Leap Day...

It's another Leap Year & we're at the end of February a day later than normal.  Not much is happening today.  We did some shopping, but that's about it.  

So long February, you were weirdly warm & barely wet enough.  Overall, it was a pleasant enough month.  Until next year.   Hello March.

I did notice something that may be impacting me.  I had to get salt today & noticed the salt I had been buying hadn't been iodized.  This may have caused some of thyroid problem.   I have to have blood drawn for that next week.  I guess we'll see how this is going.

Cya...

Chill & Drear...

I woke up to a nice sunny morning.  That didn't last long.   The pleasant, warm morning faded into a dreary, wind fest.   The wind's been blowing for hours & we have a slight chance for rain.  

There isn't much going on today.  The articles have mostly dried up for the moment. I'm really tired of being chilled & living in drear.  I'll post more tomorrow.

Cya...

Reactions...

There've been reactions to things I've posted about the last couple of days.  To start with the matter regarding the New Jersey hospital & it's possible exposure of people to HIV & hepatitis.   The hospital has offered to pay for any testing needed, as long as it's done on site.   There lies the problem.  Some people have loss trust in the establishment & aren't comfortable going back to a place that may have exposed them to either virus.   It turns out the hospital had hired someone who had previously lost their pharmacist licence due to opioid theft.  The man's license was later reinstated, but still, he probably should'n't have been allowed to work with other opioids. 

The next reaction was to PrEP failure.  Researchers & activists are struggling to push the idea this is a rare event.  They desperately need the public to believe this is a 1 in a million type thing.   The fact is this is the only case we are aware of where PrEP failed.  There may be more.  There most definitely will be more.  As the use of Truvada spreads & more people feel safe go back into the proverbial water without condoms, the rate of failure is bound to increase.  That fails to mention the  drugs  making up Truvada are among the most apt for HIV to be resistant too at this time.  So, yes there was a failure & yes it may be rare at this moment, but that's likely to change as time passes.

The problem for these medical establishments & drug companies is we don't live in a bubble.  There are tons of factors in every action, many beyond our control.  People will continue to  contract HIV from hospitals until new protocols are established.  PrEP will continue to fail as the number of users increases & the presence of drug resistant HIV grows.

Absolutes are not present in this world.  We can only count on at some point something will fail or change. But even that main not be predictable or to our favor. All this shows us is HIV isn't being taken as seriously as it should be.  And, HIV is too much of cash cow not to be exploited by corporations.   Talk about a sad world.

Cya...

PrEP Failure...

According to Poz.com's article, there's been the 1st failure of PrEP.   A gay man reportedly maintaining his PrEP regimen for 2 years contracted drug resistant HIV.  Truvada is made up of Tenofovir & Emtricitabine.  If the virus encountered is resistant to 1 or both of these, then the efficacy of this treatment could be impaired.

Even though the results are acknowledged, researchers feel like this will be a rare phenomenon.  I'd  question that.  As PrEP users grow in number,so will the probability of failure. Especially in those not adhering to their regimen as prescribed.  

This man encountered HIV with resistances to 8 or more medications.  What happens when PrEP increasingly enters parts of the world with high levels of drug resistant HIV?  The answer is simple, PrEP will fail.

I wish I could say I was surprised by this news, but I'm not.  I've been expecting this.  The only surprise here, is it took this long to occur.

Cya..

Yet Again...

This article tells of how yet another hospital has become a potential exposure site for HIV & hepatitis.   This time in New Jersey.  It was different drug, but due to another substance abuser messing with meds & needles.  The span of possible exposure is about 15 months in 2013 - 14.  They didn't report possible numbers.   The hospital is urging testing.  Urging?  The health department should be demanding.

I keep hearing about this & it comes down to not caring, not wanting to spend resources or some addict after drugs. Or indulgence, indifference & greed.   How long before we really prosecute these people & these medical establishments for endangering their patients lives?    Who's going to pay for this.  Who will pay for these patients care if they contract HIV?  The costs for this are over $30,000 US annually just the meds, not counting all the doctor visits, labs & other secondary expenses.  

Some people will say if a patient contracts HIV like, that their lives aren't over.  True, they probably won't die, but the lives they had are most definitely impacted & over as they knew them.  Now they have to live with HIV & all that details, including the health issues, costs, stigma, etc...  People who contaminate others purposely or with reckless disregard should be shot.

Cya..

HIV & Criteria...

This isn't new, it isn't even ground breaking, but it's still amazing.  This report from the CDC gives a startling graphic of various populations & their likelihood of becoming HIV + over their lifetime.   

• MSM are the most apt to get HIV
• Heterosexual women are the least likely
• Black men are the most likely
• White women are the least likely
• Hispanics are in the middle to high end of these numbers

It also broke it down by state.  The southern states are more apt to contract HIV than the north central states.   Currently the national average risk of person contracting HIV in their lifetime is 1 in 99 or a little over a 1% chance.  Unless, you happen to be a Black male, then the chance goes up to 5%.  If your Black male having MSM, then you're chances set at 50%.  Yes, that's right a 1 - 2 chance of becoming +.  While the White male MSM sets at 1 in 11 or a little over 9%.

I've talked about this before, the dangers of being marginalized or on the fringe in regards to HIV or similar issues.   This isn't news, but to see it in a graphic is still eye opening.  Maybe this will get some people to pay attention.

Cya...

Finally Rain...

This isn't the 1st precipitation of 2016, but it's the 1st significant rain we've had this year.  It's brought some chill as well.  We'll have the lowest temps we've had for a couple weeks tomorrow.  I'm hoping this rain does some good for my allergies.  It'd be nice if it took us off the fire watch list for a while.   

I went out earlier.  That wasn't pleasant.  There are leaves on trees & red buds are blooming.  It won't be long before the dogwoods are at it.   Even though Winter technically still has weeks left in it, Spring is here.

Cya...