poison. And if you get ripped off, who do you complain to? No one. You were breaking the law, too.
The article that starts on the next page is called "Buyer Beware!" It is one of the most important we've ever run in this magazine. Buy a fake Rolex on the Internet if you want to. But don't buy fake HIV medications. Your life is at stake.
Your friend,
Lance PorterEditor-in-Chief

BUYER BEWARE!
Internet Scams Targeting People with HIV
A little more than a month ago, I got a call from a reader in Florida named "Jeff." He had just tested positive, but his HIV was already well advanced: his T-cell count was 200, right on the borderline of an AIDS diagnosis. His doctor prescribed Atripla. Jeff had made contact with his local AIDS Service Organization and had an appointment to meet with a case manager to get his Atripla through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
But while Jeff was cruising the Internet, looking for information about HIV, he found another option. He came across a website called MatchingRX.com, which claimed to import made-in-India generic equivalents of a variety of drugs for a fraction of the price of the brand-name drug. Among the drugs they offered was a generic version of Atripla. The price was so low that Jeff could afford to pay it out of his pocket. And it would save him from having to go through the bureaucratic hassles of applying for assistance from ADAP. He called me to ask if I could vouch for the site.
I told him in no uncertain terms that I could not vouch for the site-and I told him not to order from them! After we finished our conversation, I started to wonder: is this the only site out there making this kind of offer? Or are Internet scam artists starting to target people with HIV?
It didn't take long to find out that there are lots of sites on-line targeting people with HIV. They offer unapproved, low-cost versions of every HIV drug ever made. They also offer unapproved HIV test kits.

Why should you not order from one of these sites? Because you have no idea what you're getting! It is illegal to sell drugs in the United States which have not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So every one of these sites is a criminal enterprise! You don't know that the drug you're getting was made in safe, clean conditions, if it contains the right dose or the right ingredients, or if it even contains any active ingredients at all! Many counterfeit drugs are simply made of gypsum, the stuff dry-wall is made from.
When you order Viagra on-line and it turns out to be fake, it's a disappointment. But when you order HIV drugs on-line and they turn out to be fake, you're risking your life. Don't do it!
I had the opportunity to interview Richard Klein, the HIV/AIDS Program Director for the FDA.
I started by telling him about the phone call I got from Jeff, and about the supposed generic equivalent of Atripla he was thinking about buying. On the Matching RX.com website it is called "Viraday," and it is supposedly made by Cipla.
"First of all," Klein told me, "There is a program in existence called PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief. PEPFAR will buy drugs made outside of the United States even if they violate U.S. patent laws-but it requires that they meet FDA safety and quality standards. So the FDA has created a pathway for approval of these drugs. They can apply for tentative approval, which means they meet our standards and can be purchased with PEPFAR funds for use in developing countries."
"Cipla is a pharmaceutical company in India that does make drugs that have tentative approval for use by PEPFAR," Klein continued. "But Cipla has not even applied for approval for a generic equivalent for Atripla. It's not impossible that they make such a thing. But if they do, why haven't they put in an application for it?"
"Atripla is a great achievement because it combines three proven HIV drugs into one. But it wasn't easy to do," Klein says. "To get Atripla approved in the United States, the companies had to prove that the single combination pill mimicked the effects of the three drugs taken separately. And it took them a few tries to get it right. People tend to think of drugs as simple-but they're not. Even for major multi-national drug companies, making Atripla was difficult. With this made-in-India version, how do you know you're really getting the product? What's in the product? How bioavailable is it? Did someone just slap the drugs together? Has it been tested at all? If you're not really closely supervised by a doctor, you're going to find out when you have a problem with PCP pneumonia or another opportunistic infection."
Klein brought up the other issue as well: "How do you know where MatchingRX.com is getting their drugs? How do you know what they're sending out? You don't have any idea what you're getting. You don't know if any regulatory agency is watching over the process."
"Atripla is the easiest drug regimen currently on the market," Klein notes. "If you develop resistance to it by switching to a fake or substandard substitute, then by definition your life is going to become more complicated."

The HIV Test Kit Trap
Google "HIV Test" and you'll soon see ads for HIV tests that work something like a home pregnancy test. You mix a few drops of blood with a reagent, and in 15 minutes you know whether you're positive or negative, all in the privacy of your home.
There's just one problem: the FDA has never approved such a kit for use in The United States! The only home test approved by the FDA is manufactured by Home Access Health Corporation. It consists of a home collection kit which you send to the company. After seven days you call the company, anonymously, and get your results. You do not conduct the actual test yourself at home-your blood sample is analyzed by a laboratory, and the process is approved by the FDA every step of the way.
Don't be fooled! One site I looked at featured a picture of the Home Access test with a big yellow "FDA Approved" sticker on the side. But the kit they were actually selling was not FDA approved. It was a scam.
Are there any legitimate on-line pharmacies?
Yes, there are. To avoid being scammed by counterfeit drugs, the FDA recommends that you purchase only from state-licensed pharmacies that are located in the United States, where FDA and state authorities can assure the quality of drug manufacturing, packaging, distribution and labeling. That way, you know your medicine is coming from a reputable source, and you can get help if you have any problems. If you buy over the Internet:

Check to see if the pharmacy is licensed, in good standing, and located in the U.S. Contact your local state board of pharmacy or the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) at www.nabp.net or 1-847-698-6227.

