POZ

1 week ago | poz.com | Liz Highleyman

HIV vaccine approaches that aim to train the immune system to produce specialized antibodies against the virus have taken the next steps forward, two research teams reported in Science to coincide withHIV Vaccine Awareness Dayon May 18. Both studies showed that different engineered immunogens could trigger production of precursor immune cells with the potential to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that work against diverse strains of HIV.

1 week ago | poz.com | Phil Galewitz

President Donald Trump’s signature budget legislation would punish 14 states that offer health coverage to people in the U.S. without authorization. The states, most of them Democratic-led, provide insurance to some low-income immigrants — often children — regardless of their legal status. Advocates argue the policy is both humane and ultimately cost-saving.

2 weeks ago | poz.com | Liz Highleyman

Transgender people who receive gender-affirming hormone therapy appear to have better HIV outcomes, according to a new study published in The Lancet HIV. As the proportion of trans and gender-diverse people receiving hormone therapy rose at two primary care clinics, HIV prevalence and the likelihood of not having viral suppression declined. “Gender-affirming care is important for optimizing HIV outcomes among trans people,” the study authors concluded.

2 weeks ago | poz.com | Liz Highleyman

HIV-positive people who maintain or regain an adequate CD4 T-cell count on antiretroviral therapy are less likely to develop cancer, according to study results reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Those who do not experience good immune recovery, however, have a higher risk for cancer, underscoring the importance of prompt HIV treatment. Cancer is a growing concern as the HIV population ages.

2 weeks ago | poz.com | Phil Galewitz

It has been nearly eight years since Sen. John McCain’s middle-of-the-night thumbs-down votetorpedoed Republican effortsto repeal the Affordable Care Act and make drastic cuts to Medicaid. With Donald Trump back in the White House and the GOP back in control of Congress, Republicans again have their eyes on Medicaid, the government health program for those with low incomes or disabilities.