Aidsmap
{{Short description|UK website}}
{{Use dmy dates |date=March 2025 }}
{{Use British English |date=March 2025 }}
{{Primary sources |date=June 2011 }}
{{Infobox organization
| formation = 1987
| image = NAM aidsmap logo.jpg
| formerly = National Aids Manual
| founder = Peter Scott
| purpose = Independent, accurate & accessible information about HIV
| headquarters = United Kingdom
| leader_title = Executive Director
| leader_name = Matthew Hodson (to 2024)
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Aidsmap, also known as NAM aidsmap, is a website which published independent, accurate and accessible information and news about HIV and AIDS.{{Cite web |title=NAM PUBLICATIONS - Charity 1011220 |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/1011220/full-print |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk |language=en-GB}}{{Cite journal |last1=Silverman |first1=Taylor |last2=Asante |first2=Nicole |last3=van den Berg |first3=Jacob J |date=2018-10-16 |title=Quality of HIV Websites With Information About Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or Treatment as Prevention for Men Who Have Sex With Men: Systematic Evaluation |journal=JMIR Public Health and Surveillance |language=en |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=e11384 |doi=10.2196/11384 |issn=2369-2960 |pmc=6231722 |pmid=30327291 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite book |last=Shelling |first=Gene M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6TkC_ZbwPEgC |title=AIDS Policies and Programs |date=2006 |publisher=Nova Publishers |isbn=978-1-60021-217-8 |language=en}} The aidsmap website was run by a charity based in the United Kingdom, NAM. The site closed in July 2024 due to challenges securing funding{{cite web |url=https://www.aidsmap.com/news/jul-2024/thank-you-and-farewell |title=Thank you and farewell |publisher=aidsmap |date=July 2024 }} but announced in March 2025 that, thanks to support from Terrence Higgins Trust, the site would "be continuing its news reporting from international HIV conferences and elsewhere so that expert patients, advocates and clinicians have access to the latest research".{{cite web |url=https://www.aidsmap.com/news/mar-2025/aidsmap-returns-reporting-conference-retroviruses-and-opportunistic-infections-croi |title=aidsmap returns with reporting from the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) |publisher=aidsmap |date=2025-03-04 |access-date=2025-03-05 }}
"NAM" originally stood for National AIDS Manual and referred to a 1987 compendium of all information about HIV published for non-scientists in England.{{Cite web |title=Archives of NAM (National AIDS Manual) |url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/qnev95vt |access-date=2022-09-21 |publisher=Wellcome Collection |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Anthony |first=Pinching |date=1993 |title=Book reviews |journal=Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=88–89 |pmc=5396607 }}{{Cite news |last=Mann |first=Cass |year=1998 |orig-date=16 October |title=Aids charity 'should not have lost its funding' |page=4 |work=Kingston Informer |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002505/19981016/026/0004}} Since aidsmap became an international organisation, NAM was no longer used as an acronym and there was no longer any particular "aids manual" being maintained.{{cite web |url= http://www.aidsmap.com/Our-name/page/1563890/ |title=HIV & AIDS Information :: Who we are - Our name |publisher=aidsmap |year=2011 |accessdate=24 June 2011}}{{Cite web |title=Episode 16: HIV Myth Buster Special |url=https://www.sextalk.radio/transcripts/episode-16-hiv-myth-buster-special/ |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=www.sextalk.radio }}
NAM aidsmap's vision is of a world where HIV is no longer a threat to health or happiness.
Timeline of work
NAM was founded in 1987 by Peter Scott,{{Cite journal |date=1995-03-04 |title=Medicine and the Media |journal=British Medical Journal |volume=310 |issue=6979 |pages=607 |issn=0959-8138 |pmc=2548979}} who was then working for the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. He was seeking to address the public's demand for a source of information about HIV.{{cite web |url=http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1825427/ |title=HIV & AIDS Information :: Thirty years on |work=aidsmap.com |date=5 June 2011 |accessdate=24 June 2011}}
Subsequent Directors were Will Anderson (to 1996),{{Cite web |title=NAM PUBLICATIONS filing history |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02707596/filing-history?page=7 |access-date=2022-10-14 |publisher=Companies House |language=en}} Colin Nee (1996–2001),Weatherburn, P., et al. "What do you need? 2001-02: findings from a national survey of people living with HIV." (2002). Caspar Thomson (2001–2016){{Cite news |date=2016-07-25 |title=Meet Matthew Hodson, the New Executive Director of NAM |url=https://www.poz.com/article/meet-matthew-hodson-new-executive-director-hiv-aids-group-nam |access-date=2022-10-14 |work=POZ |language=en}} and Matthew Hodson (2016–2024).{{cite web |date=17 November 2017 |title=This year's 30 charity leaders on social media: be bold to succeed |url=https://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2017/nov/17/30-charity-leaders-social-media-awards |access-date=27 April 2022 |work=The Guardian }}{{cite web |title=Matthew Hodson stands down as aidsmap's Executive Director after 8 years |url=https://www.aidsmap.com/news/jun-2024/matthew-hodson-stands-down-aidsmaps-executive-director-after-8-years |publisher=aidsmap |date=6 June 2024 |access-date=15 July 2024}}