Check to see if the Internet pharmacy has the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) seal. This seal was established by the NABP to help protect you and guide you through Internet pharmacy shopping. Legitimate pharmacies that carry the VIPPS seal are listed at www.nabp.net.
If you buy from a foreign pharmacy site, a site that offers to sell you foreign-made drugs, or a site that claims to re-import U.S.-made drugs from a foreign country, you're taking your life in your hands. You're literally playing Russian Roulette. You have no idea what you're getting, and no one to complain to if something goes terribly wrong.
"But I can't afford FDA-approved HIV medications."
No matter how little money you have, you can get the medical care and medicines you need to live a long, healthy life with HIV. Regrettably, that isn't true everywhere in the world. But, in the United States, assistance is available.
If you are concerned about paying for your drugs, contact your nearest AIDS Service Organization and ask to speak with a case manager or benefits counselor. There are programs available to help you, and a case manager or benefits counselor can put you in touch with the one that is right for you.
Or, call the Partnership for Prescription Assistance at 1-888-477-2669. They are a single point of contact for more than 475 public and private programs designed to help you get the drugs you need regardless of how little money you have.

Researching HIV on the Internet

What is the best place to go for the latest information about HIV?
The Internet. The treatment of HIV is fast-changing, and the Internet is uniquely able to keep up with rapidly-changing information-an Internet site can literally be updated every day. In addition, there's a lot to know about HIV-and the storage capacity of an Internet site is almost unlimited. Lastly, the Internet is searchable-so no matter how unique or off-the-wall your question may be, the Internet can take you right to the answer.
But there's a danger to the Internet, too: anyone can put up a website, and they can say anything on it-even if it isn't true! Regrettably-and unbelievably-there are still sites on the Internet that deny HIV causes AIDS. The people behind these sites are called "denialists." HIV denial is simply wrong. HIV was identified as the cause of AIDS almost 25 years ago, and there is not a single scientist or doctor in the world who questions it. If you run into one of these denialist sites, move on.
There are also medical scams on-line. If you run into a site that offers you HIV medicines at unbelievably low prices, don't believe it. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. HIV is a serious disease-don't risk your life on counterfeit drugs from a third-world country, no matter how persuasive the website sounds.
But don't let the hazards of the Internet keep you from using it to learn more about HIV. There's more good information about HIV on-line than bad, and some of the best sites are very, very good, indeed. Here are three to start with.
HIVPositiveMagazine.com www.hivpositivemagazine.com
HIVPositiveMagazine.com is the on-line presence of HIV Positive! magazine. On our website, you'll find archives of our "Positive Profiles" and articles from years past.
You'll also find:

A listing of ASOs (AIDS Service Organizations) in all 50 states.
If you aren't already in contact with an ASO, use this list to find one near you, and go see them. An ASO can be incredibly helpful to anyone with HIV. They can connect you with services and resources you may not even know exist. A good ASO can literally save your life!

ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) criteria and formularies for all 50 states.
We update our list of ADAP qualifying criteria and formularies (a list of drugs that ADAP will cover) every year, so you'll always find the most current information available on-line.

HIV/AIDS hotlines for all 50 states.
Need somebody to talk to? We list the HIV/AIDS Hotlines for all 50 states on our website.

A review of HIV medications.
Our review of HIV meds is updated every year to include the latest medications on the market. It is famous for telling you, in plain English, which drugs are most popular among people with HIV, which have the worst side-effects, and which are just plain obsolete.

How to pay for HIV medications.
There may be more options available to you than you realize. Our listing of the various ways you may be able to pay for your medications is also updated every year.

TheBody.com
For more information, click on www.thebody.com.
TheBody.com describes itself as "The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource," and it lives up to that billing. It has dozens of different sections and departments covering almost every aspect of HIV. There are separate "resource centers" for the newly diagnosed, women, African-Americans, and people coping with lipoatrophy. It's a big site, full of useful information presented in an accessible way.

AidsMeds.com
For more information, click on www.aidsmeds.com.
AidsMeds.com was founded in 1999 by veteran AIDS activist Peter Staley. In the beginning, it focused on HIV medicines. Now the site covers just about everything.
Be smart when you use the Internet! Don't go on-line looking for a miracle cure. (There isn't one, although you can probably find someone who will tell you there is!) But do use the sites above, and others like them, to find out what you need to know to live a long, rewarding life with HIV.