tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post375456175156195106..comments2024-01-03T04:26:55.149-06:00Comments on LifeLube: I Haven't Given Up, I've TAKEN CHARGE - One Man's Story of Taking HIV Meds for PreventionNewPrevTechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05705781012925480028noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-32260953791734030102011-05-11T06:41:58.777-05:002011-05-11T06:41:58.777-05:00Excellent piece and should be distributed a lot mo...Excellent piece and should be distributed a lot more widely. I'd suggest you pitch it to POZ.Gus Cairnshttp://www.aidsmap.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-34859564195816072892011-05-05T23:08:03.221-05:002011-05-05T23:08:03.221-05:00Nick,
Thank you for this. My name is Aaron Stell...Nick, <br /><br />Thank you for this. My name is Aaron Stella. I'm a 25-year-old poz gay man living in Philadelphia. I was unfamiliar with this study until now; finally, I have something I can offer as an option to my future neg partners, as I'm not sold on singularly dating other poz men. <br /><br />In addition to being the Editor-in-Chief for an Arts and Entertainment publication in Philadelphia, call Phillybroadcaster (www.phillybroadcaster.com), I've recently begun writing an HIV column in the Philly Gay News. I cold pitched the idea to them when I saw that they, being one of the oldest gay publications on the planet, had no columnist for HIV. Here's a link to my first article (it's new enough that a second one hasn't come out yet): <br /><br />http://epgn.com/pages/full_story/push?article-HIV+in+the+new+millenium%20&id=12679916<br /><br />In the same way that you're educating people, I'm trying to do the same, if but merely by being young and totally public about my status, and trying to instigate an informed dialogue about HIV in Philadelphia. A lot of young people don't know the facts nor how to talk about it, which is, ironically, in part because of the new and effective meds, rendering fear of death second fiddle to HIV's stigma. <br /><br />In any case, thank for you this contribution to educating people on the facts of new research and medications options. I'm going to send this article to someone who I'm dating now. He is negative, but loves me very much and is determined to have a healthy sexual life with me. <br /><br />With much love, Aaron. <br /><br />P.S: in case you'd ever like to talk (i don't care if I give out my email address) email me here: astella@phillybroadcaster.comAaron Stellahttp://www.phillybroadcaster.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-40658764578045260222011-05-05T13:06:06.465-05:002011-05-05T13:06:06.465-05:00just want to thank you for this very personal, ver...just want to thank you for this very personal, very thoughtful piece... i've been hearing a lot of stuff about prep from all kinds of people - and not til now from someone who is actually taking it... i don't know if i would make the same choices, or not, but i do appreciate the way you describe how you got to where you are going. thank you again nick :)diego de la nochenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-25620272790881045832011-05-05T13:02:35.362-05:002011-05-05T13:02:35.362-05:00Excellent questions, Anonymous #2! The CDC interi...Excellent questions, Anonymous #2! The CDC interim guidance on PrEP places responsibility on physicians to evaluate candidates for PrEP carefully. I wish I could clone the physician who cares for my partner and me, as he's been outstanding.Nick Literskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-49101490881173694292011-05-05T10:45:40.375-05:002011-05-05T10:45:40.375-05:00What a wonderfully provocative, informative and pe...What a wonderfully provocative, informative and personal story. Thank you so much for sharing your life, love and thoughts. Personally, I am thinking that PrEP is a viable tool to offer gay men, particularly gay men like yourself who are committed to your health and informed of the risks--and able to see a doc for regular tests.<br /><br />But are you a good representation of most gay men? (I wish you were, but alas you're not!) A question then is, Is PrEP appropriate for people who are less informed, disciplined and introspective? Is it appropriate/safe to market it to people unlike yourself--what are those risks?<br /><br />Again, thank you for sharing such personal insight--best of luck to you and your partner(s)!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-38742378306588113512011-05-05T09:29:04.745-05:002011-05-05T09:29:04.745-05:00Nick, many thanks for your well-written, articulat...Nick, many thanks for your well-written, articulate account of the challenges (to put it mildly) a sero-discordant couple face. While the issue focused on is PrEP, your article goes well beyond that by touching upon so many attendant issues that we collectively tend to downplay or ignore.Roy Wadianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-78016760349569192472011-05-05T00:49:09.203-05:002011-05-05T00:49:09.203-05:00I appreciate your thoughts, "Anonymous,"...I appreciate your thoughts, "Anonymous," but I can't say that I completely agree. Reading the full study in the NEJM, including the footnotes, provides much more information than the "44%" condemned by Weinstein. Additional articles have also come forth (some linked at this blog) with useful observations and details of the study. Since the subjects were given blood tests to check the level of Truvada in their systems, it's not accurate to say that "nobody knew who did not take the drug daily." As for your theory that none of the men taking the drug were exposed to HIV, the same could be said for a study which was specifically targeted to compare dosage regimens. Keep in mind, however, that the study was explicitly limited to subjects who were considered "high risk" for infection. <br /><br />There is undoubtably much more to learn on this topic, but "44%" is certainly not the entire story.Nick Literskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147263375462229249.post-24706079402869229372011-05-04T17:30:36.557-05:002011-05-04T17:30:36.557-05:00The 44% effectiveness result is not a misrepresent...The 44% effectiveness result is not a misrepresentation of the study. It is the result of the study as described both in the paper in the NEJM and by its principal investigator. <br /><br />On the other hand, it is a misrepresentation of the study to say that "None of the men who were found to actually be taking Truvada on a daily basis throughout the study became infected with HIV." because this information is a) not known (nobody know who took and who did not take the drug dayly) b) people may simply not have been exposed to HIV.<br /><br />Therefore it is also inacurate to say that those who take the drug daily had a 92% reduction in being infected (that figure comes form a substudy which is not a clinical trial, nor representative of the trial). The iPrEX trial was not comparing dayly dosage versus non dayly which would have been the only way to reach obstain such figure). <br /><br />Your testimony is powerful enough without misrepresenting what the study showed and did not show.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com