In 1992 the organisation began publishing the newsletter now called the HIV Treatment Update,{{Cite journal |last=Berridge |first=Virginia |date=2002 |title=AIDS and the rise of the patient? Activist organisation and HIV/AIDS in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13677353/ |journal=Medizin, Gesellschaft, und Geschichte: Jahrbuch des Instituts für Geschichte der Medizin der Robert Bosch Stiftung |volume=21 |pages=109–123 |issn=0939-351X |pmid=13677353}} which was designed to give patients the information they need to help direct their choices for HIV treatment.{{Cite web |title=AIDS Treatment Update : 15% discount to NAM Manual subscribers / NAM. |url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/x523r8z6/items |access-date=2022-09-21 |publisher=Wellcome Collection |language=en}}{{cite journal |doi=10.1136/sti.72.5.380 |title=Genitourinary medicine and the Internet. No 2 |year=1996 |last1=Lau |first1=R. K. |journal=Sexually Transmitted Infections | volume=72 | issue=5 | pages=380–381 |pmid=8976859 |pmc=1195710 }}{{Cite journal |date=1992-03-14 |title=Notes |journal=British Medical Journal |volume=304 |issue=6828 |pages=718.2 |doi=10.1136/bmj.304.6828.718-e |issn=0959-8138 |pmc=1881552 }}
In 1998 aidsmap.com was launched as an online resource{{cite journal |title=Aidsmap.com: A Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Information Resource |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15398285.2017.1377545 |journal=Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet |year=2017 |doi=10.1080/15398285.2017.1377545 |access-date=27 April 2022 |last1=Morris |first1=Martin |volume=21 |issue=4 |pages=402–409 |s2cid=80617999 |url-access=subscription }}{{Cite web |title=aidsmap.com : the direct route to information on aids / NAM, British HIV Association. |url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/e5ybzqpq/items |access-date=2022-09-23 |publisher=Wellcome Collection |language=en}}{{Cite news |year=1998 |orig-date=24 Jun 1998 |title=Great Britain launches new Aids web site |volume=23 |page=8 |work=The Nation |agency=Reuters |location=Thailand |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=19QtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7zEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2814%2C2825134 }} for all printed materials. It was a partnership project involving NAM and The British HIV Association,{{cite journal |doi=10.1086/313952 |title=Human Immunodeficiency Virus on the Web: A Guided Tour |year=2000 |last1=Shafer |first1=R. W. |last2=Deresinski |first2=S. C. |journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=568–577 |pmid=10987723 |pmc=2573401 }} and later the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. The original site editors were Edward King{{Cite web |title=Edward King Archive |url=https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/collections/edward-king-archive |access-date=2022-09-23 |publisher=Bishopsgate Institute |language=en}} and Keith Alcorn.{{Cite web |title=An introduction to aidsmap.com : HIV treatment information on the world wide web / Keith Alcorn. |url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/mmkencu5 |access-date=2022-09-23 |publisher=Wellcome Collection |language=en }} From 2018 to 2024, the editor was Roger Pebody.{{cite web |publisher=aidsmap |url=https://www.aidsmap.com/user/3 |title=Roger Pebody Managing Editor |access-date=5 Sep 2024}}
In 2006 aidsmap.com was awarded first prize in the Patient Information Website category of the 2006 British Medical Association’s Medical Books Competition.{{Cite web |date=2006-09-13 |title=Electronic patient information awards announced |url=https://www.digitalhealth.net/2006/09/electronic-patient-information-awards-announced/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Digital Health |language=en-GB}}
In 2019, NAM aidsmap launched its new website after a major redevelopment project.{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the new aidsmap |url=https://www.aidsmap.com/news/jul-2019/welcome-new-aidsmap |access-date=2022-09-23 |publisher=aidsmap |date=19 July 2019 |language=en}}
In December 2019, aidsmapLIVE, an HIV information series broadcast on NAM's social media channels, won both the Innovation and Media award at the nOscars, hosted by Naz Project London.{{Cite instagram |user=nazprojectlondon |postid=B6OzQhqFqaM |title=@aidsmap have won the INNOVATION AWARD! CONGRATS!! |date=18 December 2019 |author=Naz Project London }}{{Cite instagram |user=nazprojectlondon |postid=B6OzV6VlqPb |title=@aidsmap have won the MEDIA AWARD! CONGRATS!! |date=18 December 2019 |author=Naz Project London }}.
In 2024, NAM, the organisation publishing aidsmap, faced a funding crisis and was forced to close.{{cite web |last1=Adewale |first1=Dami |title=HIV support charity closes after 37 years |url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/hiv-support-charity-closes-37-years/management/article/1879344 |website=Third Sector |access-date=15 July 2024 }} In response, Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) paid tribute to the organisation's work. “You have been a trusted source and resource for people living with HIV and everyone in the global HIV response. You leave an exceptional legacy.” Byanyima said.{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Graeme |title=Charity NAM aidsmap set to close after 37 years |url=https://www.outinperth.com/charity-nam-aidsmap-set-to-close-after-37-years/ |website=OutInPerth |date=2 July 2024 |access-date=15 July 2024}} The International AIDS Society also stated that the closure of the service would leave a significant void: “NAM has consistently delivered unparalleled commentary and coverage of critical HIV-related news. It is now more imperative than ever for all stakeholders in the HIV response to intensify our efforts to fill this significant void.” they said.
In March 2025, it was announced that, thanks to support from Terrence Higgins Trust, aidsmap would "be continuing its news reporting from international HIV conferences and elsewhere so that expert patients, advocates and clinicians have access to the latest research", starting with the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections on 9–13 March in San Francisco.{{cite web |url=https://www.croiconference.org/croi-2025-in-san-francisco-california/ |title=CROI 2025 in San Francisco, California |publisher=Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections |date=2024-11-26 |access-date=2025-03-05 }}
References
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