Twenty years after the first World AIDS Day, there are stories of survival and hope. Eduardo, Herbert, and Guy can celebrate another year of good health, thanks to their participation in Kaiser Permanente Southern California's HIV/AIDS Research Trials (H.A.R.T.) program. In 2007-2008, over 220 HIV infected patients were enrolled in the research trials program to receive investigational new drugs, and with access to these new life-saving agents, many patients have been able to regain control of their HIV disease and improve their health and quality of life.
Eduardo, age 58, was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, and by 1995 he was dying from HIV-related illnesses. He was told to "Take a vacation and enjoy what's left of your life." Somehow, Eduardo survived and was still struggling to find the right treatment regimen when he met Herbert in his doctor's waiting room six years ago. Herbert, age 50, had been diagnosed with HIV in 1987, and was on the same path of trying to manage a disease day by day, year by year. Together, Eduardo and Herbert gave each other the support to deal with the ups and downs of good medications with bad side effects. Life seemed to be a series of slow steps on a downward path. Then came the darkest moment.
Three years ago, Herbert, age 50, was in a coma, with his family and Eduardo at his bedside. They thought he wouldn't make it through the night. But he recovered, slowly learning to walk, and write, with his memory impaired, but grateful to be alive. This is when the outlook brightened for both Herbert, and Eduardo.
Today, both are enjoying better health, thanks to participating in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Regional HIV/AIDS Research Trials program. "I've gone from being really, really, really sick to being really great," notes Herbert. "I had faith in my doctor so when he advised me to get into the trials, I did; and I'm so glad I did," says Eduardo. "Me too," adds Herbert, quietly.
"Kaiser Permanente has long provided access to the newest investigational agents for those HIV infected patients who are failing their current therapies," said William J. Towner, MD, the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Regional HIV/AIDS Physician Coordinator and Medical Director of Kaiser Permanente Southern California's HIV/AIDS Research Trials program. "As a pioneer in the area of education, research and treatment for patients living with HIV, Kaiser Permanente continues to support programs within its medical centers and throughout the community that provide hope, comfort and vision for a brighter - and healthier - future," said Towner.
"I can talk about my T-cell count and my viral load (which is now 0), but what's really great news is that my health has improved significantly," says program participant, Guy, age 51, from Downey. "I'm celebrating a year of good health. What a gift. Participating in this clinical trial made all the difference in the world to me - it saved my life. But I'm also glad to be a part of something that has brought forth knowledge and progress and hope. Kaiser Permanente's HIV/AIDS Research Trials program has far-reaching implications for the health of so many, and it feels good to know that, in my own way, I've helped move medical research forward."
In addition to providing access to medications, Kaiser Permanente Southern California also continues to advance medical knowledge in HIV by conducting innovative clinical trials and data analyses. In 2008, a pioneering study was presented at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City by Dr. Towner. This study examined patients changing from enfuvirtide, an HIV medication given by subcutaneous injection that can leave patients with painful nodules at the site of injection, to raltegravir, a new oral drug with few side effects. The Kaiser Permanente study showed that patients maintained HIV suppression on raltegravir as well as they had on enfuvirtide, and in addition were significantly more satisfied with the new therapy.
Another critical study utilizing Kaiser Permanente data was presented by Hai Linh Kerrigan, PharmD, at the 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and 46th Annual meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America in Washington, DC. This study examined the outcomes of patients treated with raltegravir and another new investigational HIV drug, etravirine. As there has been very little efficacy data on this combination of new drugs to date, the "real world" experience afforded by the large number of Kaiser Permanente patients again proved invaluable to HIV medical experts.
Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.2 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region includes nearly 56,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,400 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at www.kaiserpermanente.org.
Contacts for World AIDS Day Interviews:
For more information about interviewing Herbert, Edward, or Guy or to interview representatives from Kaiser Permanente, please contact Socorro Serrano, Kaiser Permanente Southern California Media Representative at 626-405-3004.