Dr. Karen Tashima, director of HIV clinical trials at Miriam Hospital in Providence, was recently named one of the top 10 physicians in the country for HIV care by TheBody.com, an online HIV resource. Tashima has practiced at Miriam for 10 years, focusing on testing anti-retroviral combinations. Her efforts have resulted in one of the most successful HIV treatment regimens used today. Tashima treats patients at Miriam and at a family health clinic in Fall River. She lives in Seekonk.
PBN: What’s the success rate of an HIV treatment regimen?
TASHIMA: HIV treatment has been hugely successful, to the point that we talk about it being a chronic disease like diabetes or heart disease. However, it is not curable, so the best strategy is to avoid infection in the first place. HIV infection is under-diagnosed (and therefore untreated) in the U.S., and everyone should consider asking for the test when visiting the doctor.
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PBN: Do you feel we are close to a regimen that works?
TASHIMA: There are several combinations that work really well and are easy to take.
PBN: How many trials did it take to produce a successful regimen?
TASHIMA: It took years to figure out that we should use medications in combination and not as single agents. Once that was figured out, many combinations can work well.
PBN: Every day you work with patients who have an incurable disease, how do you cope?
TASHIMA: I feel fortunate to be able to help patients understand and treat their disease, and patients can be very grateful for that.
