Taylor Edelmann’s Post

Today is #NationalHIVTestingDay, a vital reminder of the importance of knowing your HIV status. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing HIV and preventing its progression to AIDS. At Ada, we are committed to supporting the fight against HIV through several key actions: •📢 Increasing Awareness: We provide access to free medical self-assessments and high-quality clinician-reviewed HIV-related content across our platforms. • 🌍 Supporting Local Communities: We enable our partners to help patients easily access prevention and treatment by delivering targeted contextual messaging and digital-first access to telehealth services. • 🤝 Financial Support: Ada is a founding member of the Health Action Alliance-led US Business Action to end HIV. •🌟 Recognizing Our Coalition Partners: We stand alongside esteemed coalition members such as Walgreens, CVS Health, and Gilead Sciences, who are making significant contributions to end HIV stigma and improve healthcare services. Together, we can end the stigma and spread awareness. Get tested, stay informed, and protect your health. 💙

World AIDS Day: A Call for Action, Equity, and Compassion On World AIDS Day - 1st December 2024, we unite as a global community to reflect on the progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, honour the lives impacted, and recommit to the vision of a future free from this epidemic. As family doctors, we are often the first point of care, making us critical in prevention, early detection, treatment, and the ongoing support of those living with HIV. Our responsibility extends beyond clinical care—we are advocates for equity and champions against stigma, ensuring that every individual feels seen, heard, and valued. This year’s theme, “Take the rights path: My health, my right!”, underscores the urgent need for equitable healthcare access. In Malta and across the world, barriers to treatment and prevention persist, particularly for vulnerable populations. Removing these barriers is not just an ethical imperative but a practical necessity if we are to meet the global goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The availability of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) has been transformative in reducing new HIV infections. However, for these tools to fulfill their potential, they must be freely accessible to all who need them—in Malta and beyond. Free access is not merely about affordability; it is a matter of public health equity and justice. Let us also remember the human aspect of this fight. Beyond medications and technology, ending stigma and discrimination remains vital. Compassionate care and community awareness are the cornerstones of an inclusive and effective healthcare system. To my colleagues in family medicine, public health, and advocacy: thank you for your relentless efforts to create a world where HIV/AIDS is no longer a threat to health and dignity. Together, we can turn the tide and ensure no one is left behind. #WorldAIDSDay #HIVAIDS #FamilyMedicine #PrEP #PEP #EndingStigma #EquityInHealth #PrimaryCare

Check out a recent op-ed by Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis, okimaw/CEO at CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks on how prioritizing Indigenous-led healthcare solutions can improve health outcomes: https://bit.ly/4aPurkb   Earlier this year, Gilead Sciences Canada, in partnership with CAAN, awarded funding to nine Indigenous community organizations across the country through the GLOWS Indigenous Health Grant, which aims to advance health equity in HIV and viral hepatitis by breaking down structural barriers to care and championing the empowerment of Indigenous Peoples to autonomously shape their path to healing.   While Indigenous communities represent just five per cent of Canada’s total population, they make up 18.2 per cent of all new HIV cases and are two to five times more likely to contract Hepatitis C than non-Indigenous groups, reaffirming the importance of fostering these initiatives.

When Does It End?, hosted by Ms. Tori Cooper and Christopher Walker, is the perfect mix of education, advocacy, cultural humility and unity. The video podcast series is a space where public health champions come together to discuss Ending The HIV Epidemic in America Initiative (EHE) through the four pillars of Prevention, Diagnose, Treat, and Respond. The podcast is created in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Capacity For Health, APIAHF (Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum), and the CPN Network. On today's episode of When Does It End? Tori and Chris will be doing a deep dive into the world of Self Testing. The pandemic taught us that HIV education, testing, and prevention don’t always have to happen at your local community based organization or clinic. When the world decided to shut down, many organizations got innovative in their approaches to HIV prevention. Today you will hear how some people used the pandemic to reach more people and encourage them to know their status. Watch the episode here: https://lnkd.in/g4AkW28Y

In this 4-part activity series, Richard A. Elion, MD is joined by expert faculty to review updated guidelines for patient risk assessment and PrEP eligibility; discuss interprofessional strategies for improved patient outcomes; assess the clinical evidence, availability, and appropriate use of PrEP therapy; evaluate racial, ethnic, and geographical disparities; and present approaches to increase PrEP usage in regions with the highest rates of HIV infection.   In this featured activity, Dr. Elion is joined by Rachel K. Scott, MD, MPH, FACOG to discuss the case of an adult cisgender female who desires HIV protection.   Find it here: https://lnkd.in/en5W8jZF   These activities are supported by an independent educational grant from ViiV Healthcare. 

