A cross-section of articles we've read this week about HIV/AIDS, STIs and a wide cross-section of structural and systemic factors impacting HIV/AIDS in Black communities.

Treatment

The Benefits of HIV Treatment 

HIV treatment in 1995 meant taking lots of pills up to three times a day - some needing refrigeration as well as some serious side-effects, like voluminous qualities of unexpected explosive diarrhoea and body-shape changes. It was a real pain, but how times have changed.

Glaxo Wins U.S. FDA Approval for New Daily HIV Therapy 

GlaxoSmithKline PLc won U.S. regulatory approval for a daily pill against the deadly HIV infection that was developed by ViiV Healthcare Ltd.. its joint venture with two other drugmakers.

U.S. Approval of Tivicay® (dolutegravir) for the Treatment of HIV-1 Announced 

ViiV Healthcare is pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tivicay(®) (dolutegravir) 50-mg tablets. Tivicay is an integrase inhibitor indicated for use in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 in adults and children aged 12 years and older weighing at least 40 kg (approx. 88 lbs).

Miscellaneous

Exercise Helps with Better Brain Functioning in HIV-Infected Adults 

Regular exercise regimen helps to mitigate common neurocognitive impairments in patients.

LGBT Identity Data in Health Records Would Improve Care, Reduce Disparities 

Recording the sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) of individuals in their health records would greatly facilitate identifying the unique health needs and health disparities of LGBT individuals, leading to improved quality and outcomes of their health care. The advantages of reporting this information and the growing support for including it in electronic health records (EHRs) are described in an article in LGBT Health, a new peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, launching in fall 2013.

A Limit on Consumer Costs is Delayed in Health Care Law 

WASHINGTON - In another setback for President Obama's healthcare initiative, the administration has delayed until 2015 a significant consumer protection in the law that limits how much people may have to spend on their own health care.

Raven-Symoné Officially Comes Out 

The former Cosby kid confirms she is a lesbian via Twitter.

The Men Who Want AIDS-and How It Improved Their Lives 

'Don't take no meds, don't go to a doctor. And that's what I did. I sabotaged myself to get my numbers down.'

South Africa 'Turns Corner' on HIV/AIDS, But Still Has a Long Way To Go 

After years of struggle, some 2 million people in South Africa are being treated for HIV/AIDS with antiretroviral drugs, leading one official to say the country has "definitely turned a corner." NBC's Ron Allen reports.