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  • AIDS panel reiterates call for prison needle exchange

    By Carol Sanders, Winnipeg Free Press
    February 3, 2010
    Source: Montreal Gazette
    WINNIPEG — The longer Parliament is on hold, the longer prison inmates are sharing dirty needles and diseases with the community at large, former prisoners and health advocates say.
    The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network was supposed to appear Tuesday before the Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety [...]

  • Vaccine stops TB in African HIV trial

    Last Updated: Friday, January 29, 2010
    Source: CBC News
    An experimental vaccine helps prevent tuberculosis in people infected with HIV, researchers have found.
    The Mycobacterium vaccae, or MV vaccine, reduced the rate of tuberculosis by 39 per cent among 2,000 people infected with HIV in Tanzania, researchers said in Friday’s online issue of the journal AIDS.
    Tuberculosis accounts for [...]

  • Armed conflicts have an impact on the spread of tuberculosis: the case of the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia

    Author: Abdi GeleGunnar Bjune
    Credits/Source: Conflict and Health 2010, 4:1
    Source: 7th Space Interactive
    A pessimistic view of the impact of armed conflicts on the control of infectious diseases has generated great interest in the role of conflicts on the global TB epidemic. Nowhere in the world is such interest more palpable than in the Horn of Africa [...]

  • Yukon fights TB spread with control team

    Tuesday, January 26, 2010 | 5:17 PM CT
    Source: CBC News
    Health officials in the Yukon are working to stop the spread of tuberculosis in the territory, which has one of the highest infection rates in Canada.
    Chief medical officer Dr. Brendan Hanley said the Yukon currently has 26 active cases of TB in three undisclosed rural communities.
    Two [...]

  • China's TB control project avoids 770,000 deaths

    Source: Xinhua
    BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — A total of 770,000 deaths from tuberculosis (TB) were avoided over the past eight years in China thanks to a large-scale TB control project, it was announced Wednesday.
    The project covering 670 million Chinese, nearly half of China’s population, also prevented 20 million people from getting infected with TB bacteria.
    China’s [...]

  • Glaxo offers free access to potential malaria cures

    Exclusive: GSK boss says drug companies must balance need to satisfy shareholders with social responsibility
    Sarah Boseley, health editor
    Wednesday 20 January 2010
    Source: The Guardian
    The chief executive of the world’s second biggest pharmaceutical company will today announce that he is putting into the public domain thousands of potential drugs that might cure malaria.
    Andrew Witty, the British boss [...]

  • Circumcising babies could help Africa AIDS fight

    Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:04pm GMT
    By Kate Kelland
    Source: Reuters
    LONDON (Reuters) - Circumcising newborn boys to stop them becoming infected with the AIDS virus in later life is more cost-effective than circumcising adult men, Rwandan health experts said on Tuesday.
    A study by Agnes Binagwaho and colleagues at Rwanda’s health ministry found that the operation, which has [...]

  • For doctors in Haiti, worst is yet to come

    Source: Reuters
    Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
    WASHINGTON
    Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:01pm EST
    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An earthquake killing up to 200,000 people would have been bad enough anywhere, but in Haiti, where AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are rampant, children are malnourished and hygiene is already a challenge, it may create one of the worst medical disasters [...]

  • China strives to make medical prescriptions affordable to all

    2010-01-15 15:15:00
    by Xinhua writers Bai Xu, Yang Dingdu, Shen Chong
    Source: Xinhua News
    WUHAN, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) - Wang Zhengyan became a celebrity recently after a “best doctors” poll from local people. She has been a doctor for 26 years.
    “She is loved by patients because she always prescribes medicines [...]

  • Atlantic Examines Drug-Resistant TB Control Worldwide

    Thursday, January 14, 2010
    Source: Kaiser Global Health Policy Report
    The Atlantic examines the emergence of drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis around the world, with a look at the situation in South Africa. “[T]he resurgence of tuberculosis is not limited to South Africa. India and China have the largest numbers of tuberculosis cases, and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has [...]

  • New Study Raises Concerns About HIV-Drug Resistance

    By Eben Harrell
    Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010
    Source: Time
    Last January a team of scientists at the World Health Organization (WHO) published a study in the British medical journal the Lancet making the audacious claim that the tools already exist to end the AIDS epidemic. Doctors have long noted that antiretrovirals — the drugs commonly used to [...]

  • Clean-Cut: Study Finds Circumcision Helps Prevent HIV and Other Infections

    The first microbiome study of the penis offers some clues as to why removing foreskin cuts the risk of HIV infection in circumcised men
    By Carina Storrs
    Source: Scientific American
    The World Health Organization declared three years ago that circumcision should be part of any strategy to prevent HIV infection in men. The organization based its recommendation on [...]

