Dear ASTDA Members, We hope this message finds you well. The monkeypox outbreak has certainly kept many of us busy the last few months. Please don’t forget to focus on your wellbeing during these challenging times. We are delighted to announce the election of the following new members to the ASTDA Board of Directors: Hilary Reno, MD, PhD—Associate Professor at Washington University in St. Louis Elizabeth (Lizzi) Torrone, PhD—Team Lead, Surveillance & Special Studies,

Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment (CHACHSPT) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking nominations for membership on the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment (CHACHSPT). The CHACHSPT consists of 18 experts in fields associated with public health; epidemiology; laboratory practice; immunology; infectious diseases; drug abuse; behavioral science; health education; healthcare delivery;

USPSTF Final Recommendation Statement: Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea On September 14, 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a final recommendation statement on screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea. USPSTF recommends screening for these infections in sexually active women and pregnant people 24 years and younger, or 25 years and older if at increased risk. There is not enough evidence to recommend for or against screening for these infections in men. As

Dear ASTDA Members, We hope this message finds you well. These have been challenging times. Despite the broad availability of vaccines in the United States, the uncertainty about the pandemic’s trajectory weighs heavily on all of us. We hope that you’ve been able to find some balance between the demands of work, and your ability to maintain personal wellness. Since the last update one year ago, Khalil Ghanem has taken over for Bobbie Van

New report from NASEM: Sexually Transmitted Infections: Adopting a Sexual Health Paradigm The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a committee to examine the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States and provide recommendations for action. The resulting report, Sexually Transmitted Infections: Advancing a Sexual Health Paradigm, provides advice on future public health programs, policy, and research. The report examines the epidemiological dimensions of sexually transmitted infections

Release of First-Ever Sexually Transmitted Infections National Strategic Plan In December 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the first-ever STI National Strategic Plan (STI Plan). The STI Plan was developed through a robust process that included gathering feedback from stakeholders across health care and related fields. Partners throughout the federal government, as well as hundreds of non-federal stakeholders, including state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, researchers, health plans and

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global progress report on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2021 report provides accountability for the three Global Health Sector Strategies (2016-2021) on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STIs. The report assesses the impact, progress and gaps, and identifies actions to improve impact. The report describes WHO’s important contributions at regional and global level and identifies common actions across the three disease areas as well as gaps and priorities

ASTDA Board Member Receives King K. Holmes Endowed Professorship A member of ASTDA's board, Julie Dombrowski, has been named King K. Holmes Endowed Professor in STD and AIDS. Named after Dr. King Holmes, professor of medicine and global health, and founding chair of the Department of Global Health, this three-year rotating award recognizes and supports a faculty member with exceptional commitment to STD/HIV research and training. This year’s recipient, Dr. Julie Dombrowski, is an

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) is offering new educational programs online and as webinar for the benefit of their colleagues working in the fields of sexually transmitted infections and sexual health. The first of these is the HIV Virtual Masterclass Lite. The masterclass is a new additional helping of the very popular HIV Masterclass, and will comprise four weekly webinars with medical updates on topics related to HIV from leading