Press
If you have any press enquiries, please contact Chris*tian Gaa, who is responsible for press and public relations in the campaign team.
christian.gaa@dah.aidshilfe.de
Phone: 030 / 69 00 87 -82
Latest press releases
Berlin, 22 August 2024
New Mpox variant: What you can do now
Rising Mpox cases in Africa with a new variant ("clade Ib") are threatening public health worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation. In Europe, there has been one reported case with the new variant and there are still cases of the 2022 variant. The prevention campaign of the German AIDS service organisation ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU (IWWIT) recommends: Vaccinating yourself now is a precautionary measure.
Due to rapidly increasing cases of mpox in some African countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC).
Only a few hours after the declaration of the Mpox health emergency Sweden reported the first case of clade Ib in Europe, according to the BBC. According to Risk assessment by the European health authority ECDC from 16 August it is "highly likely" that there will be further cases of clade I in the EU and the European Economic Area. However, the likelihood of continuing chains of transmission in Europe is very low as long as cases are diagnosed quickly and control measures are implemented.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on 15 August, there are no known cases of clade Ib in Germany to date. However, the RKI will continue to monitor events closely.
What you can do now
The recommendation of the IWWIT prevention campaign remains the same: vaccination offers the best protection, according to RKI also against the new Mpox variant. The vaccination significantly reduces the risk of infection. Anyone who is infected despite being vaccinated has a significantly lower risk of a severe course of the disease thanks to the vaccination.
According to current knowledge, anyone who has already been fully vaccinated in recent years is also vaccinated against the new variant and does not need to be vaccinated again. Anyone who has only received one vaccination should consider having a second dose in order to extend their immunisation protection.
Anyone who has been vaccinated against true smallpox (variola) is also protected against Mpox. However, an additional vaccination is recommended to refresh your immunisation.
Statutory health insurance companies cover the costs for insured persons for whom the vaccination recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission applies - including men aged 18 and over who frequently have sex with changing men. Private health insurance companies also often cover the costs. However, this should be clarified with the insurance company in advance. Sometimes you have to pay for the vaccination privately in advance. However, the costs will be reimbursed after submission to the health insurance company.
Where people can be vaccinated is regulated differently in the individual federal states. On iwwit.de you will find an overview with information on vaccination options in the individual federal states.
Chris*tian Gaa, press spokesman for IWWIT:
"We know that it is difficult for some people to get the vaccination. Ask at your practice or local AIDS service organisation. We are keeping an eye on the situation and will keep you up to date on our website and social media channels. We are here for you! We stick together as a community!"
All information on Mpox and vaccination at: iwwit.de/gesundheit/geschlechtskrankheiten/mpox-impfung-jetzt
IWWIT on Instagram: instagram.com/ichweisswasichtu
IWWIT on Facebook: facebook.com/ICH.KNOW.WHAT.I.DO
Berlin, 24 July 2024
ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU restarts
The German AIDS Service Organisation's prevention campaign ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU (IWWIT for short) will be launched for the 2024 Pride season. online with new look and content. The nationwide campaign shows: prevention is diverse, prevention connects.
New look, new logo, same core
With a more dynamic design, a playful, flowing logo and an even more diverse visual language, IWWIT aims to reflect the community.
Jonathan Gregory, Head of IWWIT: "With the new design and logo, we want to reflect the ecstasy, vibrancy and self-determination of gay sexuality. The new logo refers to the solidarity of the queer community, the fluid transition of queer identities and offers a projection surface for individual interpretations."
More content, more knowledge & more queerness
IWWIT is also evolving in terms of content. In addition to information on HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and safer sex, you can now find iwwit.de the new sections "Queer Life", "Gay Sex" and "Gayzine".
"Queer Life" offers reports from the community for the community on topics such as living with HIV, forms of love and relationships, substance use and sexuality in old age. Fetish, cruising, sex toys, porn: sexually explicit articles can be found in the "Gay Sex" section. Gayzine" provides regular updates on topics relating to health, culture and politics.
