As this weekend’s Sydney Mardi Gras Parade approaches, one of Australia’s leading medical research and public health organisations, the Burnet Institute, is calling for increased government and philanthropic support to help the continuing search for a HIV cure which is closer than ever thanks to medical and technological breakthroughs over the past few years.

The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF) has thanked the LGBTI community as well as local businesses for the generosity shown to the longstanding HIV charity over this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras festival.

Researchers involved with the world’s first study exploring whether HIV treatment can reduce transmission specifically in gay male serodiscordant relationships have called for more couples to take part in the important research project.

Two groundbreaking new treatments for chronic hepatitis C (HCV) will now be subsidised through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the Federal Government announced this week.

The original hostess of ACON’s weekly charity event Bingay is returning to Sydney to host the event one final time.

Dear blaze readers, by the time this edition ‘hits the streets’ we’ll be soaking up the ambience of northern neighbours – Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia.

Newly announced 2013 Australian of the Year, Ita Buttrose, was one of a number of LGBTI community members and allies to have been recognised for their good works and contribution to Australian society in the Australia Day Honours List.

Volunteers and others who helped ACON with last year’s Red Ribbon Appeal have been congratulated and thanked after raising approximately $90,000 across NSW during fundraising events for 2012 World AIDS Day.

In an apparent bid to drive a wedge between members of the LGBTI community, Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg has claimed HIV health promoters have sold out the community.

Rapid HIV testing, which promises results in under half-an-hour, is set to become a reality next year and beyond with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) today approving the first rapid HIV test for use in Australia.

In the Wake of World AIDS Day 2012, Lynlee Hannan of the AIDS Council of South Australia says thank you.

The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisation (AFAO) has this week called for a three pronged approach of testing, treatment and targets to help achieve the goals of the UN Political Declaration on HIV, as peak AIDS organisations joined the Department of Health in rejecting criticisms that Australia’s HIV reporting regime was severely lacking. 

For over 20 years, Mimi Stern-Wolfe has produced the Benson AIDS Series concerts in New York. These annual events are an ode to the composer friends she lost to HIV/AIDS. Melbourne filmmaker Rohan Spong’s latest film All The Way Through Evening is about the 70-something Mimi, and her dedication to keeping the music of her friends alive. By Rachel Cook.

With more than 250 images from dozens of countries taken by nine acclaimed photographers, Access to Life tells the poignant stories of people living with HIV after receiving life-saving treatment. Lachlan Bennett reports.

SYDNEY: On World AIDS Day this year, ACON President Mark Orr is urging our community to help end HIV.