Upated Tuesday, July 13, 2:30 EST:

AIDS groups were quick to criticize the White House's just-announced strategy of combatting new HIV infections, revealed by President Obama earlier today. The plan aims to reduce HIV infections in the country by 25% within five years--an unrealistic goal, according to organizations that have pointed out that outline includes a bleak $30m extra from the government.

"This strategy is a day late and a dollar short," said Michael Weinstein, President of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Fifteen months in the making, and the White House learned what people in the field have known for years. There is no funding, no 'how to,' no real leadership."

Aside from announcing that the government's new national HIV...

A few weeks back we told you that GLAAD was calling on ABC and The View to inform viewers that Sherri Shepherd and D.L. Hughley are idiots, and that their quotes aired on the show about gay men on the down low being the primary reason HIV is prevalent among women of color are not only untrue, but dangerous. Well, ABC continues to refuse to clarify the remarks it aired, despite pleas from GLAAD and the Centers for Disease Control, so today GLAAD took out a full-page ad for the cause, hoping to nudge the network closer to rectifying its ways.

In its press release, GLAAD writes, "ABC now knows that it put out dangerous and false information about HIV/AIDS on its airwaves, yet the network still refuses to take responsibility. ABC and The Vie...

One hell of a fundraiser! 

Bill Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg and Elizabeth Hurley have been named as the guests of honor for the upcoming Vienna Life Ball. The AIDS fundraiser (and kick-ass party) is going on its 18th year, with some 40,000 people expected to attend. Last year's event raised nearly $2 million in the name of HIV/AIDS. 

Aside from a specially designed fashion show by Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg and Kenneth Cole (on a runway shaped as an AIDS ribbon, no less), this year's Ball will also serve as the opening for the International AIDS Conference, which will be held in Vienna July 18-23. 

Learn more about the conference, as well as major advancements in the field of HIV/AIDS that have occurred in just the...

The Iowa Family Policy Center (IFPC) has reasserted its erroneous, shock-value claim that marriage equality is more dangerous than smoking. The anti-gay group asserts that because HIV and certain other STDs are more prevalent in the gay male population, that Iowa’s legalization of marriage equality should be overturned in the interest of public health.

But when the group first posted the vilifying claim last month for its followers, everyone with any modicum of sense was quick to point out its major flaws:

If there ever is any reporting that makes Fox News actually feel fair and balanced it’s from the 700 Club during the network’s social segments. A recent “expose” went deep into the world of the down low lifestyle to reveal how these men on the DL have been cured of the gay by Jesus Christ.

Just to be sure the 700 Club of all places doesn't get the last word in on a vital topic in the community, we'd be remiss in our work if we didn't include a few pertinent highlights.

The first comes from Dr. Kevin Phenton, M.D., Ph.D., directore of the CDC's National Center for HIV/Aids, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention:

"We have looked at the proportion of HIV infections among women from bisexual partners and have found no data...

New studies out of the Netherlands bring good news, but with possible negative implications. The research, presented at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, shows that 25 year olds who are today diagnosed to be HIV positive can expect to live normal or near-normal lifespans, as long as treatment begins shortly after infection.

Men and women diagnosed aged 25 could expect to live just five months less than HIV-negative people and men diagnosed at age 55 would live 1.3 years less (women 1.5 years less). For patients diagnosed with HIV (but not AIDS) symptoms the figure was two years shorter for men and women diagnosed at 25, and six and 7.5 years shorter for men and women respectively diagnosed at 55.

The researchers...

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Two great stories from UCLA regarding HIV/AIDS have come out today.

First, UCLA has announced its participation in a 14-city AIDS vaccine trial. From the press release:

As part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), the AIDS Research Alliance is one of 14 sites throughout the US to begin testing a new prime-boost HIV vaccine that may provide valuable insight into how to better control HIV infection. The Alliance will be vaccinating its first study volunteer and holding a press conference Oct. 29 to mark the commencement of this important study.

Also, a scientist from UCLA's AIDS Institute will receive a $20 million grant to conduct stem cell research.

From UCLA media relations:

Irvin Chen,...

In honor of World Aids Day 2009, Instinct Magazine is looking for your real life stories about living with HIV/AIDS.

If you have an inspirational story about being Positive, being a survivor and what it means to live with HIV, we want to hear from you!

Email us in about 150 - 300 words with an accompanying picture to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also, please include your full name (first & last), age and where you currently live (city & state). Deadline is September 29.

What is likely game-changing news comes today out of Thailand:

"For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the AIDS virus, a watershed event in the deadly epidemic and a surprising result. Recent failures led many scientists to think such a vaccine might never be possible."

After much success in Atlanta, the White House has announced its next HIV/AIDS community discussion. Hosted by the Obama-minted White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), the second installment will take place on Monday, September 21 in Washington DC.

For more information or to RSVP a spot, visit ONAP's registration site here.

Good news, everyone!

Researchers from the Scripps Institute have isolated antibodies that can block HIV from evolving into severe AIDS. The understandably significant announcement comes after decades of studies failing to do just that, and likely indicates that a vaccine might be possible.

Something celebratory to take with us into the long weekend, right?