  • Tobacco use prevalence, knowledge, and attitudes among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients in Penang State and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Author: Ahmed Awaisu Mohamad, Haniki Nik Mohamed Noorizan, et al.
    Credits/Source: Tobacco Induced Diseases 2010, 8:3
    Source: 7th Space Interactive
    There is sufficient evidence to conclude that tobacco smoking is strongly linked to tuberculosis (TB) and a large proportion of TB patients may be active smokers. In addition, a previous analysis has suggested that a considerable proportion [...]

  • Circumcision health benefit virtually nil, study finds

    Little evidence that world’s most common surgical procedure can prevent sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections and penile cance
    André Picard
    Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010
    Source: The Globe and Mail
    While it is the most common surgical procedure in the world, there is virtually no demonstrable health benefit derived from circumcision of either newborns or adults, a new study [...]

  • Study finds that UNICEF program in Africa fails to save more children

    By Maria Cheng (CP) – Jan 11, 2010
    Source: The Canadian Press
    LONDON — A UNICEF program that spent $27 million to decrease child deaths from disease in West Africa has failed, according to a new study that found a higher survival rate in some regions that weren’t included in the program.
    The U.N. children’s agency pursued strategies [...]

Archive for the ‘MGAC’ Category

Information Session: Canadian Access to Medicines regime

Monday, March 29th, 2010

English to follow:

D’abord la vie, pour les mères et les enfants séropositifs!

Le Réseau juridique canadien VIH/sida et les Universités alliées pour les médicaments essentiels vous invitent à une session d’information sur le « Régime canadien d’accès aux médicaments » (RCAM) qui aura lieu le 14 avril 2010 de 9h30 à 12h30 au Centre St Pierre, Montréal. Cette initiative est d’une grande pertinence pour les organismes qui travaillent sur les G8/G20 et sur la santé des enfants et des mères. Veuillez nous joindre dans ce moment critique au Canada pour l’accès aux médicaments essentiels.

Il y a plus de cinq ans, le Parlement du Canada a répondu à l’urgente nécessité de médicaments pour des pays en développement en créant le RCAM. Celui-ci devait faciliter l’accès à des médicaments abordables pour les personnes malades dans plusieurs pays en développement. Malheureusement, cette initiative louable comportait de graves lacunes.

Aujourd’hui, nous avons l’occasion de rectifier cela! La session d’information se porte sur le RCAM et le nouveau projet de loi C-393 pour le réforme du RCAM. C-393 est présentement à l’étude par un comité de la Chambre des Communes à Ottawa. Les organismes qui voudraient travailler pour assurer l’adoption de ce projet de loi sont invités à nous joindre pour une séance de travail qui suivra des présentations.

Location : Centre St Pierre, 1212 rue Panet, Montréal (métro Beaudry).

Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter Rachel Kiddell-Monroe à Rachel.k.monroe@essentialmedicine.org.

—–
Putting lives first : Canadian legislative reform can help HIV positive mothers and children

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Universities Allied for Essential Medicines invite you to attend an information session on the Canadian Access to Medicines regime on 14 April 2010 at 9.30 am to 12.30 pm in Montreal. This initiative is particularly relevant for organizations working on G8/G20 and on mother-child health issues. Please join us at this critical moment for Canadian action on access to essential medicines.

Over 5 years ago, the Canadian parliament responded to the urgent need for drugs in developing countries by creating the “Canadian Access to Medicines Regime” (CAMR). This should have facilitated access to affordable medicines for patients in many developing countries. However this laudable initiative is gravely flawed.

Today, we have the chance to act. The new Bill-393 is under review by a parliamentary committee in the House of Commons in Ottawa. This information session will provide background and an update on the current state of affairs. The organizations that would like to know more about practical advocacy activities to assure the adoption of this Bill are invited to join us for a practical work session after the presentations.

Location: Centre St Pierre, 1212 rue Panet, Montreal (metro Beaudry).

For more information please contact Rachel Kiddell-Monroe at Rachel.k.monroe@essentialmedicine.org–

World TB Day Panel & Canada MUST fix CAMR

Sunday, March 21st, 2010


2 events organized by McGill Global AIDS Coalition on March 24

1)

World Tuberculosis Day Panel Discussion: MISSING DRUGS
The McGill Global AIDS Coalition will be hosting a panel discussion with three highly acclaimed professionals who will examine the impact of the global TB and AIDS epidemics, the consequences of an insufficient pharmaceutical industry, and Canada’s significance in each issue.

Dick Menzies MD., Director of Respiratory Medicine, MUHC will discuss the limitations of controlling the global TB and AIDS epidemics as well as the challenges that hinder treatment availability, accessibility, and innovation.

Marc-André Gagnon PhD., Post-Doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Law will outline business strategies and models of the Canadian pharmaceutical industry which often result low-incentives for medicinal innovation.