"We want to provide fun, sex-positive information, create understanding, build bridges, take different perspectives, foster relationships, keep our finger on the pulse of our communities, create a space for exchange and empowerment in solidarity. In short, we as a campaign want to send and receive so that in the end we can all say: I KNOW WHAT I DO!", says Gregory.
IWWIT at Pride Berlin
IWWIT will be represented at this year's CSD Berlin on 27 July with a truck and team in cooperation with Sidekicks Berlin: "Come and join us and pick up your cruising packs, information and lots of love! Let's demonstrate, celebrate and show together: Community is awesome!", emphasises Gregory.
Always more than sex
IWWIT's goal right from the start: gay men should be able and allowed to make informed and confident decisions about their (sex) life.
Yet everything has become more and more diverse in recent years: Where previously only the condom protected against HIV, today there is safer sex 3.0 with PrEP and protection through therapy.
Then there is the diversity of the community. Whether gender or sexual identity, skin colour or body shape: IWWIT opposes exclusion and is there for everyone in the community.
IWWIT is funded by the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA). Since 2008, the campaign has been informing its target groups and encouraging communication about sexuality, safer sex and queer life.
Further information:
iwwit.de
Berlin, 4 April 2024
Share now: Colourful spoons for mental health!
To mark World Health Day on 7 April 2024, the IWWIT campaign is publishing the video "Queer Community Spoons: How spoons can help us feel better!". The aim: to talk about mental well-being.
How are you doing? What do you need? How can we gain mental energy? These are the questions addressed in the video "Queer Community Spoons" by ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU (IWWIT), the prevention campaign by Deutsche Aidshilfe for gay and bisexual men.
In her spoon theory, blogger and activist Christine Miserandino uses spoons to symbolise limited energy: different people need different amounts of energy for the same activities.
IWWIT expands the spoon theory with a queer perspective. Coming out, living with HIV, prejudice or marginalisation demand even more energy from queer people than people without these experiences.
Jonathan Gregory, Head of the IWWIT campaign:
"Spoon Theory reminds us that mental health is just as important as physical health. By better understanding our needs and challenges as queer people, talking about them and showing solidarity, we can make our communities strong, loving and supportive."
How can we gain energy - individually and as a community? Strengthening each other is one thing. Taking care of yourself individually is another. The "Queer Community Spoons" campaign aims to bring both together:
"Fortunately, there are various ways in which each of us can take care of ourselves and our personal energy levels, replenish our own energy resources and thus regain spoons. Perhaps you have tips and tricks that you can recommend," says Jonathan. "Sharing is the order of the day!"
Share this video with people you care about and encourage them to talk openly about their mental wellbeing.
Let's draw from the full together!
Link to the Video: https://youtu.be/37y9MSuQ9ss
More info on iwwit.de/mymentalme
Background
Due to an autoimmune disease, Christine Miserandino often has to put more energy into coping with her everyday life than she can recover the following night. She invented her spoon theory to explain this to a friend.
She starts with a spoon, which represents a unit of energy. She only has very few of these spoons and has to organise them well - also because she cannot easily replenish her supply of spoons.
Energy spoons are also more limited for people with mental health problems and illnesses than for people without these problems. And for queer people, living in a society that is often still characterised by prejudice and discrimination can be an additional burden.
Berlin, 15 February 2024
Take part now: the world's largest survey on the health of gay men and trans people starts
Today begins in 50 countries and 31 languages for the third time the Europe-wide Study EMIS. Eor the first time, the survey is also aimed at trans women and non-binary people.
How satisfied are you with your sex life? Do you know about PrEP? Do you use drugs during sex? Have you experienced discrimination? From today, gay and bisexual men and trans people from all over Europe can provide answers to questions like these in the EMIS 2024 survey. The personal information provided makes a strong contribution to queer emancipation - in line with the motto of the survey: "Your voice. Our strength!"
The study is being led by Maastricht University and, in Germany, by the Robert Koch Institute and Deutsche Aidshilfe. Similar surveys were already conducted in 2010 and 2017. With more than 100,000 participants each time, EMIS is the largest survey of its kind in the world.
