Conversations with CEI

Host Marguerite Urban, MD is joined by William DeWitt, MD, Clinical Director of Anal Health in Primary Care at Northwell Health, to discuss a new coalition forming in New York City about anal dysplasia. ASSETS-NY aims to bring together people in this field and harness momentum to drive further research and implementation of anal dysplasia and cancer screening, surveillance, education and treatment in New York State. Be sure to check out the coalition’s website at https://www.screenyourbutt.org/nyc/. Related Content:  CEI Line: 1-866-637-2342  www.ceitraining.org   www.hivguidelines.org   ASSETS-NY Website: https://www.screenyourbutt.org/nyc/  NYS DOH AIDS Institute, “Screening for Anal Dysplasia and Cancer in Adults With HIV” guidelines: https://www.hivguidelines.org/guideline/hiv-anal-cancer/#toc_wurop7uf   International Anal Neoplasia Society (IANS): https://www.iansoc.org/

New York State’s Hepatitis C Dashboard shows that in 2023, 4,783 people were newly diagnosed with HCV in the state, an 8% decrease from 2022. Incidence also decreased, with the rate of new HCV infections dropping from 4.0 to 3.6 per 100,000 population among adult New Yorkers. Despite these gains, progress towards elimination has been stalled by reliance on a multi-step diagnostic algorithm to confirm viremia. In populations with the highest risk of infection – including people who inject drugs – testing and treatment are often inaccessible due to barriers along the care cascade. On June 27, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first point-of-care (POC) HCV RNA test that can be performed where a person receives care, like an outpatient clinic or mobile unit. The availability of a POC HCV RNA testing, which can provide a qualitative results in 60 minutes, unlocks New York’s ability to integrate a test-and-treat approach where a person can be tested for HCV, and if positive for HCV RNA, be linked to care and potentially receive treatment during the same health care visit. To achieve elimination goals, simplified care that engaged people who inject drugs is essential, and single encounter testing and treatment offers a new tool to significantly expand access, decrease time from diagnosis to treatment and increase the number of New Yorkers who are treated for HCV. Today’s episode will focus on this new diagnostic tool and its potential impact on HCV elimination across New York. Related Content:  New York State Department of Health Clinical Guidelines Program, Hepatitis C Virus Screening, Testing, and Diagnosis in Adults (January 2023): https://www.hivguidelines.org/guideline/hcv-testing/?mycollection=hepatitis-care New York State Department of Health Hepatitis C Dashboard: https://hcvdashboardny.org/ New York State Department of Health, Frequently Asked Questions for Hepatitis C Point of Care Diagnostic Testing (June 2025): https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/hepatitis/hepatitis_c/providers/docs/poc_faq.pdf Erie County Medical Center’s Center for Hepatology Care (La Bodega): https://medicine.buffalo.edu/news_and_events/news/2020/04/martinez-bodega-hepatology-clinic-10699.html U.S. Food and Drug Administration News Release, FDA Permits Marketing of First Point-of-Care Hepatitis C RNA Test (June 2024): https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-permits-marketing-first-point-care-hepatitis-c-rna-test MacIsaac MB, et al. Point-of-care HCV RNA testing improves hepatitis C testing rates and allows rapid treatment initiation among people who inject drugs attending a medically supervised injecting facility. Int J Drug Policy. 2024 March:125:104317. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104317. Point-of-care HCV RNA testing how to video: https://vimeo.com/1172653335?fl=ip&fe=ec

