News / Press Releases

• Is Nursing Still in the Closet?
• Anal Cancer Prevention Advanced at Callen-Lorde
• Callen-Lorde Opens On-Site Community Pharmacy
• Callen-Lorde Studying Early Detection of HIV

Is Nursing Still in the Closet?

The American Journal of Nursing, November 2011, Vol. 111, No. 11

November 2011 – Nathan Levitt, Community and Education RN at Callen-Lorde, co-published an article for the November Issue of The American Journal of Nursing calling for nursing educators, researchers and RN's to better address the health needs of the LGBT population. Read the full text of the article (including pictures) here.

back to top

Anal Cancer Prevention Advanced at Callen-Lorde

NEW YORK, New York (March 4, 2011) – In an effort to increase access to its anal cancer prevention services, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in Manhattan has developed a consultation practice through which outside providers may refer their patients to Callen-Lorde for anal health services. This move particularly benefits the demographic at greatest risk for anal cancer: HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

"Anal cancer is really a sexually transmitted disease," said Dr. Gal Mayer, Callen-Lorde's Medical Director, "so we are extremely proactive in advising our patients of anal cancer risks and in providing prevention services. However, we became concerned that too many people outside our doors were not receiving the same quality of care. The consultation practice allows us to provide anal cancer prevention services to a larger segment of the community."

Callen-Lorde's efforts to combat anal cancer also include offering Gardasil to all patients 26 and under. Gardasil protects against the types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) believed to cause cancer. HPV is commonly transmitted by sexual contact, and an estimated 95% of HIV-positive gay men and 65% of HIV-negative gay men carry some strain of HPV.

"The prevalence of HPV highlights the critical need for gay men and other people who have anal sex to speak to their medical providers about their sexual practices and be aware of their risks and their options for cancer screening and prevention," said Dr. Mayer.

Anal Pap smears are not a widely recommended practice because of the lack of data to prove the efficacy of treatment on pre-cancerous lesions. "Gathering that data would take decades and cost millions," said Jeff Huyett, Clinical Director of Anal Health at Callen-Lorde. "Besides, we know that anal and cervical cancers are very similar, so it makes sense to us to use similar prevention methods."

Estimated rates of anal cancer in gay men today are comparable to the rates of cervical cancer among women 65 years ago, before screening with Pap smears revolutionized cancer prevention and reduced cervical cancer rates by 80%.

"Anal cancer prevention services are critically important for people in general and for men who have sex with men in particular," said New York State Senator Tom Duane. "I applaud Callen-Lorde for initiating this referral program so that medical professionals in New York City who are not equipped to provide these services can ensure their patients receive the care they need."

back to top

Callen-Lorde Opens On-Site Community Pharmacy

NEW YORK, New York (January 10, 2011) – Callen-Lorde Community Health Center has opened a pharmacy at its main facility in the Chelsea district of Manhattan. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Friday, January 28th at 10:00 AM with expected remarks by Assembly Members Deborah Glick and Richard Gottfried and Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

"Opening our own pharmacy is the next step in our continuing mission to provide quality, affordable health care to the community," said Wendy Stark, Callen-Lorde's Executive Director. "The integration of onsite pharmacy access clinically enhances our comprehensive primary care services as well as offers a more convenient and less expensive option for our patients when filling their prescriptions."

Uninsured patients with incomes under 200% of Federal Poverty Levels will be eligible for additional discounts on prescriptions filled through the Callen-Lorde pharmacy. "Considering that half of the 14,000 patients we saw last year had no health insurance, this will amount to a significant benefit for the community," Stark explained.

The pharmacy received start-up funding support from the New York State Health Foundation and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center specializes in the medical, dental, and mental health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities and people living with HIV/AIDS, and is welcoming to all.

back to top

Callen-Lorde Studying Early Detection of HIV

NEW YORK, New York (November 29, 2010) – Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in Chelsea is one of twelve sites in the United States evaluating the clinical performance of a rapid HIV test designed to detect the virus during the earliest and most highly contagious stage of infection.

"Earlier detection will help prevent the spread of HIV," said Dr. James Braun, an HIV specialist who is leading the study at Callen-Lorde. "When people realize they are HIV-positive they are much more likely to curb any risky sexual behaviors and less likely to spread the infection. Therefore if we can diagnose HIV earlier, during the most highly contagious stage, it could have a dramatic effect in slowing or halting chains of transmission of this epidemic disease."

Current FDA-approved rapid tests look only for HIV antibodies, so they can produce false-negative results if patients are tested during the earliest stage of HIV infection when they are most highly contagious, but before antibodies have had a chance to develop. The new test can detect the virus sooner by looking not just for antibodies, but also for antigens produced by the virus during the first few weeks of HIV infection.

The new test, known as the Determine® HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab Combo test, is distributed by Alere and has already been approved for use in Europe. The studies underway at Callen-Lorde and at other sites will gather the clinical data needed for submission to the FDA for approval in the United States.

Dr. Braun, who has been caring for patients with HIV since 1982, stressed that earlier detection of HIV may also have broad impacts on individual patients' health. "The sooner we know that a patient is HIV-positive, the sooner we can start providing the care they need – not just access to medical care, but also preventive counseling, social services, and testing for other sexually transmitted infections."

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center was founded in 1983 and was one of the earliest responders to the HIV epidemic, becoming the nation's first community based HIV clinic. Its range of services has since expanded and Callen-Lorde now provides medical, dental, and mental health care for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, those living with HIV, and the uninsured.

back to top