The survey asks about sex life as well as mental well-being, experiences of stigmatisation and discrimination and satisfaction with healthcare. The knowledge gained from the survey is to be incorporated into the further development of health and prevention programmes and explore the links between discrimination and health problems.
EMIS 2024 needs you!
EMIS 2024 is aimed at people who identify as cis or trans men, trans women or non-binary people and who
Have sex with men,
and/or feel attracted to men,
and/or can imagine having sex with men in the future.
The questionnaire can be completed anonymously from today until the end of April 2024.
Click here for the questionnaire
Jonathan Gregory, Director of the campaign I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING (IWWIT) of the Deutsche Aidshilfe:
"Every participation helps to improve health and prevention services for all of us! Discrimination against HIV-positive and queer people in medical care, difficult access to the Mpox vaccination or currently to PrEP show time and again that there are still shortcomings. When it comes to prevention, we naturally want to focus on what you need. Your answers will help close gaps and provide the right services!"
Broad carrier and supporter base*insidecircle
EMIS was developed by a group of health researchers, social scientists and experts in the fields of HIV, gay health and human rights from over 40 European countries.
The survey is funded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and an international association of ministries, universities and civil society organisations.
More information about EMIS: https://www.emis-project.eu/
More information about EMIS 2024: https://www.emis-project.eu/emis-2024/
Berlin, 18 January 2024
PrEP bottleneck: What to do?
There is only one drug authorised for PrEP in Germany. It is hardly available at the moment. Some pharmacies have remaining stocks, but more and more PrEP users are going without. Patients have also had to switch to other medications for their HIV treatment. A situation that is likely to continue until at least March 2024. This was reported by the German Association of Outpatient Physicians for Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine (dagnä) in a press release.
In some cities, PrEP is no longer available at all, as IWWIT has learned from local organisations. In others, such as Berlin, some surgeries are only prescribing monthly packs so that the medication lasts longer - normally one pack lasts for three months. The situation is getting worse by the day.
The reasons for the problem are complex. For example, according to our information, two factories have production problems. There also appear to be individual difficulties in the supply chain and increased demand. Price differences on the European pharmaceutical market are also likely to play a role: Manufacturers in many neighbouring countries apparently receive more money for their medicines than in Germany.
Jonathan Gregory, Head of IWWIT: "It is difficult to say when the situation will ease again. One thing is clear: we have a shortage and not all people who need the medication for PrEP or therapy can be supplied at the moment. There's nothing to gloss over.
Nevertheless, there are still some ways in which PrEP users can obtain their medication. Below are our suggestions for dealing with this difficult situation.
What PrEP users can do now
Contact HIV pharmacies
If your pharmacy no longer has PrEP, contact a pharmacy. Member of the HIV-competent pharmacies working group (DAHKA). These pharmacies exchange information with each other and support each other in supplying PrEP if there are still stocks available. You can also make enquiries via online pharmacies. To do this, ask your doctor for an e-prescription. This makes ordering much easier.
Individual imports from abroad
Pharmacies can try to order the PrEP medication abroad if they obtain prior authorisation from the health insurance company. Some pharmacies do not know this or are afraid of the effort. It is best to ask for a "Single import according to § 73 paragraph 3 German Medicines Act (AMG)". However, there is no guarantee that the pharmacy will do this and that medication will be available abroad.
Occasion-related PrEP
For some users of daily continuous PrEP, it could also be an option to switch, at least temporarily, to so-called event-related PrEP, where you only take tablets before and after (planned) sex. You can find more information on this at aidshilfe.de/hiv-prep/einnahmeschema.
Approach the practice early for therapy
If you are using the combination of emtricitabine plus tenofovir disoproxil in your HIV treatment, contact your doctor's surgery before your tablets run out so that there is enough time to try to obtain new ones.
Check other safer sex options
If nothing helps, you can consider whether other safer sex options such as condoms or protection through therapy are an option for you until PrEP is available again.
Exchange ideas
It can also be helpful to talk to other PrEP users about their experiences, for example in the Facebook group PreP.Now. Of course you can also register with our Gay Health Chat or with another Offer of the Deutsche Aidshilfe get advice.