Based on data from 2023-24, roughly 23% of New Yorkers aged 21 or older reported cannabis use in the past 12 months. Although men generally have a higher prevalence of use than women, recent studies show a narrowing gap as female consumption rises. Despite this trend, research is sorely lacking on the impact of cannabis use on pregnancy, birth outcomes and overall health. Many advisory panels and organizations advise against the use of cannabis during pregnancy, but there are numerous reasons pregnant people choose to use. On today’s episode, we’ll talk through the evidence and provide best practices for caring for pregnant persons who use cannabis.  Related Content:  New York State Department of Health Clinical Guidelines Program Therapeutic Use of Medical Cannabis in New York State (October 2025): https://www.suguidelinesnys.org/guideline/med-cannabis/?mytab=tab_6/#pregnancy New York State Department of Health Office of Cannabis Management Cannabis Considerations for Pregnant and Breastfeeding/Chest Feeding Individuals (2022): https://cannabis.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/07/cannabis-considerations-for-pregnant-and-breastfeeding-chestfeeding-individuals-fact-sheet_v2.pdf New York State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Brief (November 2024-05): https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/brfss/reports/docs/2024-05_brfss_cannabis_use.pdf New York State Office of Cannabis Management Cannabis Education Library: https://cannabis.ny.gov/education Zolotov Y, Mendoza Temple L, Isralowitz R, et al. Developing Medical Cannabis Competencies: A Consensus Statement. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(10):e2535049. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.35049 Raz M, Gupta-Kagan J, & Asnes A. THC Ingestions and Child Protective Services: Guidelines for Practitioners. J Addict Med. 2025 July-Aug;19(4):350-52. doi:10/1097/ADM.0000000000001441 Data to Action: Cannabis consumption during the perinatal period and clinicians’ screening and advising, New York State outside of New York City, 2017-2018 and 2021-2022: https://apps.health.ny.gov/public/tabvis/PHIG_Public/prams/publications/Cannabis_consumption_during_the_perinatal_period.pdf Project CBD: http://projectcbd.com/ American College of Gynecologists and Obstetrics Clinical Consensus on Cannabis Use during Pregnancy and Lactation (October 2025): https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-consensus/articles/2025/10/cannabis-use-during-pregnancy-and-lactation CEI Training, Clinical Approaches to Medical Cannabis: https://ceitraining.org/courses/1589 CEI Clinical Consultation Line1-866-637-2342 A toll-free service for NYS clinicians offering real-time clinical consultations with specialists on HIV, sexual health, hepatitis C, and drug user health. https://ceitraining.org/  

Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2026 took place from February 22 to 25 in Denver, Colorado. CROI is an annual scientific meeting devoted to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS and the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS. Thousands of leading researchers and clinicians from around the world convene in each year for the Conference. On this episode, Antonio Urbina, MD, Medical Director for CEI’s HIV Primary Care and Prevention Center of Excellence, reflects on this year’s conference and shares his highlights about exciting developments in the world of HIV prevention and treatment.  Related Content: CROI University of Liverpool HIV Drug Interactions Checker (website and app) CEI Clinical Consultation Line1-866-637-2342 A toll-free service for NYS clinicians offering real-time clinical consultations with specialists on HIV, sexual health, hepatitis C, and drug user health. https://ceitraining.org/

Host Dr. Erica Bostick from the University of Rochester Medical Center Division of Adolescent Medicine chats with Dr. Stacy Sun, a double board-certified physician in obstetrics and gynecology and complex family planning at the University of Rochester, about misconceptions they hear from patients about contraception. Should patients get their hormone levels checked before starting a birth control method? What is emergency contraception and how does it work? Is it safe to use contraception to suppress the menstrual cycle? What do recent studies show about the Depo-Provera shot and the risk of meningioma? Listen to this episode to hear all about these common questions and more, and to get real examples of counseling tips from Dr. Bostick and Dr. Sun! Related Content:  CEI Line: 1-866-637-2342 https://ceitraining.org/ www.hivguidelines.org Curtis KM, Nguyen AT, Tepper NK, et al. U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use, 2024.MMWR Recomm Rep 2024;73(No. RR-3):1–77. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7303a1 Nguyen AT, Curtis KM, Tepper NK, et al. U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2024. MMWRRecomm Rep 2024;73(No. RR-4):1–126. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7304a1 Xiao T, Kumar P, Lobbous M, Yogi-Morren D, Soni P, Recinos PF, Kshettry VR. Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate and Risk of Meningioma in the US. JAMA Neurology. 2025;82(11):1094-1102. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.3011. Roland N, Neumann A, Hoisnard L, Duranteau L, Froelich S, Zureik M, Weill A. Use of progestogens and the risk of intracranial meningioma: national case-control study. BMJ. 2024;384:e078078. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-078078