News

Animal tranquilizer found in New York street drugs fueling naloxone-resistant overdoses

Known by the street name 'tranq,' xylazine has been linked to overdose deaths in upstate communities.

If fentanyl is so deadly, why do drug dealers use it to lace illicit drugs?

With the nation still in the grips of an opioid epidemic that began decades ago, the crisis has deepened in recent years with the introduction of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 100 times more potent than morphine.

The driving force behind a record-breaking 100,000 overdose deaths per year, fentanyl is now being laced in traditional opioids like oxycodone and heroin, and increasingly, in non-opioids like cocaine and various counterfeit pills.

But with its high death rate, why would drug dealers lace drugs with fentanyl, effectively killing off their potential customers?

Why inventing a vaccine for AIDS is tougher than for COVID

The four-decades long effort to create an HIV vaccine suffered a blow last week with news that Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a division of Johnson & Johnson, was discontinuing the only current late-stage clinical trial of a vaccine. Results showed it to be ineffective.

Fall 2022 HIV Home Test Giveaway

As partners across the state continue to work towards ending the epidemic and increasing access to sexual health services, we are pleased to announce the launch of the Fall 2022 HIV Home Test Giveaway (HHTG).  The HHTG is an innovative home testing strategy that not only provides a safe option to testing, but also makes HIV testing easily accessible.

On World AIDS Day, those impacted by disease hope others recognize their fight

Today is World AIDS Day, a day to remember those who died due to AIDS-related complications and an opportunity to uplift the lives of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Reflecting on legacy of Princess Diana’s pioneering work on HIV/AIDS

Princess Diana’s pioneering activism in the 1980s and 1990s, which helped combat the virus and its stigma, still resonates today.

New York becomes second major US city to declare health emergency over monkeypox

New York City officials declared monkeypox a public health emergency Saturday, saying the city is the epicenter of the state's outbreak and the move will boost measures to help slow the spread of the disease.

"We estimate that approximately 150,000 New Yorkers may currently be at risk for monkeypox exposure," Mayor Eric Adams and Dr. Ashwin Vasan, commissioner of the city's health and mental hygiene department, said in a joint statement. "This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment."

First case of monkeypox identified in Tompkins County

The Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) has announced the discovery of the first case of monkeypox in the county. 

Never Done Before: Israeli Scientists Develop Potential Cure for AIDS That Might Only Need One-Time Injection

Israeli scientists have developed a breakthrough unique genetic treatment for AIDS, which may be developed into a vaccine or a one-time cure for patients with HIV.

Monkeypox isn’t like HIV, but gay and bisexual men are at risk of unfair stigma

Monkeypox is not a disease of men who have sex with men. It is not about sexuality: people tend to be infected through close physical contact and it does not have to be sexual in nature. Infected people will tend to infect people they have close contact with, which is why the risk of spread is high in affected households.

Biden administration drug control plan stresses harm reduction, treatment

President Joe Biden is sending his administration’s first national drug control strategy to Congress as the U.S. overdose death toll hit a new record of nearly 107,000 during the past 12 months. White House drug czar Dr. Rahul Gupta says the strategy is the first to prioritize what’s known as harm reduction.

NIH launches clinical trial of three mRNA HIV vaccines

he National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has launched a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating three experimental HIV vaccines based on a messenger RNA (mRNA) platform—a technology used in several approved COVID-19 vaccines. NIAID is sponsoring the study, called HVTN 302, and the NIAID-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), based at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, is conducting the trial.

How HIV elimination is within Australia's reach

Australian HIV diagnoses have hit an all-time low, with the country in sight of eliminating transmissions. It's a legacy of Australia's early, effective response, reports Gary Nunn from Sydney.

Moderna launches clinical trial for HIV vaccine that uses mRNA technology

The biotechnology company has teamed up with the nonprofit International AIDS Vaccine Initiative to develop the shot, which uses the same technology as Moderna's successful COVID-19 vaccine.

The hope is this process can induce specific white blood cells, called B cells, which can then turn into what are known as broadly neutralizing antibodies that can neutralize the virus.

In Southern Africa, Success Against H.I.V. Offers Hope for Beating Back Another Virus

A former Africa correspondent, who covered the height of the AIDS epidemic there 15 years ago, finds lessons in the remarkable progress against that virus for our current fight.

FDA Approves First Injectable Treatment for HIV Pre-Exposure Prevention

“Today’s approval adds an important tool in the effort to end the HIV epidemic by providing the first option to prevent HIV that does not involve taking a daily pill,” said Debra Birnkrant, M.D., director of the Division of Antivirals in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This injection, given every two months, will be critical to addressing the HIV epidemic in the U.S., including helping high-risk individuals and certain groups where adherence to daily medication has been a major challenge or not a realistic option.”

