photo by steed media services

There was a time when contracting HIV/AIDS was an instantaneous death sentence. But even as AIDS continues to proliferate as one of the most intractable diseases on Earth, several revolutionary drugs have allowed HIV/AIDS patients to live longer lives. As the head of HIV marketing for Pfizer, Sean Hudson informs the public of new treatments and continues to push for HIV/AIDS education.

“At Pfizer, we are working to educate people on the treatments that are available so that they can become advocates of their own care,” Hudson says. “We’ve had affective therapies for more than a decade, and now we have two brand new classes of therapy that attack the virus in a very unique way.” In September, Pfizer released the first new FDA-approved pills for HIV treatment in more than 10 years. Known as Selzentry, the pills block the virus from entering white blood cells while other HIV drugs fight the disease once it enters the cells. Many believe that Selzentry will represent a new wave of medication for HIV patients.

“We now have 31 antiretrovirals in the United States,” he says. “We’re at a watershed moment because we have a lot of treatment choices that are available for those living with the disease. But there is still an economic and social gap between treatment and education.”

To close the gap, Hudson believes that a greater effort should be made to inform those who are currently living with the disease. “I think the community has to move beyond the messages of awareness and prevention,” he says. “We have to encourage those who are in care to stay in care. It’s important to collaborate with others in our communities to strengthen those who are in need.” – amir shaw


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