Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA) - Summer 2004
ACRIA Welcomes Mark J. Montgomery to Our Board
Mark J. Montgomery was elected to ACRIA's Board of Directors at the May 19, 2004 meeting. Mr. Montgomery comes to this position with a longstanding involvement in New York City and Washington D.C.'s nonprofit community and in medical research in particular. Mr. Montgomery also brings a valuable financial background to the agency, with over 20 years' experience as a securities analyst and portfolio manager. He currently serves as Managing Director of Montgomery Brothers, Cappiello, LLC, a private investment firm based in Washington. We look forward to having someone of Mr. Montgomery's experience and interests on our board to help ensure that our programs continue to meet the changing needs of the HIV community nationwide and that the agency remains financially stable during extremely challenging economic times for AIDS charities.
ACRIA's CAB Presents Its First Community Hero Award
ACRIA's Community Advisory Board (CAB) presented its first Community Hero Award on April 12, 2004 to Congressman Charles B. Rangel at a ceremony in East Harlem. The CAB chose Congressman Rangel for this honor because of his longstanding commitment to the health and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS across the country and, particularly, racial/ethnic minorities who bear the greatest burden of new infections.
Congressman Rangel is a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus which, in 1998, caused the creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) in response to a crisis of infections within minority communities. Since then, this initiative has directed significant federal grants in the fight against AIDS to populations that had previously been sorely underserved by AIDS funding. ACRIA is just one of many nonprofits nationwide to receive MAI support for implementing critical programs that help minorities to more effectively access and benefit from a host of vital services, including programs that provide information about life saving treatment options. Most of these programs would not exist had it not been for Congressman Rangel's recognition of the emerging health crisis within African American and Latino communities. In accepting the CAB's Community Hero Award, the Congressman spoke eloquently about the continuing need of the federal government and private donors to do everything they can in the fight against HIV, with particular emphasis on helping those who are the poorest in our society.
ACRIA's CAB would like to thank New York City Councilmember Phil Reed's office for helping us present the Community Hero Award to Congressman Rangel.
Research Activities
The ACRIA research department has had its first article on HIV over 50 accepted to a peer-reviewed journal, Aging and Mental Health. "The Aging HIV/AIDS Population: Fragile Social Networks" was authored by Andrew Shippy and Stephen Karpiak. A second article - "The Aging HIV/AIDS Population: Why Are Informal Networks Unable to Provide Adequate Support?" - has been submitted to the journal Research on Aging.
Brady Berman and Allison Applebaum from New York University's Department of Psychology, who worked as interns on ACRIA research projects, have both been accepted to highly competitive clinical Ph.D. programs beginning next year. Brady and Allison will be completing manuscripts detailing the work they did at ACRIA, which included the assessment of cognitive function and depression in people with HIV over the age of fifty.
On April 25, 2004, Associate Director for Research Stephen Karpiak, Ph.D. addressed the Dominican Medical Association of New York on issues confronting the growing aging HIV/AIDS population. To date, the research staff has given 14 presentations on their HIV/50 research findings to New York City-based AIDS service organizations.
HIV Treatment Education Technical Assistance Program: Capacity Building for New York City Community-Based Organizations ACRIA is offering a new capacity building program for community-based organizations that provide services to people with HIV in New York City. The goal of the program is to help non-medical service providers incorporate accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date HIV treatment education and counseling into their agencies' work. This two-part program includes: Participation in October's training is limited to 25 people. For information about the program and how to apply, go to: www.acria.org/treatment/nycta.html |
ACRIA's Community Advisory Board (CAB) fosters partnership between the education staff and the local community impacted by HIV/AIDS. Involving community members in the development of our education programs ensures that community values and cultural differences are respected in ACRIA's educational work. Community Advisory Board members meet every other month, review program materials, and help us identify education needs. For more information about the CAB or if you are interested in volunteering at ACRIA, please call Mark Milano at (212) 924-3934, ext. 123. |
ACRIA STUDIES IN PROGRESS
Tipranavir Open Label Safety Study
People whose virus has become resistant to approved HIV treatments or who are intolerant to them will take tipranavir with Norvir, along with other anti-HIV drugs, for an open period of time. Participants should be 13 years of age or older, have a viral load above 10,000 and a CD4 count below 100 to enroll in this program.
