KENILWORTH, N.J. and
NEW YORK, Nov. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck (NYSE: MRK)
known as MSD outside the United
States and Canada, in
partnership with Prevention Access Campaign today launched
Owning HIV: Young Adults and the Fight Ahead, a new campaign
featuring results from a first-of-its-kind survey to better
understand beliefs and perceptions about HIV among young adults in
the U.S. Survey findings show a jarring trend of general confusion
and insufficient knowledge of HIV and its transmission, along with
the existence of high-risk sexual practices, poor disease
management, and stigmatizing behaviors among young adults. While
new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. remained stable between 2012 and
2016, they increased for people aged 25 to 29 during that same time
period. Young people now account for a majority of new
diagnoses.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8614851-merck-owning-hiv/
"Despite scientific advances and decades of HIV advocacy and
education, the findings highlight a disturbing trend: young adults
overwhelmingly are not being informed effectively about the basics
of HIV," said Bruce Richman,
founding executive director, Prevention Access Campaign and the
Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U) campaign. "These findings
are a call to action that the crisis in the United States is far from over. It's time
to elevate a real conversation about HIV and sexual health among
America's young people, and roll out innovative and engaging
initiatives to educate and fight HIV stigma."
"We are proud to partner with the community to conduct this
campaign and ultimately have a better understanding of the
challenges and opportunities experienced by young adults living
with and affected by HIV in the U.S.," said Dr. Eliav Barr, senior vice president, Global
Medical Affairs, Merck Research Laboratories. "We are actively
applying these findings to inform forward-looking programming that
will seek to educate and empower this population. Our goal is to
help improve overall understanding and literacy while elevating the
urgency around this critical public health issue."
Owning HIV was a one-time online survey, fielded by
Kantar Group between June 17 and August 5,
2019, of 1,596 Generation Z (Gen Z; 18-22) and millennial
(23-36) individuals who self-reported as diagnosed (people living
with HIV) or HIV-negative. Participants included Black/African
American, Hispanic/Latinx, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight
individuals. The goal of this study was to uncover attitudes and
perceptions around HIV among young adults in the U.S.
Knowledge about HIV and Sexual Health Behaviors
Survey
findings showed participants are not being effectively informed
about HIV and its transmission; this trend worsened among Gen Z—the
population furthest removed from the HIV crisis in the 1980s and
1990s. Forty-one percent (42/103) of HIV-negative Gen Z respondents
said they were either not at all informed or only somewhat informed
about HIV, compared to 23% (169/743) of HIV-negative
millennials.
In terms of reported behaviors, more than two-thirds of
HIV-negative young adults (67%, 564/846) said they were most
concerned about HIV compared to other sexually transmitted
infections (STIs). When asked about methods of protection that
HIV-negative respondents were using to protect themselves from HIV
and other STIs, more than half (54%, 456/846) did not report using
condoms or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). But when asked how they
acquired HIV, more than 75% (482/623) of millennials and 60%
(76/127) of Gen Z said they contracted HIV through sex without
condoms or PrEP. These numbers are even higher among millennial
Hispanic/Latinx, Black/African American and men who have sex with
men (MSM) with 84% (112/133), 79% (140/178) and 80% (289/362),
respectively, contracting HIV through sex without condoms or PrEP
use.
Stigma and Impact on People Living with HIV
Meanwhile,
the survey demonstrated that HIV stigma persists among young adults
in the U.S., which is negatively impacting how young people with
HIV are being treated. Despite no risk of HIV transmission through
casual contact, more than one quarter (28%, 209/743) of
HIV-negative millennials said they have avoided hugging, talking to
or being friends with someone with HIV, and 30% (222/743) said they
would prefer not to interact socially with someone with HIV. Among
all HIV-negative Hispanic/Latinx and Black/African American
respondents, one in three (34%, 100/295) said they have avoided
shaking hands or sharing food, drinks or utensils with someone with
HIV. Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than three in four (76%, 568/750)
young adults living with HIV agreed that someone with HIV may
hesitate to share their status to avoid being judged, and almost
all (90%, 674/750) agree that someone may avoid sharing their
status because of the fear of losing friends or family, or
experiencing mental, physical or emotional abuse.
Survey respondents reported that their HIV status had negatively
affected their sexual health. Thirty-nine percent (50/127) of Gen Z
and 28% (176/623) of millennials said they have trouble forming new
romantic or sexual relationships due to their HIV-positive status,
and 84% (58/69) of Gen Z and 65% (178/272) of millennials
abstaining from sex do so because of their HIV status. Importantly,
the survey demonstrated that young adults are not being accurately
informed about how HIV can and cannot be transmitted.
Understanding the Facts About U=U
Scientific evidence
verifies that people living with HIV on treatment who reach and
maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of
transmitting the virus sexually (Undetectable=Untransmittable or
U=U); however, these survey results signal a lack of understanding
among young adults. The survey showed that many young adults aren't
being accurately informed about the meaning of an undetectable
viral load.
