Herpes Viruses Association

{{Short description|Support group}}

The Herpes Viruses Association (formerly the Herpes Association) was started in 1982. It is a support group for people with Herpes simplex virus. It conducts information campaigns and attempts to reduce the stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases.

It became a registered charity with a Dept of Health grant in 1985. The charity started as a string of local group meetings before acquiring an office and a national spread.{{cite web |url=http://www.herpessupport.org/2014/04/uk-herpes-dating-sites-and-herpes.html |title=UK Herpes Support Groups}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hva.org.uk/aboutus.html |title=The Herpes Viruses Association |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113155048/http://www.hva.org.uk/aboutus.html |archivedate=2015-01-13 }} It is widely referred to as a source of help for patients who are anxious about the conditions,{{cite news|title=Gynaecological infections|url=http://www.nursinginpractice.com/article/gynaecological-infections|accessdate=13 October 2015|publisher=Nursing in practice|date=20 May 2015}} primarily genital herpes.{{cite web|title=Genital herpes|url=http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Genital-herpes/Pages/Introduction.aspx|website=NHS Choices|accessdate=13 October 2015}}

The Association campaigns against the transmission of herpes being treated as a criminal offence. It supported David Golding who was convicted and imprisoned for infecting a woman with genital herpes in 2011.{{cite news|title=David Golding: Court criticised over herpes infector ruling|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-27330273|accessdate=13 October 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=8 May 2014}} Their spokesman said the sentence for causing grievous bodily harm was ‘outrageous’ and compared it to prosecuting children for giving their friends chicken pox, or passing on a cold sore.{{cite news|title=Outrage After U.K. Man Jailed for Giving Partner Genital Herpes|url=https://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/08/16/outrage-after-uk-man-jailed-for-giving-partner-genital-herpes.html|access-date=13 October 2015|publisher=Fox News|date=16 August 2011}}

It supported the campaign to keep the sexual health services of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in 2014.{{cite news|title=Chester doctors go to war with council over sexual health |url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/health/chester-doctors-fear-patients-suffer-8221723 |accessdate=13 October 2015 |publisher=Chester Chronicle |date=3 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726123843/http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/health/chester-doctors-fear-patients-suffer-8221723 |archivedate=26 July 2015 }}

It carried out a double-blind trial of liquorice lip balm on forty people in 2014 and found that it reduced the severity of symptoms in most subjects.{{cite news|title=Kiss cold sores goodbye this Valentines|url=http://www.cheshire-today.co.uk/31425/kiss-cold-sores-goodbye-this-valentines/|accessdate=13 October 2015|publisher=Cheshire Today|date=26 January 2015}} Marian Nicholson, the Director of the Association, is frequently quoted in relation to research into the development of remedies.{{cite news|title=Cranberries 'could treat herpes'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3747508.stm|accessdate=13 October 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=17 October 2004}}{{cite news|title=Your partner has herpes – now the good news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18637-your-partner-has-herpes-now-the-good-news/|accessdate=13 October 2015|publisher=New Scientist|date=11 March 2010}}

Dr Phil Hammond (comedian) is the president of the association. Between 1993 and 2002 Clare Rayner was one of its patrons.