HIV/Aids

Aids disputes continue while children die
Around 4800 people die each week of HIV/Aids in South Africa - close to the loss of life suffered by America on September 11.

HIV testing of rapists may be introduced
Rape survivors may soon be able to apply for a court order to test alleged perpetrators for HIV.

Researchers stunned by rapid HIV spread
The march of the HIV/AIDS epidemic around the globe continues to stun health experts--a United Nations report Tuesday counted 38.1 million men, women and children infected.

HIV: state 'unethical, negligent'
Government's refusal to provide anti-retroviral drugs to pregnant women with HIV and rape victims, constitutes an ethical offence and no less than gross negligence.

How things got so bad
SA has the worst Aids stats on the planet, while much poorer African countries seem to be doing pretty well – how is this possible?

A hot African potato
Proposed new laws may provide an uneven playing ground that will help traditional medicines to flourish – whether they work or not.

Top 5 challenges for new health boss
After years of bad management, the South African health system is in a sorry state. Here is our pick of the top five challenges facing our new health minister.

The strange case of Matthias Rath
In this extract from Nathan Geffen's book, he describes the bizarre quackery case of Matthias Rath.

Bleak Aids message for SA schools
An estimated 300 000 pupils in South African schools are likely to die of HIV/Aids in the next ten years if drastic measures are not taken to prevent them from becoming HIV/Aids-infected.

New AIDS vaccine to be tested in SA
A new AIDS vaccine against the C-strain of HIV/AIDS claiming thousands of lives in Sub-Saharan Africa, will be tested in South Africa. In preliminary trials

Thai strategy for generic HIV drugs to Africa
The Thailand government has supplied free technology for the manufacture of Aids generic drugs to five African countries to cut drug prices for HIV up to tenfold.

Mother-to-child HIV prevention - the science, the costs, the pilot programme
The Treatment Action Campaign's (TAC) decision to turn to the courts comes after four years of campaigning for a national programme to prevent mother to child transmission (MTCT).

HIV drug exploitation?
South African taxpayers are shelling out way too much for HIV drugs. Yet the solution to this problem is staring us in the face.

Medicines Bill under fire
Proposed new laws may keep good pills off the shelves and give the green light to untested ones, critics say.

Dying for treatment
This extract from Nathan Geffen's book describes the events leading up to the start of TAC's civil disobedience campaign.

Weird and wacky Aids quackery
In his new book, Nathan Geffen discusses the funny - and the decidedly not funny - sides of Aids quackery.