Conclusions of scientific experts at the World AIDS Day.

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Ethics, law, HIV and hepatitis, a situation in Africa and therapeutic developments have been the main themes of the event with scientific reason for World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1 at the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid.

The event, organized by the Foundation on AIDS Research and Education, was moderated by Dr. Juan González-Lahoz, president of the Foundation. During the presentation, Dr. González Lahoz highlighted the work of basic and clinical research in the field of HIV and viral hepatitis that is making this Foundation, as well as social and educational programs developed in recent years.

Below and to a very interested audience, the speakers discussed the current issues brought by the scientific community over the past year.

"Ethical issues surrounding HIV / AIDS: It should regulate the practice of clinical trials in developing countries.
First, it gave a speech entitled "Ethical issues surrounding HIV / AIDS," by Dr. Jose Jara Rascón, President of the Association of Bioethics at the Autonomous Community of Madrid, and Department of Urology, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid.

The research being conducted in developing countries on AIDS treatment do not always make available in the first world, for these patients. A review of studies on measures to prevent mother-to-subsidiary of the virus during pregnancy, published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, found that while the tests conducted in the United States comparing strategies versus medication with known efficacy ( zidovudine), most of these studies conducted in African countries were studying the same measures against type substances inactive placebo. Ie, it was assumed not to give any medication to pregnant women with AIDS to obtain results of these studies in a shorter time and much cheaper. Would it be acceptable that scientifically correct decision in the countries sponsoring the study?

"AIDS and the clinical setting: Ethical and legal": If the time and place of work is contracted the disease by contagion, this will be a happy accident.

"AIDS and the clinical setting: ethical and legal aspects" was the topic presented by Dr. Javier Sanchez-Caro, Director of Bioethics and Health Guidance. Department of Health and Consumption in the Autonomous Community of Madrid.

Dr. Sanchez-Caro said that considerations of labor standards and social security are applied in the case of AIDS without any exception: if at the time and place of work is contracted the disease by contagion, we will without any doubt an accident, considering the unique hypothesis that workers have to undergo a compulsory medical examination, since it is a scenario that could arise only for certain health care workers carrying out of surgical risk.

"HIV and Hepatitis: infection by the virus of viral hepatitis are the second leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients after AIDS in developed countries
Next, was "HIV and Hepatitis", delivered by Dr. Vincent Soriano. Service of Infectious Diseases Hospital Carlos III of Madrid, which reported the complications of infections with viruses of viral hepatitis, which are the second leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients after AIDS in developed countries . "This is because the virus coinfection is common and because the progression to cirrhosis is faster in this population. In addition, coinfected patients respond less to treatment. "

"HIV and Africa: The Foundation AIDS Research and Education in 4 years has kept an important economic cooperation for the maintenance of a hospital for AIDS patients in Boma (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

"HIV and Africa," was the theme outlined by Dr. Dolores Herrero, Infectious Diseases Service, Hospital Carlos III of Madrid.
Dr. Herrero, commented that the region of Bas-Congo, one of the major cities is Boma, near the mouth of the River Congo on the Atlantic coast, the Foundation on AIDS Research and Education four years ago established an important collaboration several clinics. The result of this collaboration has been the development of devices for the diagnosis of HIV, training of African personnel with stays in Madrid and the establishment of partnerships with WHO support for the diagnosis of subtypes of HIV resistance to antiretroviral drugs and measure of viral load from blood samples of patients in Boma DBS (dried blood spots), which are periodically sent to Madrid from Congo.


"New developments in antiretroviral therapy: The therapeutic revolution in the last year has been the development of drugs belonging to new classes of drugs for HIV treatment: the maraviroc and raltegravir.
Finally, Dr. Pablo Tebas, University of Philadelphia, USA, said information about "New developments in antiretroviral therapy."

"Since 1987, zidovudine was approved for the treatment of HIV infection have been adopted over 20 new antiretrovirals. Although new drugs have opened new expectations and started a new era in treating HIV-infected patients, it is important to use them properly, because it will be several years before returning to live with a situation like this, with many new agents therapy available. "