HIV Sweden's Future Conference
Our future conference was attended by 20 people from Hiv-Sweden's umbrella and open for participation in Skåne where the conference was held at Comfort Hotel The Mill. The conference highlighted challenges in HIV in Sweden.
During the conference:
Rimi Shah, HIV doctor at the Royal Free Hospital London and Global Medical Affairs Director at Viv Healthcare.
Rimi spoke about stigma and the health aspect that stigma affects for people living with HIV. Stigma can lead to several different health impacting aspects, including increased cortisol in the individual, thus increasing chronic inflammation, which in turn can affect long-term health through co-morbidity.Emanuel Karlström from Positiva Gruppen Syd. He gave a lecture with the theme 'Openness, peer support and quality of life for people living with HIV - What conditions exist today?' Emanuel highlighted the imbalance and historical development between the legal, medical and social aspects of living with HIV.
Stu Fenton, a psychotherapist and world-leading chemsex therapist, gave a lecture and workshop. Chemsex is an increasing phenomenon in Europe and also in the Nordic countries. Chemsex is an exclusive term and usually includes methadrone, crystal meth and GHB. The use of apps in combination with sex, usually in groups, which in some parts is also referred to as 'Party 'n Play' (PNP) or 'Chills'. PNP and Chills is a more inclusive term where other drugs in conjunction with sex create the same phenomenon.
Simon Blom, Ombudsman
Report from the Medical Products Agency's Consumer and Patient Council
The Swedish Medical Products Agency's Consumer and Patient Council met on October 12. During the day, the updates on the Covid-19 vaccine were discussed. The latest booster vaccine has a different approval process as the Covid-19 vaccine has been tested more extensively than any previous vaccine.
Smallpox vaccine is available, but there has been a shortage of suppliers in the initial emergency phase.
Residual listings of medicines have increased in Sweden, the Swedish Medical Products Agency reports today. They announce that when the Medical Products Agency will take over the presidency of the EU in 2023, the supply issue will be prioritized. In Sweden, there is no authority that is responsible but only supervision, which means that there is a shortage in the entire supply chain. Stockpiling must be done both from the defense and the regions, which have received extra funds for this. They emphasized the importance of encouraging our members to pick out an extra can, that is, take out when you have a can left at home.
Pharmaceutical companies are required to report two months in advance. When this happens, a forecast can be viewed on the MPA website, or FASS.
Simon Blom, Ombudsman
Visiting Reykjavik
Hiv-Sweden is part of the Hiv-Norden network, which met at Hiv-Island in Reykjavik during the weekend of September 16-18. We exchanged information and experiences - among other things, we discussed stigma and the situation for Ukrainian refugees. Representatives from HIV Denmark, HIV Iceland, HIV Finland, HIV Sweden and HIV Norway.
More information is available here.
