Implementing long-acting injectable HIV PrEP: Recommendations to support the Australian health sector
On the 6th of April 2024, ASHM Health organised a national workshop, funded by ViiV Healthcare, to convene a select group of key stakeholders from each Australian state and territory. The primary objective was to facilitate discussions around how to successfully implement the use of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) as HIV PrEP throughout Australia and to identify […]
Combating hepatitis C in primary care
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) kills approximately 483 people in Australia each year – despite being curable in primary care. That means every death from HCV is avoidable and the elimination of hepatitis C in Australia is a very real possibility. But to get there, there is still plenty of work to do. Hepatitis C is […]
How co-design is revolutionising hepatitis B care in the Northern Territory
When studying the genotype of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in the Northern Territory (NT), researchers discovered that 100% of CHB in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the NT is due to the unique sub-genotype C4 , which is associated with quicker progression to liver cancer and cirrhosis. “It upped the urgency for us […]
Remote prescribing breaking down barriers to hepatitis C treatment in New South Wales
Hepatitis C is curable in most people. Hepatitis C treatment in the form of direct-acting antiviral medicines (DAAs) can cure more than 95% of people living with hepatitis C. While the number of people living with hepatitis C is decreasing overall, the cumulative proportion of people living with hepatitis C initiating DAA treatment remains lower […]
HIV Unwrapped 2024
HIV Unwrapped 2024: a re-imagination of the lab coat This project is based upon the exceptional work done in the CLOAK project by the University of Technology Sydney and University of Sydney last year as part of World Pride 2023. This project extends an invitation to consider: what would a HIV scientist/researcher wear which amplifies themselves and […]
Budget announcement marks major investment in HIV, BBVs and STIs
ASHM welcomes news from the federal budget of a $126.5 million investment over two years to support the prevention, testing and treatment of blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and STIs, alongside a $43.9 million investment to implement the recommendations of the HIV Taskforce. This announcement represents a significant investment by the federal government in the national response […]
Trust imperative for reaching multicultural communities with hepatitis B care
In Australia, chronic hepatitis B disproportionately affects people born overseas. More than two-thirds of those living with the infection were born overseas or are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is therefore vital that hepatitis B programs, services and care are culturally appropriate and safe. If Australia is to reach its hepatitis B treatment […]
Preparing for PrEP in Papua New Guinea
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has been a game changer for HIV prevention. In Australia, biomedical HIV prevention strategies, including PrEP and treatment as prevention, have been instrumental in the significant declines in HIV transmission we have seen over the last ten years. However, rolling out a drug regime like PrEP can be complex. And while […]
Access to HIV treatment for people without Medicare
Australia has transitioned from an industry-sponsored antiretroviral treatment (ART) compassionate access scheme to a Federation Funding Agreement (FFA) model that provides free or affordable access to ART for people with HIV who do not have Medicare. The states and territories have transitioned to a new scheme whereby people with HIV without Medicare are able to […]
NSW Hepatitis C Remote Prescribing Program
The NSW Hepatitis C Remote Prescribing Program was established in November 2020 to facilitate linkages between nurses who perform the patient assessment and medical practitioners/nurse practitioners who initiate hepatitis C treatment. The program aims to increase access to hepatitis C treatment in NSW in regional areas and other settings where treatment may be limited. Further […]
