The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting a reversal from two consecutive years of declines in new HIV diagnoses. Jerry Harms is the agency's HIV/AIDS surveillance coordinator. "In 2015, we had a 27 percent increase in our new HIV diagnoses," Harms says. The HIV Surveillance Report for … [Read more...]
New cases of HIV drop to lowest level since 2003
There's promising news in the battle against HIV and AIDS in Iowa. New diagnoses of HIV dropped by 19-percent last year compared to 2013. A report from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) shows 99 Iowans were diagnosed with HIV last year -- the fewest diagnoses since 2003, when there were 88 … [Read more...]
Former Iowa State University researcher agrees to plea in fraud case
A former Iowa State University researcher who admitted he faked data to make it appear an experimental AIDS vaccine was working has reached a plea deal. Dong Pyou Han had been charged with four counts of making a false statement and pled guilty to two counts. Prosecutors say Han spiked the blood of … [Read more...]
Number of AIDS, HIV cases in Iowa declining
This is World AIDS Day and after years of gradual increases, the number of people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS in Iowa is on the decline, but officials say the numbers are still inconclusive. Randy Mayer, chief of the bureau on HIV, STD and Hepatitis at the Iowa Department of Public Health, says only … [Read more...]
Legislature approves bill updating law on HIV transmission
The Iowa legislature has voted to ease and even erase some of the current penalties for those found guilty of transmitting HIV, the virus which causes AIDS. The House gave final approval to the bill early this morning with a 98-0 vote. Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, … [Read more...]
Iowa Senate passes “Contagious or Infectious Disease Transmission Act”
The Iowa Senate has voted to lessen and even erase some of the current penalties for those found guilty of transmitting HIV, the virus which causes AIDS. Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the law was written at a time when the disease and its causes were poorly … [Read more...]
Public health official encourages Iowans to get tested for HIV
A key administrator in the Iowa Department of Public Health says every Iowan should be tested at least once for HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS. "What we're really trying to do is find people who are infected with HIV who aren't aware of that, so that we can get them into services and we can … [Read more...]
National HIV/AIDS plan would cut funding to Iowa
Iowa is playing host to one of just five meetings happening across the country to discuss the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The White House released the plan last year with hopes of reducing the annual number of new HIV infections by 25% by 2015. Randy Mayer, with the Iowa … [Read more...]
AIDS activists mark World Aids Day
AIDS activists will assemble in at least two Iowa cities today to mark the 22nd annual World AIDS Day. Frank Vaia, project coordinator for the AIDS Project of Central Iowa, says they'll stage a type of demonstration that's become popular with tech-savy smart phone users. Vaia says they'll be … [Read more...]
Northwest Iowa native a "Nashville Star" finalist
A northwest Iowa woman is one of three finalists for the title of " Nashville Star ." The program's finale airs Monday at 8 p.m. on NBC. During a recent interview on KICD in Spencer, 21-old Shawn Mayer from May City, Iowa -- population 45 -- talked moving to Nashville last … [Read more...]