tag:blogs.poz.com,2009-03-02:/davidevans//72 2013-02-19T17:15:03Z Director of Research Advocacy, Project Inform Movable Type 4.34-en tag:blogs.poz.com,2013:/davidevans//72.400444 2013-02-14T23:43:37Z 2013-02-19T17:15:03Z

On February 12, just in time for Valentine's Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines panel issued updates to their recommendations for when people living with HIV should start ART and which drugs are best to use, among other important treatment considerations.

David Evans On February 12, just in time for Valentine's Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines panel issued updates to their recommendations for when people living with HIV should start ART and which drugs are best to use, among other important treatment considerations. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.400385 2012-12-12T13:32:29Z 2013-02-19T17:19:46Z

David Evans, Director of Research Advocacy for Project Inform, recounts extremely promising presentations given at a recent NIH-sponsored conference on cure research. New data is emerging suggesting that additional cures beyond the "Berlin Patient" are not so far away. Current research is also beginning to reveal how and why it is going to take time to figure out how to extend promising cure strategies to approaches that might ultimately benefit the majority of people with HIV.

David Evans David Evans, Director of Research Advocacy for Project Inform, recounts extremely promising presentations given at a recent NIH-sponsored conference on cure research. New data is emerging suggesting that additional cures beyond the "Berlin Patient" are not so far away. Current research is also beginning to reveal how and why it is going to take time to figure out how to extend promising cure strategies to approaches that might ultimately benefit the majority of people with HIV. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.400242 2012-07-31T22:17:51Z 2012-08-01T03:25:14Z

Some have publicly lauded this conference and expressed renewed optimism about the field. I think we'll only come to understand AIDS 2012's value and legacy in future years. What I most hope, however, is that we will watch our governments carefully and hold them accountable for the promises made. Perhaps this conference will ultimately be seen as the moment when we actually did turn the tide on the epidemic. Over the past 30 years of the epidemic we have, in fact, made epic accomplishments that many things that skeptics argued would be impossible. I'm not giving up hope, but I am watching and witnessing the promises made this year and I will do everything I can to ensure that those who made them are held accountable if they never come true. I hope you will join me in that task.

David Evans Some have publicly lauded this conference and expressed renewed optimism about the field. I think we'll only come to understand AIDS 2012's value and legacy in future years. What I most hope, however, is that we will watch our governments carefully and hold them accountable for the promises made. Perhaps this conference will ultimately be seen as the moment when we actually did turn the tide on the epidemic. Over the past 30 years of the epidemic we have, in fact, made epic accomplishments that many things that skeptics argued would be impossible. I'm not giving up hope, but I am watching and witnessing the promises made this year and I will do everything I can to ensure that those who made them are held accountable if they never come true. I hope you will join me in that task. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.400162 2012-05-23T19:49:21Z 2012-05-23T19:54:57Z

HIV-positive and HIV-negative activists have partnered hand-in-hand for nearly thirty years to advocate for both care and treatment for people with HIV and prevention services for those not living with the virus. It's been a winning, effective combination. I hope when it comes to PrEP we can overcome fear, suspicion and rancor and ensure that this partnership stays strong.

David Evans HIV-positive and HIV-negative activists have partnered hand-in-hand for nearly thirty years to advocate for both care and treatment for people with HIV and prevention services for those not living with the virus. It's been a winning, effective combination. I hope when it comes to PrEP we can overcome fear, suspicion and rancor and ensure that this partnership stays strong. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.400122 2012-04-26T21:15:07Z 2012-04-26T21:40:56Z

The guidelines aren't perfect. They are one set of experts' interpretation of what the data says. There is room for debate and disagreement over whether those experts got it right and whether the benefits and the risks of treatment are adequately addressed. What I think we all can agree on is the fact that we are currently failing to ensure that all people with HIV have the full and accurate information they need to make their own treatment decisions and they deserve a lot better from us.

David Evans The guidelines aren't perfect. They are one set of experts' interpretation of what the data says. There is room for debate and disagreement over whether those experts got it right and whether the benefits and the risks of treatment are adequately addressed. What I think we all can agree on is the fact that we are currently failing to ensure that all people with HIV have the full and accurate information they need to make their own treatment decisions and they deserve a lot better from us. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.400119 2012-04-23T22:04:39Z 2012-04-24T18:21:39Z

Remember that report I promised you about a month ago--the one where we tell you about progress made by activists in our efforts to speed up cure research? Well it's hot off the press and ready to be put to good use.

David Evans Remember that report I promised you about a month ago--the one where we tell you about progress made by activists in our efforts to speed up cure research? Well it's hot off the press and ready to be put to good use. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.400044 2012-03-06T17:22:45Z 2012-03-20T21:03:40Z

A couple of months ago a rag tag group of activist--including Project Inform (represented by myself), the Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition (ATAC)--reached out to some of the world's leading HIV researchers and companies working on HIV cure research and asked them to spend an entire day with us talking about potential barriers to moving such research forward at the fastest possible pace....Would they see activists as worthy allies? Would they consider our goal--to map out an advocacy agenda to increase and hasten HIV cure research--something worth spending their time on?

