American Social Health Association, Your Trusted Source of Information on STDs and Sexual Health

A MESSAGE FROM ASHA ON SEXUAL HEALTH

For almost 100 years ASHA has been talking to you about sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs). In that time we've helped millions learn how to protect themselves, talk to their partners and parents, know what to do if they have an STD/STI and much more. We have thousands of stories from people letting us know how helpful we've been. It's time to do more though.

Keep reading

We believe that the answer is to start talking about sexual health. No, sexual health is not just about protecting yourself from an STD/STI, which is ASHA’s history. STD/STIs are certainly a critical piece of the sexual health puzzle but being sexually healthy is about much more.

So to get us started, we asked you what you thought sexual health was and you answered. You told us also that you want to be able to get the information you need simply, but accurately. You also want it to cover whatever stage of life you’re in. You reminded us that sexual health is not only for the young. There are millions in their later years who are still sexually active but who don’t always have the tools or knowledge to know how to be sexually healthy.

We also talk about building healthy, meaningful relationships. After all, true sexual health is about our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Our most basic advice is:

Abstinence is good and can happen at different times in life
If you choose to have sex, take responsibility for protecting yourself and your partner
Talk to your kids
Talk to your parents
Talk to your partner (before you have sex)
Find a good healthcare provider and talk to them
Get yourself tested and make sure your partner gets tested (before you have sex)
Take advantage of the vaccines that will help protect you
Learn what you need to know – and keep learning
Sexual health is important – you have a responsibility to protect it!

We want your opinions. This website is a work in progress. We’ll be adding more information and making changes based on what you tell us you want and need. Take a minute to let us know your thoughts. We have a tough job talking to all Americans, but we are committed to doing the best job possible. We look forward to hearing from you.

FEATURED NEWS

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), recognized this year on February 7th, is a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative designed to encourage Blacks across the United States and Territorial Areas to get educated, get tested, get involved, and get treated around HIV/AIDS, as it continues to devastate Black communities. Read more...

CDC Reports Regional Shortages of Common Herpes Medication

On January 26, 2010 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a notice about shortages in the U.S. of the antiviral drug acyclovir. A long-standing treatment option for genital herpes (and other conditions such as shingles), acyclovir is a generic drug valued by many patients for its low cost.

Acyclovir availability may vary by region, as some reports indicate the impact is especially acute on the west coast. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) attributes the shortage to a combination of increased demand for the drug and manufacturing delays. ASHA president Lynn Barclay points out that patients who take acyclovir for genital herpes and reside in affected regions have few options other than more costly medications. “Acyclovir is a safe, effective, inexpensive treatment option both for those with short- and long-term prescriptions. We’re optimistic the supply issue will be resolved soon, but we understand how difficult this must be for patients who need therapy for herpes but are temporarily unable to access their regular prescription.”

Barclay notes that while legitimate over-the-counter products are available for oral herpes outbreaks (cold sores) exist, there are no FDA-approved medications available without a prescription to treat genital herpes. “Beware ‘miracle cures,’ as there are many non-regulated items sold online that claim to reduce or eliminate herpes outbreaks,” she says. “We know such products might be tempting for someone who has trouble refilling a prescription, but we stress in the strongest possible terms not to use anything to treat genital herpes without first checking with your health care provider or pharmacist.”

In addition to acyclovir, other antivirals approved to treat genital herpes include valacyclovir (available under the brand name Valtrex®) and famciclovir (marketed as Famvir®).

For the latest on the status of acyclovir, visit the CDCs websiteInformation is available from the FDA as well.

ASHA Remembers Walter Stamm

Dr. Walter Stamm, a pioneering researcher in the field of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and urinary tract diseases, died on December 14th, 2009 at the age of 64.

A prolific author and researcher, Dr. Stamm was Professor of Medicine and Head, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington in Seattle. A pioneering researcher whose work led to breakthroughs in the treatment and diagnosis of a number of infections, he is perhaps best known for playing a crucial role in determining the link between chlamydia and infertility in women. Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection easily cured with antibiotics. The infection often causes no symptoms in women, though, and undetected can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, a serious infection in the upper genital tract/reproductive organs (uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries) that can cause chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, or infertility. In the United States, PID is the leading cause of female infertility.

Noted researcher and University of Washington colleague Dr. Hunter Handsfield said “Dr. Stamm’s contributions to sexual health, through prevention of chlamydial infection and other STDs, are towering. All sexually active people owe him a nod of thanks and a thought in their prayers.” Dr. Handsfield, who is also a member of ASHA’s Board of Directors, added that in addition to the wide respect of his professional colleagues, “Dr. Stamm was a close personal friend of most of the country’s prominent STI researchers and prevention experts, and he will be especially missed by several members of ASHA’s Board.”

Dr. Stamm is survived by three children. His wife preceded him in death last year.

Experimental HIV Vaccine Prevents Infection in
Nearly 1/3 of Subjects

An HIV vaccine being tested in Thailand prevented infection in 31% of subjects, prompting experts to laud the results while cautioning that much work remains.

For more than two decades, the search for a safe, effective vaccine that protects against HIV infection has left researchers grimly disappointed. Not only have clinical trails failed, one aborted vaccine trial several years ago seemed to increase the risk of acquiring the virus.

The potential breakthrough comes from a study where, for the first time, a combination of two vaccines was used, Sanofi Pasteur’s ALVAC vaccine and the AIDSVAX B/E vaccine, developed by Vaxgen Inc. and licensed to the nonprofit Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases (GSID) in 2008. The research was sponsored jointly by the U.S. Army and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), along with Sanofi Pasteur and GSID.

The research involved approximately16,400 HIV-negative subjects ages 18-30 that were evenly divided into groups and received either the vaccine or placebo. Participants – who were considered at average risk for HIV acquisition - were counseled on HIV risk reduction strategies and tested for the virus twice a year for three years. Those who became HIV-positive during the study were offered treatment at no cost. Among subjects who received the combination of vaccines, 51 contracted HIV during the study. This compares to 74 in the placebo group who became infected with the virus.

In a press release, NIAID director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said that while this research is promising, much studies are needed to fully understand how the vaccine work. For example, the combination vaccine targeted only two HIV strains, leading investigators to ponder if the vaccine might be effective against additional HIV types.

CDC Releases 2008 Data on Reportable STDs

The rates of reported cases of chlamydia and syphilis are increasing, and stark racial disparities in infection rates persist, according to CDC’s annual report on trends in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. Keep reading . . .