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Your eyes could be dropping early hints

Although gonorrhea majorly affects other body parts, your vision can be at risk too, therefore, it is best to follow safe sex practices and go through regular check-ups to dodge STD risk. The symptoms of this STD can take three to five days to appear, sometimes even after a month of being infected.

World AIDS Day

Executive Director, John Barry being interviewed by news channel 34.

World AIDS Day 2021: Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice

Annually on December 1st, we commemorate World AIDS Day and reflect upon our worldwide response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This year has been especially poignant as we mark 40 years since the first five cases of what later became known as AIDS were officially reported and honor the more than 36 million people, including 700,000 in the United States, who have died from AIDS-related illness globally since the start of the epidemic.

The Flu Could Come Roaring Back This Fall. Here’s Why

The flu is unpredictable. The best way to protect yourself and others in your community is to get vaccinated against influenza, expert panelists emphasized during a recent event.

Last flu season, very few people became sick with the flu due to masking and physical distancing.

This means fewer people will have immunity to flu strains this flu season.

Human Trials for HIV Vaccine Created With mRNA Technology to Begin By Liz Scherer

In the upcoming study, 56 adults between the ages of 18 and 50 will be divided into four groups and receive the mRNA vaccine 1644, the mRNA 1644v2-core antigen, or both. The study will use a stepwise approach, first to activate the immature B cells and then to guide them along the path to broadly neutralizing antibodies production against one specific area on the HIV env: the CD 4 binding site. Notably, the trial is using Moderna’s mRNA platform (the same used in the production of the COVID-19 vaccine), which will help accelerate the process of HIV vaccine discovery and development. The study will run for roughly 19 months.

The Pandemic Is Bringing Us Closer to the First HIV Vaccine

Moderna will soon begin the first-ever human clinical trials for a messenger RNA-based HIV vaccine, utilizing the same technology as its COVID vaccine. The trials could potentially begin as soon as this week, though they have not started recruiting as of publication time.

Step up HIV fight, to end AIDS ‘epidemic of inequalities’ by 2030

Although the world has made “great strides” since the first case of AIDS was reported, four decades ago, the UN General Assembly President said on Tuesday that the “tragic reality” is that the most vulnerable remain in jeopardy. 

[email protected]: Stories of hope and heroes

June 5, 2021, will mark 40 years since Los Angeles physician Dr. Michael Gottlieb and colleagues published the first medical account of what would eventually become known as AIDS. 

Biden Proposes $267M Bump To Fight HIV/AIDS

The Biden Administration wants to up the budget to fight HIV/AIDS.

According to the Washington Blade, President Biden released a budget request to Congress on Friday, April 9. That initial budget request for 2022 is being referred to as the “skinny budget” until a much more elaborate budget request drops later this year.

Gilead Sciences pens early-stage HIV vaccine pact with Gritstone Oncology

“Curing HIV remains the ultimate aspiration for Gilead’s HIV research and development efforts. Gritstone’s vaccine technology has the potential to educate the immune system to specifically recognize and destroy HIV-infected cells by leveraging SAM and adenoviral vectors,” said Diana Brainard, M.D., senior vice president and virology therapeutic area head at Gilead.

'New disease, no treatment, no cure': how Anthony Fauci's fight against AIDS prepared him for Covid-19

“I wanted the world to see that with all due respect to the extraordinary stress and strain that we’re going through with Covid, HIV is still a very important disease,” Fauci told the Guardian.

Uncle Sam Wants You…to Comment on the Updated National HIV Plan

The new plan offers strategies for the next five years. You can submit feedback until December 14.

Protecting Women Against HIV Just Got 9 Times Easier

While an effective vaccine against HIV may still be a long way off, a new HIV prevention technique has proven remarkably effective at protecting women against the virus.

What You Need to Know About the New Coronavirus and HIV

We're in the midst of a new viral outbreak in the U.S., and many of the people living with HIV are anxious. They're understandably concerned about the risks this novel Coronavirus holds for them. 

Agency Statement

The Southern Tier AIDS Program denounces the murders of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and countless other Black people who have met their deaths at the hands of police. 

COVID-19

STAP UPDATES REGARDING COVID-19

They Fell In Love Helping Drug Users. But Fear Kept Him From Helping Himself

She was in medical school. He was just out of prison.