Rachel Kiddell-Monroe, President of the Board for Universities Allied for Essential Medicines will bridge the gap between corporate incentives and steps that the Canadian government can take to ameliorate the situation.

Chancellor Hall 101, 3644 Peel St.

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

For more information please contact: director@treatthepeople.com

_________________________________________________________________

2)

Spread the word!!!

JOIN US in a nation-wide Day of Action to demand action in improving access to essential medicines. Come denounce Member of Parliament Marc Garneau’s (Westmount- Ville Marie) vocal opposition to reforming Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR). CAMR is legislation passed in 2005 that was supposed to facilitate the supply of generic medicines to developing countries, but that has thus far failed. Only one order of drugs has left the country, largely because of unnecessary, bureaucratic red tape. MP Garneau, Liberal Science and Technology critic, voted against Bill C-393 (a bill to reform CAMR) in its second reading. Despite this opposition, the bill will now be reviewed in the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology of which MP Garneau is a member. Nine out of ten children do not have access to live-saving HIV/AIDS medications. Canada must fix CAMR NOW!

Join us for a creative demonstration in one of the following ways:

1. Meet at New Chancellor Day Hall 101 (Faculty of Law - 3644 Peel) at 1:45PM (metro tickets will be provided)

or

2. Meet at Marc Garneau’s office (4060 Sainte-Catherine West near metro Atwater) at 2:15PM

note: HIV+ve t-shirts, signs, and other materials will be provided

How Can We Get Canadian-Manufactured Drugs to Developing Countries?

Monday, March 1st, 2010

A Public Forum on Reforming Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime

Friday, March 5th, 2010
12:30pm - 2:00pm

Are you interested in global health? Or helping developing countries get access to desperately needed medicines? Then come learn about Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) this Friday and see how you can help achieve those goals.

The McGill Global AIDS Coalition, along with Universities Allied for Essential Medicine, Nurses Without Borders, and the Post Graduate Student Society will be launching their advocacy campaign for the passage of Bill C-393 to reform Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), which would facilitate the exportation of generic medicines to developing countries.

On Friday, March 5th 2010, there will be a public forum with Richard Elliott (Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network), Rachel Kiddell-Monroe (President of the Board at Universities Allied for Essential Medicines), and Dr. Nicholas King (Professor of Biomedical Ethics at McGill). These experts will discuss the challenges posed by CAMR and the solutions offered by Bill C-393. There will also be an update on the Bill’s status from Thomas Mulcair (MP for Outremont). The forum will take place from 12:30 pm-2:00 pm in the McConnell Engineering Building (room 204) of McGill University Campus. The forum will be open to questions. If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact director@treatthepeople.com.

As the forum marks the beginning of our advocacy campaign, we will have letters to Members of Parliament to sign. We encourage you to write your own letter regarding Bill C-393 and CAMR, or use one of our pre-formatted ones.

2nd Student Colloquium on Health and Law: Universities as Global Innovators

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Please join the McGill Journal of Law and Health and the McGill Journal of Medicine for an interdisciplinary day of discussion at the “2nd Student Colloquium on Health and Law: Universities as Global Innovators”. The one-day colloquium boasts a formidable itinerary: distinguished lectures, small group discussions with speakers, poster presentations, and a panel discussion on the role of universities in improving global health issues.

Speakers include:

Dr. Nick Drager (former Director of the Dept. of Ethics, Trade, Human Rights and Health Law at the WHO),
Ms. Rachel Kiddell-Monroe (President of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines; former Canadian Coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières),

Prof. Richard Gold (President of The Innovation Partnership; Founding director for the Center of Intellectual Property and Policy),

Mr. Richard Elliott (Executive Director, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network),

Dr. Tim Brewer (Director of McGill Global Health Programs; Chair of AFMC Resource Group on Global Health),

Dr. Margaret Graham (Director of the McGill Innovation Consortium),

Dr. Laurette Dubé (Chair of the McGill World Platform for Health and Economic Convergence initiative)

and Dr. Tim Geary (Director of McGill’s Institute of Parasitology; Canada Research Chair in Parasite Biotechnology)

Early registration is only $12 for students and includes breakfast, lunch, and wine & cheese
Visit their website for more details.

When: Saturday February 6th 2010 9:30am to 7pm (registration table and breakfast from 9:30am)
Where: McIntyre Building, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University
Includes: Admission, breakfast, lunch, participation in small group discussion, and wine & cheese

Cost: 12$ students/20$ non-students (deadline 1 February at 11:59pm).
Registration at the event is $15 but may be limited.

IF YOU’D LIKE TO GO… email director@treatthepeople.com

About MGAC
McGill Global AIDS Coalition is an HIV/AIDS advocacy group dedicated to the eradication of HIV/AIDS and to the realization, worldwide, of the right to health. We are committed to helping to create an effective student advocacy network in Canada and to educating the McGill and Montreal community on global health issues
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