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EMA Approves Victrelis For Hepatitis C In Europe – The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which provides marketing authorization for drugs for the European Union, announced this week the approval of Victrelis (boceprevir) for the treatment of hepatitis C in people who are previously untreated or who failed treatment in the past. Victrelis, marketed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck (known as MSD outside the U.S.), was approved for use in combination with the current standard hepatitis C treatment, peginterferon alfa (PegIntron or Pegasys) plus ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol). Victrelis received approval in the U.S. in May, along with Incivek (telaprevir), a second new hepatitis C treatment in the same drug class. For more information, please see the Merck press release.

Government Creates New Website To Fight Discrimination Against People With HIV – The Department of Justice has created a new website to help fight discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS, which is illegal under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The website provides information about HIV’s coverage under the ADA and instructions on how to file a complaint, as well as information on past legal settlements against companies found guilty of discrimination. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, education, healthcare, and housing, among others. For more information, please see the Department of Justice’s ADA AIDS website.

New Jersey Will Implement Medical Marijuana Program – New Jersey governor Chris Christie announced yesterday that he will lift the suspension on the state’s plans to dispense medical marijuana. The governor last month delayed implementing the law to request assurance from the federal government that it would not prosecute state officials for dispensing the drug. However, despite not receiving such assurances, Governor Christie said yesterday that the state can move forward with its plans. Governors of several states have reassessed medical marijuana laws in light of recent letters from the U.S. government threatening to prosecute state employees under federal drug laws (see related AIDS Beacon news). Marijuana is not legal under federal laws, although several states have legalized it for medicinal use. For more information, please see the article in Bloomberg.

Armenia Lifts HIV Travel Ban – Armenia last week became the latest country to lift its ban restricting people with HIV from entering the country. Namibia, China, South Korea, and the U.S. have all lifted travel bans since 2010, although restrictions remain in 48 countries, territories, or areas worldwide. The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) praised the move, stating that travel bans are discriminatory and have no health or economic justifications. For more information, please see the UNAIDS press release.

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New Jersey Assembly Votes To Restore ADAP Funding – New Jersey’s state Assembly has passed a bill to reverse earlier state restrictions on income requirements for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The bill would restore eligibility to people with HIV whose incomes are five times the federal poverty level, or $55,150. The previous budget, signed last June, restricted the program to people whose incomes were three times the poverty level, or $32,490. The bill must still be signed by Governor Chris Christie before it can become law. For more information, please see the related article at NorthJersey.com.

Massachusetts Considers Legalizing Medical Marijuana – Lawmakers in Massachusetts have sponsored a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state. The proposed bill would allow patients suffering from certain medical conditions, including HIV and AIDS, to legally carry four ounces of marijuana or keep up to 24 plants in a secure, locked facility. The bill would also require users to register with the state’s Department of Public Health and would provide for the creation of 19 state-regulated dispensaries. For more information, please see the article in the Boston Herald.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation Asks FDA Not To Approve Truvada For HIV Prevention – The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a California-based AIDS activist and treatment group, has sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking it not to approve the drug Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) for prevention of HIV transmission. The drug has been shown to reduce infection risk when taken daily by HIV-negative men who have sex with men. AHF argues that the drug is not effective enough and that approval would encourage more risky sexual behavior and promote the spread of drug-resistant HIV. For more information, please see the article in the PharmaLetter.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Signs Agreement To Bring Reyataz To Sub-Saharan Africa And India – Bristol-Myers Squibb announced this week that it has signed an agreement with Matrix Laboratories Limited to allow Matrix to produce the protease inhibitor Reyataz (atazanavir), as well as the older drugs stavudine (Zerit) and didanosine (Videx), in sub-Saharan Africa and India. The agreement will include provisions for pediatric dosages of didanosine and Reyataz. The agreement is part of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s “Global Access Program,” which is intended to expand access to HIV drugs in developing countries. For more information, please see the Bristol-Myers Squibb press release.

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The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services has released proposed application and registration rules for doctors, producers, caregivers, and patients who wish to participate in New Jersey’s Medicinal Marijuana Program.

New Jersey expects to start distributing medicinal marijuana in July 2011.