Sarah Ziegenhorn and Andy Beeler's romance grew out of a shared passion to do more about the country's drug overdose crisis.

Ziegenhorn moved back to her home state of Iowa when she was 26. She had been working in Washington, D.C., where she also volunteered at a needle exchange. She was ambitious and driven to help those in her community who were overdosing and dying, including people she had grown up with.

Young People With HIV Are Less Likely to Be Undetectable

A recent NIH study found that adults have a much higher viral suppression rate than youth.

Transwoman fights for HIV/AIDS equity

Blacks represent almost half of new HIV diagnosis yet they are often the least to receive the most in funding. Those statistics are further inflated when the focus turns to Black transgender women and one South Florida transwoman is at the forefront of change

GENDA - One Year Anniversary

On January 25, 2019, Governor Cuomo signed a piece of historic legislation protecting transgender rights. The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act was another step further in advancing equal rights in New York State. 

TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO PUBERTY BLOCKERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, STUDY FINDS

Transgender people who have access to drugs which prevent the body from going through puberty are less likely to think about taking their lives, a study suggests.

The researchers examined the use of what are known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH analogues). Also known as puberty blockers, these drugs suppress hormones made by the body to help stop physical changes which can be distressing for some trangender children. The effects of the drugs are reversible if a child stops taking them.

H.I.V. Is Coming to Rural America

And rural America is not ready.

Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic

In the haste to get President Trump’s program off the ground, the input of community organizations who serve the Black community has been overlooked and ignored. But while there is a dire need for urgency, if the most impacted communities and individuals are not intentionally centered in the planning and execution of the plan, this opportunity will be squandered.

Confused About Who Should Get the HPV Vaccine, and When? The CDC Has New Recommendations

For its first few years on the market, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was approved only for young girls. Over time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has broadened its approval to include boys, as well as adults up to age 45—allowing more people to get the cancer-preventing vaccine, but also breeding confusion about who should get vaccinated and when.

PrEP Made HIV Prevention Easier—and It’s Getting Even Simpler

The drug Truvada, or PrEP, has helped drastically reduce new HIV infections, but taking a daily pill can be onerous. Now there might be other options.

Someday, an Arm Implant May Prevent H.I.V. Infection for a Year

In what could eventually become a milestone for H.I.V. prevention, very preliminary tests of an implant containing a new drug suggest that it may protect against infection for a full year.

HIV/AIDS deaths fall by one-third since 2010, but experts say more could be done

The number of deaths attributed to the AIDS virus has declined by one-third worldwide since 2010, according to a new report by UNAIDS, a joint United Nations program. There were 770,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2018, down 33 percent over eight years, but progress varies across regions. Some countries continue to experience a rise in new cases of HIV infections and accompanying deaths. 

Pose Isn’t Just Giving an AIDS History Lesson

Pose digs far beyond period escapism and history lessons. The show turns its unflinching focus on not just how HIV/AIDS plagued the ballroom community but how its members fought back against it. 

CDC Study Says Most HIV Infections Are Transmitted By Undiagnosed Individuals

In a new report, the public health agency reveals that about eight in 10 new infections come from people who are not receiving the care they need.

Alcohol & Drug Council is opening a treatment and referral facility in Lansing, plans 40 beds in future

The Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County has started the week with a major announcement: it is phasing in a 40-bed medically supervised detox and stabilization unit in Lansing and will begin by opening an open access treatment and referral facility this weekend.

The Alcohol & Drug Council has secured a 19,420-square-foot facility at 2353 N. Triphammer Rd. in the Village of Lansing. Finding a place to put the treatment center and secure funding has been in the works for over two years, Emily Parker, director of development at the Alcohol & Drug Council said, and will help fill a critical gap in local addiction treatment.

Halting U.S. HIV Epidemic By 2030: Difficult But Doable

Trump administration health officials are spelling out their ambitious plan to stop the spread of HIV in the U.S. within the next 10 years.

In 20 years living with HIV, my sanity has often been pushed to the limit by James May

While living with HIV in 2019 has improved, it’s far from easy, especially for those of us with a history of trauma from Aids-related conditions. There are ongoing struggles with medication side-effects and prejudice and discrimination. Few conditions have the same consequences for a person in terms of their self-esteem and relationships.

World AIDS Day 2018: A Flood of Memories and Support By JOSEPH JONES

By 1985, just four years after the first reported cases of AIDS in the U.S., 12,529 AIDS related deaths worldwide were documented.

What to know about the salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey this Thanksgiving

Thaw your turkey on a plate in your refrigerator NOT on the counter. Follow safety guidelines.