David Evans A couple of months ago a rag tag group of activist--including Project Inform (represented by myself), the Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition (ATAC)--reached out to some of the world's leading HIV researchers and companies working on HIV cure research and asked them to spend an entire day with us talking about potential barriers to moving such research forward at the fastest possible pace....Would they see activists as worthy allies? Would they consider our goal--to map out an advocacy agenda to increase and hasten HIV cure research--something worth spending their time on? tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.33178 2012-01-26T23:12:39Z 2012-03-20T21:05:10Z

Right now it's not looking good for people with HIV. People could have strict limitations on the kinds of drugs available to them. Many types of supportive services could get cut. Access to specialists could also be restricted. The worst part is that much of what we thought the Federal government would mandate, is now getting left to the states to decide. God help those living in places like Mississippi or South Carolina.

David Evans Right now it's not looking good for people with HIV. People could have strict limitations on the kinds of drugs available to them. Many types of supportive services could get cut. Access to specialists could also be restricted. The worst part is that much of what we thought the Federal government would mandate, is now getting left to the states to decide. God help those living in places like Mississippi or South Carolina. tag:blogs.poz.com,2012:/davidevans//72.33146 2012-01-13T22:33:11Z 2012-03-20T21:06:31Z

Right now there are few promising treatments under study to boost CD4s in immunologic non-responders and I'd hate to see one of them demolished under the weight of lofty ambitions.

David Evans Right now there are few promising treatments under study to boost CD4s in immunologic non-responders and I'd hate to see one of them demolished under the weight of lofty ambitions. tag:blogs.poz.com,2011:/davidevans//72.33080 2011-12-06T13:45:42Z 2011-12-06T13:50:21Z

Here's what I do promise: if you will take just ten minutes to fill out the survey found here you will be doing something concrete that may help us ensure that cure-research is as speedy as possible.

David Evans Here's what I do promise: if you will take just ten minutes to fill out the survey found here you will be doing something concrete that may help us ensure that cure-research is as speedy as possible. tag:blogs.poz.com,2011:/davidevans//72.33059 2011-11-17T22:38:53Z 2011-11-17T22:51:07Z

If you care about cure research, give a half-hour or so to reading the report that Project Inform and its partners released recently. Warning, it's scientific and wonky, but it does lay out quite clearly both the promise and the hurdles involved with finally curing the disease. For a slightly less technical tour through the land of cure research, see Regan and Tim's excellent POZ article here.

David Evans If you care about cure research, give a half-hour or so to reading the report that Project Inform and its partners released recently. Warning, it's scientific and wonky, but it does lay out quite clearly both the promise and the hurdles involved with finally curing the disease. For a slightly less technical tour through the land of cure research, see Regan and Tim's excellent POZ article here. tag:blogs.poz.com,2011:/davidevans//72.33048 2011-11-07T21:37:36Z 2011-11-07T21:49:23Z

Politico spilled the beans yesterday that a former chief aid to liberal icon Nancy Pelosi may have turned traitor to squash the promise of health care reform. He says he wants to improve the law, but his partners in crime are a who's who of corporations and special interest groups that tried to kill the law two years ago.

David Evans Politico spilled the beans yesterday that a former chief aid to liberal icon Nancy Pelosi may have turned traitor to squash the promise of health care reform. He says he wants to improve the law, but his partners in crime are a who's who of corporations and special interest groups that tried to kill the law two years ago. tag:blogs.poz.com,2011:/davidevans//72.33027 2011-10-25T16:11:32Z 2011-10-25T16:24:36Z

What I learned is that the health and wellbeing of nearly every HIV-positive person in the country--whether you depend on public or private insurance--hangs in the balance when America goes to the ballot box in November 2012.

David Evans What I learned is that the health and wellbeing of nearly every HIV-positive person in the country--whether you depend on public or private insurance--hangs in the balance when America goes to the ballot box in November 2012. tag:blogs.poz.com,2011:/davidevans//72.32967 2011-09-13T20:01:28Z 2011-09-14T21:43:31Z

There are some wonderful caring clinics and community-based organizations, but I've also been forced to contend with many thuggish security guards, bitchy receptionists, overworked and frustrated doctors, and nurses and case workers who act like they resent the person sitting on the other side of the desk. Frankly, it's time to put the care back into HIV care. Here's how...

David Evans There are some wonderful caring clinics and community-based organizations, but I've also been forced to contend with many thuggish security guards, bitchy receptionists, overworked and frustrated doctors, and nurses and case workers who act like they resent the person sitting on the other side of the desk. Frankly, it's time to put the care back into HIV care. Here's how... tag:blogs.poz.com,2011:/davidevans//72.32889 2011-07-20T16:58:17Z 2011-07-20T18:17:54Z

If there's one thing that this epidemic has taught me like no other it's that we really will fail if we are divided, rather than united. Pitting gay against straight, rich against poor, HIV-positive against HIV-negative, even inadvertently, is terribly counterproductive. Our enemies are doing an excellent job of making the case that we are doing too much, and not too little, to fight HIV on a global scale. Conceding to that "new normal" of funding and politics and giving up on a robust prevention toolkit may be realistic, but when have activists ever been satisfied with the possible, and where would we be today if they had?

David Evans If there's one thing that this epidemic has taught me like no other it's that we really will fail if we are divided, rather than united. Pitting gay against straight, rich against poor, HIV-positive against HIV-negative, even inadvertently, is terribly counterproductive. Our enemies are doing an excellent job of making the case that we are doing too much, and not too little, to fight HIV on a global scale. Conceding to that "new normal" of funding and politics and giving up on a robust prevention toolkit may be realistic, but when have activists ever been satisfied with the possible, and where would we be today if they had?