Congressional Briefing: Syndemic Approaches to Ending the HIV, Hepatitis, and STI Epidemics Date: June 27, 2024 Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Location: 385 Russell Senate Office Building, 2 Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002 RSVP: Email Zach Miller, Policy Manager, NMAC, [email protected] The session will cover: Syndemic approaches to our HIV, STI, and viral hepatitis epidemics Current funding levels and their impact Evidence-based needs, effective syndemic policies, and proposed budget allocations The implications of the appropriations on public health outcomes

Today is World AIDS Day. In light of it, I would like to raise awareness that HIV/AIDS can end without a cure. As I wrote in my piece, entitled "DCNOW Endorses 14th International Workshop on HIV & Women" (https://lnkd.in/eDiKZ-eJ), "Through treatment as prevention, people with HIV can take medication, which lowers their viral load, usually within six months, so that it is undetectable (meaning a standard lab will not see it).  A person with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to others via sex. An undetectable viral load also decreases the chances of giving HIV to offspring during pregnancy, labor, and delivery and reduces the risk of HIV transmission via breastfeeding. It might decrease HIV transmission for individuals who inject drugs."

HIV, once a life-threatening condition, is now a manageable chronic illness for millions worldwide, thanks to timely diagnosis and effective treatment. Early detection is vital to preventing complications and ensuring better health outcomes for those living with HIV. World AIDS Day, observed on December 1st, reminds us to stay resolute in our efforts to prevent new HIV infections and support individuals impacted by the virus. This year’s theme, “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!” by WHO, calls on leaders and communities to address inequalities and uphold the right to health for everyone. At Erba Transasia, we stand united in the global fight against HIV. Guided by our mission of creating a healthier, happier world, we provide state-of-the-art diagnostic solutions, including ELISA and RAPID screening kits. These tools empower healthcare providers with accurate, timely results, enabling early intervention and improved care. Learn more on https://zurl.co/IJDc, https://zurl.co/Lktd & https://zurl.co/UuVs or reach out to us on 7400058929. #WorldAIDSDay #AIDS #WorldAIDSDay2024 #EndAIDS #IAmTransasia #WeAreErba

AIDSVu just released updated interactive maps and data that visualize the HIV epidemic in the US at the state- and county- level for 2022, highlighting the new data through a health equity lens. The new maps spotlight the continued health inequities that contribute to greater burdens of HIV, particularly by race/ethnicity and across geographies, especially in the South. We must continue to contextualize and address the health disparities faced by underserved communities, regions, and individuals in order to reach our shared goal of ending the HIV epidemic. Please visit AIDSVu.org to learn more about the data, maps, profiles, and other resources that visualize HIV-related disparities and the unmet need. 

HIV/AIDS experts are cautiously watching as President Trump and his administration near inauguration day. On one hand, they remember how President Trump announced in 2019 his initiative called Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. It included Ready, Set, PrEP, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiative that provides free access to the HIV prevention medication PrEP for thousands of qualifying individuals. But there are worries “about the next four years because we’re hearing about a potential decrease in funding,” that will be detrimental to programs, according to Marwan Haddad, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, Medical Director of the Center for Key Populations, Community Health Center, Inc., and a former chair of the HIV Medicine Association. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, Ph.D., MPH, Executive Director, Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, highlighted these issues as communities recognized World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. For instance, the CDC reports new HIV infections fell by 19% from 2018 to 2022 but there’s been a 12% increase in infections among Latino people. Our guests join Conversations on Health Care hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to discuss progress and the hurdles that still exist in the fight to end AIDS. Watch the full episode: chc1.co/755. #HIV #AIDS #HIVPrevention #HIVepidemic #healthcare #podcast #news