Syphilis Rises Sharply Among Newborns

The number of babies born with syphilis has more than doubled in the past four years and last year reached a 20-year high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fourth consecutive year for sharp increases in STD cases, according to CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a recent press release, nearly 2.3 million cases of bacterial STDs — including gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia — were diagnosed in 2017. 

This is an increase of 200,000 from the previous year, marking the fourth consecutive year of sharp increases in the number of cases diagnosed.

Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic

Drug overdoses killed about 72,000 Americans last year, a record number that reflects a rise of around 10 percent, according to new preliminary estimates from the Centers for Disease Control. The death toll is higher than the peak yearly death totals from H.I.V., car crashes or gun deaths.

Opioid-like antidepressant poisoning people, CDC warns; What is tianeptine?

Researchers at The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a warning about the federally-unapproved antidepressant tianeptine.

Scientists cautiously optimistic about HIV vaccine candidate

There may be a glimmer of hope in the fight to protect people from HIV-1, the most widespread type of the virus and the one that causes the most disease globally.

A new vaccine appears to be safe and induced an immune response in humans and rhesus monkeys in an early stage trial, according to new research published Friday in the journal The Lancet.

Drug use in Upstate New York: Strategies for Change and Reducing the Harms

Binghamton University's Institute for Justice and Well-Being and the Drug Policy Alliance are co-hosting a one-day conference and strategy session to bring stakeholders from Central New York and the Southern Tier together to learn from experts and from each other. The program will include an overview of the problems surrounding drug use in Central New York and the Southern Tier, best practices for reducing the harms associated with drug use in non-urban areas, strategies for moving local policy change forward, and the role of the criminal justice system. 

ER visits for opioid overdose up 30%, CDC study finds

The opioid epidemic in the United States shows no signs of slowing, according to a Vital Signs report released Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PHAT Life: Effective HIV intervention for youth in the criminal justice system

A group risk-reduction intervention that uses role-playing, videos, games, and skill-building exercises to promote knowledge about HIV/AIDS, positive coping, and problem-solving skills for high-risk teens in the juvenile justice system, showed great potential for reducing sexual risk-taking. 

Pioneering AIDS Researcher Dr. Mathilde Krim, Who Battled The Virus And Stigma, Dead At Age 91

The dawn of the AIDS crisis was a time of chaos, confusion and misinformation. But there was one woman who saw the devastation and dedicated herself to raising public awareness about its cause and treatment.

Opioids now kill more people than breast cancer

More than 63,600 lives were lost to drug overdose in 2016, the most lethal year yet of the drug overdose epidemic, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Opioids in our Communities: Drug Overdose Deaths in New York State

Drug overdose deaths have risen steadily in recent years, becoming the leading cause of death in the United States. More than 60% of overdose deaths involve the use of opioids.

New Online Tool Helps PrEP Users Assess Marketplace Coverage Options

To help individuals using PrEP who are also seeking to get or renew coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace during the current open enrollment period, NASTAD recently launched PrEPcost.org

CDC Report Finds Overdose Deaths Rose 21 Percent in 2016

A new report from the CDC shows deaths from firearms and drug overdoses increased last year.

CDC Considers Expanding Hepatitis C Testing

"While we seek to expand testing, we have to keep in mind that we have to have the services there so that people benefit from that testing information."

Undetectable=Untransmittable

Following the lead of hundreds of HIV experts and prevention organizations around the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week stated there is “effectively no risk” of an HIV-positive person with an undetectable viral load — the amount of HIV in blood — sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner.

CDC reports rise in STDs in the United States

More than two million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the nation in 2016, the highest number ever, according to the annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report .

Where is painkiller use booming in Upstate NY, despite national crackdown?

As doctors nationwide prescribe fewer prescription painkillers, people in Central and Northern New York are getting their hands on more of the potentially addictive drugs, federal data shows.

AMA Wants New Approaches to Combat Synthetic and Injectable Drugs

American Medical Association voted to support the development of pilot facilities where people who use intravenous drugs can inject self-provided drugs under medical supervision.

HIV Home Test Giveaway

Want HIV testing, that's free, fast and convenient?

CDC Report Focuses on Slowing Hepatitis C Infection Rate

Hepatitis C virus infection rates are the highest in 15 years, according to recent data released by the CDC.¹ Preliminary surveillance data revealed that the number of new infections has nearly tripled over the past 5 years.

