for RSV Respiratory Syncytial
virus that we keep talking
about.
Meantime, HIV continues to be a
global public health crisis
with an estimated 38 million
people living with the virus
as we get close to World AIDS
Day, which is December first this week it’s an opportunity
this week it’s an opportunity
for people worldwide to unite
in the fight against HIV.
Now joining us this morning
to discuss how Medicine’s can
play a critical role in ending
the HIV epidemic is the head of
research and development at
VIVE Health Care. Doctor
Kimberly Smith. Doctor, good morning. How are you?
morning. How are you?
>> Good morning. I’m well.
Thank you for having me.
>> Thanks for spending these
moments with us. Doctor.
First off, why does HIV
continue to be a global health crisis after, you know, 40
crisis after, you know, 40
years since it was discovered?
>> Well, I think one of the challenges is that, you know,
challenges is that, you know,
we the people think that got
away and are from it. You know,
we know that there are
38 million people globally that
are living with HIV. 1.7
million new cases each year
and here in the United States. There are about 1.2 million
There are about 1.2 million
people living with HIV and
they’re in 2019. There were
37,000 new cases. And so
there’s still a lot of HIV.
And if we were not talking
about it and not educating
about continue to be a global
health crisis.
>> How doctor, how does a HIV
impact certain communities more
or differently than other
communities?
>> Well, we called in HIV disproportionately impacts men
disproportionately impacts men
who have sex with men as well
as communities of color.
So roughly 74% of them new HIV cases in the United States are
cases in the United States are
among black and Latino
individuals. We also know that
it basically owns a 20% of the
cases, new cases of and
cisgender women. They are also him also disproportionately
him also disproportionately
women of color. So communities
of color are disproportionately
impacted. Men who have sex with
men are disproportionately and
impacted as well as transgender
individuals.
>> And doctor, what have been some of the major advances in
some of the major advances in
HIV medicines over the past
decade.
>> Well, they’re been
tremendous advances. I can say
having been around for a long
time. And in the past actually
being on the front lines of
HIV treatment. I know there
have been major advances in the
early days of HIV treatment.
Treatment was extremely
complicated. Individuals need
to take a handful of
medications multiple times a day with lots of side effects.
day with lots of side effects.
Now, deputies, people can take
as little as one pill a day for
HIV treatment. And our company
has released treatment that
could be taken every 2 months. So HIV treatment has advanced
So HIV treatment has advanced
tremendously. But in addition
to treatment, we also have
advanced the ability to prevent
HIV. So the past decade, we
know that there’s been
something called print or PR in pain and that is pre
in pain and that is pre
exposure prophylaxis where an
individual can take a pill
every day can substantially
reduce their risk of acquiring HIV within the last year we had
HIV within the last year we had
being health care came with
a new product, became FDA
approved and is called app or
2. And this is a long acting
HIV prevention medication were
individuals. Were those every
2 months. And so instead of
needing to take a pill 365 days
a year, they can be those every 2 months or just 6 times a year
2 months or just 6 times a year
and substantially reduce the
likelihood of acquiring HIV.
So I’d like recommended
individuals would talk to their
doctor about the options for
HIV prevention.
>> Interesting, it’s it’s it’s
kind of strange that we have to
sort of temper all of the
developments with the with the
fact that aides really, I guess
ultimately can be preventable.
And the numbers are still
there. So right, we were trying
to totally get rid of it and
we’ve helped a lot. But the but
the education is still needed.
The access to medicines that
still need. A doctor. Thank you
so much for your time today.
We really appreciate your
insight.
>> Absolutely well. Thank you
for having me in for more
information, I’d invite people
to go
to after 2 dot com. That’s a P
R E t you be that calm. >> Thank you so much. And for
>> Thank you so much. And for
those who missed that, they can
search World AIDS Day and seen
on 7 at our website. Click 2
Houston dot com doctor Kimberly
Smith with Vive Healthcare.
Thank you again, doctor, and