The Effect of Reyataz on Cholesterol Levels
People who have high cholesterol levels and a viral load below 50 while taking Kaletra will either switch to Reyataz or continue taking Kaletra. The study will last 12 months. Study participants will be reimbursed $25 for each visit.
Reyataz Compared to Kaletra
People whose viral load has risen to over 1,000 while taking an NNRTI as part of their first HAART regimen will switch to either Kaletra, or to Reyataz / Norvir. Everyone will also take Viread and either Videx EC or Zerit XR. The study will last for 22 months. Study participants will be reimbursed $25 for each visit.
Phase I Study of a New GlaxoSmithKline NNRTI
People who have become resistant to an NNRTI and who have a CD4 count over 200 and a viral load over 2000 will take one of four doses of W695634G alone, or take placebo pills, for 7 days. Those who complete the study will be reimbursed $590.
For the above trials, contact Dr. Douglas Mendez at 212-924-3934 ext. 126 or Dr. Yuriy Akulov at 212-924-3934 ext. 124.
Standard of Care Treatment vs. ZEST Once-Daily Regimen
(Closed to Enrollment) This trial is studying whether people on their first HAART regimen who take their drugs two or more times a day can switch to a once-daily regimen. People in the trial either remain on their current medications, or switch to Zerit XR, Epivir and Sustiva (ZEST) taken once daily.
Nurses in AIDS Care Study
ACRIA is collaborating with researchers at Indiana University and with the Association for Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) to conduct a study of issues facing nursing professionals who provide care to people living with HIV. The study is being conducted via the Internet and participation is anonymous. Nursing professionals can participate by visiting our website, www.acria.org or webdb.iu.edu/Hperweb/icts/hiv_survey/index.html.
Generous Contributions
The following persons, corporations and organizations made major donations between March 16 and June 15, 2004 to support ACRIA's research and education efforts:
| Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals
Patricia and Gustavo Cisneros Federated Department Stores Foundation Mark D. Fields The David Geffen Foundation GlaxoSmithKline Kelly Klein Ortho Biotech Paul Rykoff Coleman Foundation Schering Sales Corporation H. van Ameringen Foundation |
Thoughtful donations were made in memory of the following individuals:
|
Contributions in support of ACRIA's vital research initiatives were made in honor of the following individuals:
|
MASTHEAD
Editor in Chief
J Daniel Stricker
Editor
James Learned
Medical Editor
Jerome A. Ernst,
MD
Publications
Manager
Mark Milano
ACRIA Board
of Directors
Ross Bleckner,
President
Donald Kotler,
MD, Vice President
Vincent Wm. Gagliostro,
Secretary
Charles Franchino,
DC, Treasurer
Marisa Cardinale
Bob Colacello
Douglas Dieterich,
MD
Tiffany Dubin
Jason Heffner
Reinaldo Herrera
Kevin Krier
Adam Lippes
Mark J. Montgomery
Martha Nelson
Maer Roshan
In Memoriam
Gary Bonasorte
Kiki Mason
David Seidner
George N. Stathakis
Medical Director
Jerome A. Ernst,
MD
Executive Director
J Daniel Stricker
ACRIA is an independent, non-profit, community-based AIDS medical research and treatment education organization dedicated to rapidly improving the length and quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS. Bulk copies of ACRIA Update are available free to agencies that provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information, call 212-924-3934 ext. 121.
Copyright ©
2004
AIDS Community
Research Initiative of America. All rights reserved. Non-commercial reproduction
is encouraged provided appropriate credit is given.
ACRIA
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