More news from Nepal! FIAR extends it heartiest congratulations to the director of the Blue Diamond Society, Sunil Pant, in his recent election to the newly constituted parliament of Nepal! In previous news, the top court in Nepal has ruled at the urging of civil society (including Blue Diamond Society), that the government must create and amend laws to "to safeguard the rights of these people. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex are natural persons irrespective of their masculine and feminine gender and they have the right to exercise their rights and live an independent life in society." Click here to read more.
Click the new Lymphedema Project button on the right for more information on this new initiative.
FIAR, a non-profit organization, sponsors and
stimulates interest in clinical trials of herbal and nutritional
treatments for people with HIV, AIDS and/or chronic viral hepatitis. The
goal is to show whether or not these treatments can lessen symptoms, delay
the need for Western drugs or reduce side effects. Some studies are
carried out in developing nations where indigenous treatments are used and
antiretroviral drugs (ARV) are largely unavailable. FIAR also seeks to
bring ARV, self-empowering information and prevention to such under-served
areas.
Meconopsis horridula
FIAR studies dietary
supplements and other biologic agents. Dietary supplements are defined
by the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) and include
vitamins, minerals, amino acids, thousands of different botanicals
("herbs"), protein powders, hormones, etc. Other modalities, such as
massage, Reiki, spiritual practices may be addressed in the future as FIAR
grows and develops.
People need better
information to help guide treatment choices! Many studies show that a high
percentage of people living with HIV/AIDS already use many of these
interventions. How do they work? Can they help to manage side effects of
drug therapy? Can they slow the rate of progression? Can they lengthen the
time on a Structured Treatment Interruption? FIAR, working with the
HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis communities, clinics, hospitals, practitioners and
organizations around the world designs, funds and implements clinical
studies to answer some of these questions and thus help people in
making better-informed treatment decisions. Negative results mean people
will save money and time. Positive results may encourage coverage under
insurance (like ADAP) for greater access and reduced burden of cost on our
healthcare systems.
FIAR's first duty is to
participants in such studies and adheres to the highest standards in
informed consent, patient protection and careful monitoring. FIAR's studies use rigorous methodology to answer the clinical question posed.
FIAR"s director, George Carter, was invited to present at the Deutsch-÷sterreichischen AIDS-Kongresses (D÷AK 2007), held at the end of June 2007. The topic of his presentation was Ethics and Clinical Trials in
Resource Limited Settings. He reviewed the fundamental rights of participants in clinicals trials,
the frequent lack of ethics in the pharmaceutical industry as well sometimes in government studies and ideas
for a way forward. You can review the slides from the presentation as a Powerpoint version or
Word (.rtf) version. Click here for a link to the presentations of the day.
This was a symposium of the HIVCENTER of Frankfurt University in collaboration with the Department of Tropical Medicine and
Public Health of Heidelberg University at the German-Austrian AIDS conference 2007.
In the FIAR fight against AIDS,
FIAR is proud to have been the fiscal sponsor for the new New York Buyers' Club (NYBC). NYBC received its 501(c)3 status in December, 2006.
NYBC provides information about and access to
high-quality dietary supplements to manage chronic diseases like HIV and hepatitis. Programs to address the needs of low-income
individuals are in place as well as providing aid to international partners in the developing world.
In October, 2006, FIAR was the fiscal sponsor to
theComplementary & Alternative Medicine Initiative (CAMI). They have received their not-for-profit status and are doing important work in Nigeria to address the HIV pandemic there.
Please click for more information.
News, September 2005: FIAR recently helped Navakiran Plus in Kathmandu, Nepal to develop a unit to care for TB patients. It will now provide intensive care to 3 people at a time.
The total cost was around 100,000 Nepali Rupees and 70% was FIAR support. We hope to provide additional support in the future.
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To avoid conflicts of interest,
FIAR does not solicit funds from pharmaceutical or nutriceutical
companies.