People with HIV or AIDS qualify for medicinal marijuana use in New Jersey if they suffer from severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, vomiting, or wasting syndrome – an involuntary and unavoidable loss of weight – due to their illness or treatment.

Scientific studies have demonstrated that…

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New Jersey Restores Drug Funds For Low-Income HIV/AIDS Patients – New Jersey residents with HIV/AIDS who were excluded from the New Jersey AIDS Drug Distribution Program will now be enrolled in a new drug benefit program, the Temporary AIDS Supplemental Rebate and Federal Assistance Program. The new program will cover the cost of antiretroviral medications to individuals making between 300 percent ($32,490) and 500 percent ($54,150) of the federal poverty level per year. Funding for the new program comes from pharmaceutical company rebates and newly available federal AIDS grants. Program participants will be able to use the same eligibility number that they are currently using to fill prescriptions. For more information, please see the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services website.

Tibotec Pharmaceuticals Submits New Drug Application For Rilpivirine To Treat HIV – Tibotec Pharmaceuticals has submitted a new drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for rilpivirine (TMC278), a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Rilpivirine is being studied for once-daily use with other antiretroviral drugs in treatment-naive HIV-positive adults. The application is based on the results of two Phase 3 clinical trials evaluating rilpivirine plus Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir) versus Sustiva (efavirenz). Tibotec has also agreed to collaborate with Gilead Sciences to develop a once-daily combination pill of rilpivirine and Truvada. For more information, please see the Tibotec Pharmaceuticals website and press release.

FDA Warns Consumers Of Serious Harm From Drinking Miracle Mineral Solution – The FDA is warning consumers not to drink Miracle Mineral Solution, also known as Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS). MMS is sold online and falsely claims to treat multiple diseases, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and cancer. The supplement contains an industrial bleach that can cause serious illness or injury, including severe nausea, vomiting, and life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration. The FDA has warned consumers who have MMS to stop using it immediately and throw it away. For more information, please see the FDA website.

Some Dietary Supplements For People With HIV May Be Contaminated And Unsafe – The September issue of Consumer Reports identifies 12 dietary supplements that consumers should avoid because of possible health risks to the heart, liver, and kidneys. The list includes supplements such as colloidal silver (also known as ionic silver, native silver, or silver in suspending agent) and germanium (also known as Ge, Ge-132, or germanium-132) that are commonly used by people with HIV. Supplement manufacturers are not required to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of their products, which can be contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, or prescription drugs. Consumer Reports developed the harmful ingredient list with the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, an organization that researches and evaluates the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements. For more information, please see the Consumer Reports website.

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Merck Halts Development Of New HIV Drug Vicriviroc – Merck announced July 14 that it would stop development of its new drug, vicriviroc, due to disappointing results from a Phase 2 trial in individuals who had not received antiretroviral treatment before. The drug had previously shown poor results in a Phase 3 trial in treatment-experienced individuals. Vicriviroc was designed to prevent HIV from binding to the CCR5 protein, which is located on the surface of CD4 (white blood) cells and is used by HIV to infect the cells. Vicriviroc would have been the second drug of this type; Pfizer’s drug Selzentry (maraviroc) is the first. For more information, please see the Aidsmap and Project Inform websites.

New Jersey Tightens Eligibility Requirements For AIDS Drug Distribution Program – As part of its budget cutbacks, New Jersey has tightened eligibility requirements for its AIDS Drug Distribution Program (ADDP). ADDP provides antiretroviral medications for low-income, uninsured individuals with HIV. Previously, New Jersey’s ADDP covered individuals with incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level, or $54,150 per year. As of August 1, the program will only cover individuals with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or $32,490 per year. For more information, please see the NorthJersey.com website or the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services website.

North Carolina Announces Limited Reopening Of Its AIDS Drug Assistance Program – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced July 11 that $14 million will go toward reopening the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which had closed to new participants in January. With the new funds, the program will add 627 patients who have been on the waiting list. Current eligibility requirements restrict the program to individuals living at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty level, or $13,538 per year. Individuals with incomes between 125 and 300 percent of the federal poverty level will continue to be waitlisted. For more information, please see the WRAL.com website or the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website.