Opioid epidemic may be underestimated, CDC report says

(CNN) Experts say the United States is in the throes of an opioid abuse epidemic, causing 91 overdose deaths each day. Yet the total number of opioid-related deaths may still be underestimated, suggests new research from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC: HPV Infection Rates Remain High in Both Men, Women

Although previous research(pediatrics.aappublications.org) has shown declines in the prevalence of vaccine-type HPV infection and genital warts among young U.S. females after introduction of the HPV vaccination program, overall infection rates in both women and men remain unacceptably high. Specifically, among adults ages 18-59 in 2013-2014, about 45 percent of men and 40 percent of women had genital HPV infection.

More than 1 in 5 adults has cancer-causing HPV, CDC reports

About 80 million Americans are infected with one of the many types of HPV, according to the CDC. 

Sexually transmitted diseases on the rise, CDC says

2015 was the second year in a row where rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were up, according to the Centers for Disease Control. 

CDC: Opioid addiction can start in just days

Doctors who limit the supply of opioids they prescribe to three-days or less, may help patients avoid the dangers of dependence and addiction.

Undetectable = Untransmittable

AIDS United Affirms Evidence That Proves People Living With HIV With a Sustained, Undetectable Viral Load Cannot Transmit HIV to Sexual Partners

Same-sex marriage laws helped reduce suicide attempts by gay, lesbian and bisexual teens, study says

Guess what? It did get better for gay, lesbian and bisexual high schoolers when the states they were growing up in changed their laws to allow same-sex marriage, a new study finds.

NEW HIV INFECTIONS DROP 18 PERCENT IN SIX YEARS

“The nation’s new high-impact approach to HIV prevention  is working. We have the tools, and we are using them to bring us closer to a future free of HIV,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “These data reflect the success of collective prevention and treatment efforts at national, state and local levels. We must ensure the interventions that work reach those who need them most.”

Bill Gates Invests $140 Million in Groundbreaking New Technology For HIV CURE

There are hopes that implant technology, similar to systems available for birth control, could be used to deliver a consistent supply of drugs, aiding people vulnerable to HIV.

Needle Exchange Programs Help HIV But Move Too Slowly, CDC Says

"The science shows that syringe service programs work. They save lives and money. Study after study shows they don't lead to increased drug use or crime," he added.

"Understanding and Preventing Heroin and Prescription Opioid Abuse"

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, Broome Opioid Abuse Council, Binghamton Police Department, and Broome County Sheriff's Office invite you to attend:

"Understanding and Preventing Heroin and Prescription Opioid Abuse."
HOW DO WE SOLVE IT?

Can energy drinks cause hepatitis?

Energy drinks are often scrutinized for caffeine amounts, but large quantities of "natural ingredients," such as B vitamins, may be overlooked, the report said.

Each bottle of the man's energy drink contained 40 mg of niacin, or 200% of the recommended daily value, and he consumed four or five bottles daily for more than 21 days straight, the report noted. Some energy drinks also contain high levels of B6 or B12. Drinking more than one energy drink could put consumers thousands of times over their daily B-vitamin need, which raises the risk of toxicity.

Public Health Threat - Gonorrhea

The CDC is calling Gonorrhea an urgent public health threat as it's the second most commonly reported STD in the nation and it could become incurable. that information from the World Health Organization that says we will need new drugs to fight the infection in five years. 

The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the United States

Today, more people are living with HIV than ever before as people are living longer with the disease, new infections continue to occur, and diagnoses surpass deaths each year.

Queer teens are four times more likely to commit suicide, CDC reports

First nationally representative study of queer youth confirms health differences

The Doctor Who First Saw AIDS Believes in a 'Possible Cure'

The fact that we're even talking about the possibility of a cure — that's the eradication of HIV from the body — is a huge milestone. We're not there yet but I think in the next 60 years, we'll have a cure for HIV. The cure is the next step and nowadays, we are having realistic conversation about it. This is truly amazing to me.

CDC reports Hepatitis C-related deaths hit record high in the U.S.

Deaths from the liver disease hepatitis C reached an all-time high in 2014, killing more Americans than HIV, tuberculosis and staph infections.

Expanding Access to Housing in the Southern Tier

We are excited to announce that we have recently been awarded $400,000 by the New York State Department of Health to operate a new housing program. The project will operate under a housing first model, making placement into stable housing the number one priority before turning our attention to participants’ other ongoing health and wellness needs.

Our 2nd Annual Mud Gauntlet

The 2nd annual Mud Gauntlet was held on April 19th. The sun was shining and it was a crisp 60 degrees outside. We had 359 registered runners. We were delighted to have Walter F. Hendrick (Sandy) from mudrunguide.com attend the event. Here are a few excerpts from his review.