HIV

In 2003, President George W. Bush created PEPFAR to help countries tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis. Four years later, he spoke at the Rose Garden to urge lawmakers to set aside $30 billion for the cause over the next 5 years. Joining him were Kunene Tantoh of South Africa and her 4-year-old son (pictured). Tantoh, who is HIV-positive, coordinated a U.S.-funded mentoring program for mothers with HIV.

Health & Safety

George W. Bush's anti-HIV program is hailed as 'amazing' — and still crucial at 20

12:16pm February 28, 2023

by Melody Schreiber

PEPFAR is the "most amazing thing in the history of HIV," says Dr. Sharon Lewin, president of the International AIDS Society. Bush himself came to Washington this month to urge reauthorization..

An expected change in FDA policy would make it easier for men who have sex with men to donate blood.

Health & Safety

FDA moves to ease restrictions on blood donations for men who have sex with men

3:59pm January 27, 2023

Long criticized as discriminatory, the policy has prevented many gay and bisexual men from donating blood. The Food and Drug Administration revealed a draft of its new approach on Friday.

Do some people have built-in protection against a COVID infection?

From COVID to mpox to polio: Our 9 most-read 'viral' stories in 2022

12:30pm December 09, 2022

by Laurel Dalrymple

It was a big year for viruses, which simply refused to be ignored. And unlike the previous two years, COVID had to share the spotlight.

Priti Krishtel, a 2022 MacArthur fellowship winner, says of her work to create fair drug prices for the world: "I just don't think that people's ability to heal should depend on their ability to pay." Her father worked in the pharmaceutical industry and inspired in her a love of science and finding cures.

Health & Safety

This MacArthur 'genius' grantee says she isn't a drug price rebel but she kind of is

5:23pm October 13, 2022

by Max Barnhart

Health justice lawyer Priti Krishtel doesn't believe your ability to heal should depend on your ability to pay. Her mission is to reform the patent system that drug companies use to block competition.

So you haven't caught COVID yet. Does that mean you're a superdodger?

10:52am September 12, 2022

by Michaeleen Doucleff

A new study suggests that. yes, there are superdodgers. But explaining why they've been able to avoid the virus is a bit complicated.

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, White House Monkeypox response deputy coordinator, speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Washington.

Health & Safety

The top White House monkeypox doc takes stock of the outbreak — and what's next

5:00am September 12, 2022

by Pien Huang

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis is steering the U.S. monkeypox response. A month into the job, he sees signs of success, but there's still more to be done.

Dozens of Leishmania parasites (purple) surround 3 white blood cells (orange) in this image magnified 1,000 times.

Health & Safety

A nasty disease is even nastier for patients with HIV. Now there's encouraging news

1:43pm July 07, 2022

by Max Barnhart

It's called visceral leishmaniasis. It's spread by sandflies and fatal if left untreated. Fortunately, a new drug regimen holds promise.

Scientists have discovered that a drug used to treat HIV helps restore a particular kind of memory loss in mice. The results hold promise for humans, too.

A drug for HIV appears to reverse a type of memory loss in mice

7:01am May 28, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

In mice, the HIV drug maraviroc restored a system that links new memories that are made around the same time. The finding could help treat memory problems in people.

Queue Listen Now

A man uses a safe injection site in New York City in January. A bill in California would allow pilot sites in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles.

California debates opening supervised sites for people to use drugs

5:01am May 23, 2022

by Lesley McClurg

Advocates of the proposal say it would prevent overdoses, slow the spread of HIV and inspire drug users to seek help, while proponents say safe injection sites would create an "open drug scene."

There are parallels between COVID and HIV. Despite effective treatment and prevention tools, preventable deaths continue because of difficulties reaching out to and educating people about the tools. And even as the country seems determined to move on from

Health & Safety

Despite effective treatments, HIV drags on. Experts warn COVID may face the same fate

1:08pm April 19, 2022

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

HIV remains a problem in the U.S. because people don't use life-saving prevention and treatments. COVID is heading down the same path. Here are insights from people fighting on the frontlines of HIV.