Validation Of The Acceptability And Reliability Of Anal Swabs Used For Cytological Screening Among HIV+ MSM
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$76,108.00
Summary
This study will be screening HIV-positive men who have sex with men for Anal Squamous Intra-epithelial Lesions.These lesions, if left untreated, could develop into anal cancer. The study will take anal cytology swabs from 1000 HIV-positive men who attend the HIV clinic at St Vincent's hospital. Those men who are identified as having high-grade lesions (HSIL) or atypical cells (ASCUS) will be offered follow up by the principal investigator, Dr Richard Hillman.
A Longitudinal Investigation Of The Efficacy Of Pharmacological Smoking Cessation Aids In Real-life Settings
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$592,837.00
Summary
Currently around 3 million Australians, or 17% of people aged 14 years and over, smoke tobacco daily. These smokers are at major risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and a variety of cancers, including lung, laryngeal, oral, kidney, bladder, breast, pancreas and colon cancers. At any one time almost half of Australian smokers intend to quit smoking or have already set a date to do so but few (around 10%) succeed on each attempt. Clinical trials of quitt ....Currently around 3 million Australians, or 17% of people aged 14 years and over, smoke tobacco daily. These smokers are at major risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and a variety of cancers, including lung, laryngeal, oral, kidney, bladder, breast, pancreas and colon cancers. At any one time almost half of Australian smokers intend to quit smoking or have already set a date to do so but few (around 10%) succeed on each attempt. Clinical trials of quitting aids, such as nicotine patches, gum and Zyban, suggest that smokers are around twice as likely to quit if using these. However clinical trials are conducted in artificial environments and these quitting aids appear to have a far smaller impact on successful quitting rates in the 'real world'. Pharmaceutical quitting aids are heavily advertised by drug companies and widely used in Australia. Futhermore the Commonwealth Government has invested over $133 million dollars subsidising such aids to Australian smokers in the past four years. However it is not known to what extent these quitting aids have made a difference to Australian smoking rates. Sales volumes of pharmaceutical quitting aids appear not to have translated into expected increases in numbers of smokers successfully quitting, suggesting they are less effective than clinical trials suggest. The present study aims to investigate whether pharmaceutical quitting aids actually are less effective in the 'real world', and if so, why.Read moreRead less
Optimising Treatment As Prevention Strategies For Hepatitis C And HIV
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$471,809.00
Summary
New evidence shows how hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV transmission can be reduced dramatically through timely treatment initiation - treatment as prevention (TasP). TasP has re-focused attention on early HCV and HIV detection and treatment. Through observational studies, randomised control trials and the development of innovative surveillance systems, this fellowship will inform ways to maximise the potential of HCV and HIV prevention responses in Australia and internationally in this new TasP era.
Research Fellowship In Preventing HIV And HIV-related Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$772,490.00
Summary
This fellowship concerns HIV prevention and HIV-related cancer. In HIV prevention, Grulich will evaluate the success of elements of the new biomedical prevention approach to HIV, and highlight areas in which policy action can be taken to substantially reduce HIV transmission. In HIV related cancer, Grulich will determine whether HIV-associated cancers continue to occur at increased rates in the new era of prolonged survival of people with HIV, and investigate preventive approaches.
Anal Cancer Examination (ACE) Study - Annual Anal Examinations To Detect Early Anal Cancer In HIV Positive Men Who Have Sex With Men
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$60,926.00
Summary
Anal cancer is the most frequently occurring (non-AIDS defining) cancer in HIV positive men who have sex with men. There are still no guidelines for how to screen for this cancer. This research aims to determine the feasibility of implementing an annual anal examination to detect early anal cancer in HIV positive men who have sex with men.
The HIV Prevention Revolution: Measuring Outcomes And Maximising Effectiveness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,081,723.00
Summary
There have been extra-ordinary recent biomedical advances in HIV prevention. These present an opportunity to turn the HIV epidemic around. We will undertake implementation research to optimise the impact of the new tools at the population level. NSW has a detailed HIV strategy with explicit targets for reduction of HIV transmission over the period 2012 to 2020. Our research will guide optimum program delivery to drive new HIV infections down in Australia and other high income settings.
A Pragmatic Randomised Clinical Trial Of Nicotine Vaporisers Added To Smoking Cessation Treatment For Priority Populations Living With Comorbidities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,499,145.00
Summary
Smoking is a leading cause of early death for people with certain health conditions because they are more likely to smoke and are also at greater risk of tobacco-related disease. This clinical trial will test whether encouraging people living with Hepatitis C Virus, people on opiate substitution therapy and people living with HIV who smoke to use nicotine vaporisers long-term, in addition to current smoking cessation treatments, will help them to stay abstinent from smoking.