via bmj.com, by Anthony Lyons ABSTRACT Objectives To determine whether there is a link between age at first anal intercourse (AFAI) and gay men’s HIV/sexually transmissible infection (STI) vulnerability, including tendencies to engage in higher risk sexual behaviour. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted online involving 845 Australian gay men born between 1944 and 1993. Results Read More >>

Please join us for this dynamic pre-conference…. Advocacy in a New Prevention Landscape: BUILDING OUR KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY AROUND HIV PREVENTION RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION Timing: Sunday 15 April 2012, 0830 to 1600Venue: Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney   M2012 offers new opportunities and challenges to advocates across the world involved and/or Read More >>

M2012 Registration is Open! “To share in the latest developments in HIV prevention through microbicides and other technologies, this is the conference to attend. The conference is the key event in the microbicides world, where cutting edge research will be presented by world experts, and you will have a chance to interact with people involved at every Read More >>

via Aidsmap, by Roger Pebody A study of Australian gay men examining unprotected sex and the beliefs that are associated with it has found that the concept of ‘treatments optimism’ needs to be unpacked. While some men do think that having HIV is less serious than it used to be, there is more of an association between Read More >>

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to popular demand the deadline for the 2012 International Microbicides Conference abstract submissions and scholarship applications has been extended until Friday 25 November 2011! Keep in mind that the date is actually November 24 for much of the world. [If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed Read More >>

The next International Microbicides Conference will be held in Sydney, Australia from April 15-18th, 2012! RegistrationRegistration is not yet open, but to submit an expression of interest, please click here. By submitting this, you will be contacted as soon as official registration opens! Abstract SubmissionThe 2012 International Microbicides Conference (M2012) invites papers of high quality in the areas of HIV Read More >>

via International Microbicides Conference Secretariat Do you need funding to attend M2012? The M2012 organisers are pleased to announce that scholarships are available to attend the conference in Sydney, Australia. Scholarships will be offered in four categories that each have distinct criteria: 1. Research 2. Community 3. Government Official/ Public Health Policy4. Media Click here to find Read More >>

“IRMA develops means and strategies for organizing advocates on this area of research and practice by pooling in people from all paths of life, and does offer a very sound platform for sharing views, opinions, and informing key stakeholders in the prevention-focused research and practice.” – Maheswar Satpathy, Sydney, Australia Maheswar Satpathy is originally from Bhubaneswar, Orissa Read More >>

Lyons A, Pitts M, Smith G, Grierson J, Smith A, McNally S, Couch M. J Sex Med. 2011 Jan 26. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02197.x. [Epub ahead of print] Source of abstract. Introduction.  There is a lack of recent data on the extent to which gay men engage in insertive anal intercourse (IAI) and receptive anal intercourse (RAI). Accurate assessments Read More >>

Rapid HIV testing: Australia’s ‘big embarrassment’via SX and CityVoice (Sydney), by Brendan Bolger …Anal sex could be playing an important role in (heterosexual) HIV transmission. Vulnerable women have unprotected anal sex. Anal sex is used as contraception… Read the rest.