CNS: Press Conference at AIDS 2014: MSM and transgender people need more options to protect themselves from anal STIs and HIV

International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA), Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES) Chiang Mai University, AVAC - Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention, Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM), AIDS Society of India and Citizen News Service (CNS) are together organizing a press conference on "men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people need more options to protect themselves from anal STIs and HIV" at the XX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014).

This press conference will be held on 24th July 2014 between 4:00pm to 4:45pm in Press Conference Room 2, AIDS 2014 conference venue (MCEC), Melbourne, Australia.

A report compiling articles based upon interviews conducted with rectal microbicide study participants, key researchers, counsellors, nurses, among others by Citizen News Service (CNS) will also be released.

Moderator: Dr Ishwar S Gilada, President, AIDS Society of India (ASI)

PANELISTS:

HIV and anal STIs: service coverage for MSM in Asia Pacific

Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Executive Director, APCOM (Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health)

Challenges of HIV/STI prevention among MSM and TGs

Dr Venkatesan Chakrapani, Director, Centre for Sexuality, Health Research and Policy

Utilization of existing HIV/STI prevention options

Dr Badri N Saxena, Chair, ICMR Microbicides Expert Group and President MSI

Challenges in dealing with common STIs in HIV positive MSM/ TGs in India

Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, Deputy Director, National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), ICMR

Rectal microbicides: MTN-017 phase II research trial latest update from Chiang Mai

Dr Suwat Chariyalertsak, Director, Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), Chiang Mai University, Thailand (and key researcher for MTN-017 rectal microbicides site at RIHES)