Among diagnosed respondents who were asked about the term
"undetectable," only 31% (254/750) reported that it meant that a
person living with HIV cannot transmit the virus sexually. In
addition, nearly 50% (412/846) of HIV-negative respondents believed
the virus could be transmitted when someone is undetectable. And
while most survey respondents who are living with HIV are on
treatment, 33% (38/116) of Gen Z and 38% (205/533) of millennials
said they've forgotten to take their medicine for three or more
days in a row—potentially impacting the suppression of their viral
load. In addition, more than 30% of diagnosed Gen Z (40/127) and
millennials (272/623) incorrectly believe a person with HIV can
stop treatment if they are feeling better.
"Merck invested in this research because of our ongoing and
long-standing commitment to the HIV community, and it's clear based
on these findings, unmet needs exist among vulnerable populations
across our country," said Dr. Peter
Sklar, director, clinical research, Merck Research
Laboratories, and practicing physician caring for people living
with HIV. "Understanding the problem is the first step in
preventing a deepening of the HIV epidemic. We must continue to
search for ways to better understand young people's perceptions of
HIV, promote safer sex behaviors and drive education and action in
this population. It's time to act. We are proud to champion these
important issues with Prevention Access Campaign."
Merck and Prevention Access Campaign plan to release additional
Owning HIV survey data sets in the coming months that will
uncover further insights into the understanding of HIV afflicting
younger generations, including cross-section analyses of various
at-risk sub-populations. Survey findings will serve as the impetus
to inform the development and deployment of initiatives and
programs across the U.S.
About Owning HIV: Young Adults and the Fight
Ahead
Owning HIV: Young Adults and the Fight
Ahead is an educational campaign that seeks to better
understand beliefs and perceptions about HIV among young Americans
and elevate the urgency of this public health issue. Findings from
the campaign's first-of-its-kind survey serve as the impetus to
issue a call to action that reinforces the need for all – including
young adults – to work together to own the future of the HIV
epidemic. To date, this is the first survey to focus on the beliefs
and perceptions about HIV among Generation Z (Gen Z) and
millennials in the U.S.
The survey was conducted in partnership with Merck and
Prevention Access Campaign, with input from an expert working group
representative of the populations studied, which included Yonce
Jones (Harlem United), Cameron
Kinker (Prevention Access Campaign), Deondre Moore (community mobilizer, AHF Houston
and ambassador for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation),
Josh Robbins (imstilljosh.com) and
Wanona 'Nunu' Thomas (LIVE IN YOUR TRUTH). All spokespersons and
advocacy partners were compensated by Merck for their time and
input.
About Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U)
If taken as
prescribed, HIV medicine reduces the amount of HIV in the blood
(viral load) to a very low level, which keeps the immune system
working and prevents illness. This is called viral
suppression—defined as having less than 200 copies of HIV per
milliliter of blood. When HIV medicine makes the viral load so low
that a test can't detect it, it's called an undetectable viral
load. When a person is undetectable, there is effectively no risk
of them transmitting HIV sexually.
About Prevention Access Campaign
Prevention Access
Campaign is a health equity initiative to end the dual epidemics of
HIV and HIV-related stigma by empowering people living with HIV
with accurate and meaningful information about their social, sexual
and reproductive health.
Prevention Access Campaign's Undetectable = Untransmittable
(U=U) is a growing global movement of HIV advocates, activists,
researchers and over 900 partner organizations from nearly 100
countries that have united to disseminate a revolutionary but
largely unknown fact: people living with HIV on effective
treatment cannot sexually transmit HIV.
Our Commitment to HIV
For more than 30 years, Merck
has been committed to scientific research and discovery in HIV, and
we continue to be driven by the conviction that more medical
advances are still to come. Our focus is on pursuing research that
addresses unmet medical needs and helps people living with HIV and
their communities. We remain committed to working hand-in-hand with
our partners in the global HIV community to address the complex
challenges that hinder continued progress.
About Merck
For more than a century, Merck, a leading
global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of
the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing
forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most
challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines,
biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with
customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver
innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to
increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies,
programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the
forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of
diseases that threaten people and communities around the world -
including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal
diseases, Alzheimer's disease and infectious diseases including HIV
and Ebola. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect
with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This
news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor
provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of the company's management and are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions
prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual
results may differ materially from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general
industry conditions and competition; general economic factors,
including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations;
the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care
legislation in the United States
and internationally; global trends toward health care cost
containment; technological advances, new products and patents
attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product
development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's
ability to accurately predict future market conditions;
manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of
international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the
effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for
innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including
patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2018
Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's
Internet site (www.sec.gov).
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SOURCE Merck