We demand security of supply
"We won't let up until everyone who needs the medication for PrEP or therapy gets it. You can count on it!" says IWWIT campaign leader Gregory.
Message from Deutsche Aidshilfe on the PrEP bottleneck
Press release by dagnä
Berlin, 13 October 2023
ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU celebrates 15 years of gay prevention
15 years ago, Deutsche Aidshilfe set an internationally ground-breaking example with ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU: It was not simply about condom advertising, but the campaign with authentic "role models" from real gay life for a self-determined and fulfilled gay life in.
"15 years of IWWIT means 15 years of fighting for emancipation and a fulfilled gay life. Prevention and activism go hand in hand. If we have to be afraid of attacks on the street, we take to the streets and demonstrate. We are loud and sometimes uncomfortable. Our campaign takes a holistic view of living conditions and health. We don't just want to protect against illness, we want us all to be well."
IWWIT stands for Acceptancedoes not want to patronise or dictate to anyone. Campaign manager Jonathan Gregory continues:
"Prevention means supporting people where they are - in exactly the life they choose. We know no taboos. We talk openly about group sex, porn addiction, the pleasures and risks of drug use, sex work and much more. We want to contribute to people being well informed and strong with pleasure and joy. So that in 15 years' time as many people as possible will be able to say: I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!"
Living a gay life with self-confidence
The aim of ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU was clear from the start: gay men should be well make informed and self-confident decisions about their (sex) life can and may.
We provide information on protection against HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and at the same time take a holistic approach to prevention and health. Because we know that: Only those who are self-confident and feel valued can live a healthy and happy life.
Mental well-being is therefore just as much a topic as dealing with discrimination. We also provide information and support on gay life issues such as coming out, chemsex and fetishes.
Yet everything has become increasingly diverse in recent years: Where once only the condom protected against HIV, today we have Safer Sex 3.0 with PrEP and protection through therapy.
With the community of which we are a part, we are also paying more and more attention to DiversityWhether gender or sexual identity, skin colour or body shape: we oppose exclusion and are there for all people in our community.
To current topics We were and are naturally at the forefront when it comes to issues such as Mpox, the flight of queer people from Ukraine or psychological injuries caused by right-wing populist forces: we react, inform, support and contradict.
Last but not least, more than 30 people in our volunteer campaign team for our presence in the community and for being there for everyone who needs us - on site in the scene and online. To mark our anniversary, we would like to say: thank you, thank you, thank you!
A look at iwwit.de and our social media channels shows the full diversity. But that's not all: We are working on a comprehensive relaunchwill soon reflect and celebrate the diversity of gay and queer life even more. So that IWWIT remains what it has been for 15 years: the contact point for all questions relating to gay health in the heart of the community.
IWWIT is funded by the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA). Since 2008, the campaign has been informing its target groups and encouraging communication about sexuality, safer sex and queer life.
Further information:
Berlin, 8 December 2022
Now is the time! - I KNOW WHAT I DO recommends Mpox vaccination
Since October 2022, only a few cases of "monkeypox" (Mpox) have been reported in Germany. One reason for this is that many gay and bisexual men have changed their behaviour in recent months and reduced the number of sexual contacts, for example. However, abstinence does not work as a permanent means of protection. And it doesn't have to: vaccination offers the best protection.
Unreported infection figures
Vaccine for all!
Based on the 2017 EMIS survey, Schmidt estimates the number of gay and bisexual men in Germany who have sex with changing partners at more than half a million. Most recently, the majority of a federal government vaccine order was delivered. In total, more than 260,000 vaccine doses have been available for around 130,000 people since the start of the epidemic. According to current studies, even the first vaccination offers good protection, while the second vaccination increases the effect and ensures long-term protection. All information on Mpox and vaccination at: iwwit.de/mpox
Contact us
German AIDS Service Organisation / I KNOW WHAT I DO
Chris*tian Gaa
Public relations
Wilhelmstrasse 138
10963 Berlin
Phone: 030 / 69 00 87 -82
christian.gaa@dah.aidshilfe.de
