For over twenty years, the Fall River Health and Human Services Coalition (no longer in existence) held a conference focused on HIV/AIDS to bring national-level experts to Fall River to ensure that local providers would have the latest information on treatment and prevention available to them. This year, on September 30th, 2005, CFC Family Planning and the SSTAR Educational Institute were able to resume these conferences with a workshop on "HIV/AIDS . . . 25 Years Later." Over fifty people heard expert presentations covering the new antiretroviral agents, women and HIV, Suboxone Replacement Therapy and Rapid Testing. Further information about the conference can be obtained from Lynda Sampson at Family Planning, 508-675-2882.
 

(Top row, center) Dr. Kenneth Mayer of Brown University Medical School provides an overview of changes in antiretroviral treatment. (Top row, right) Dr. Lisa Hirschhorn of the John Snow Institute discusses issues regarding clinical manifestations and treatment of HIV in women. (Center, right) Maggie Cook, MS, RNCS, CARN, of SSTAR describes their Suboxone treatment program for heroin addiction. (Bottom row) Dr. Emma Simmons of Miriam Hospital describes the use of new rapid testing for HIV.