According to a report by the United Nations Aids and World Health Organization, there were 80% more new cases of HIV in 2013 than there were in 2004 in Central Europe and Asia. Vangardist, a German men's magazine printed 3,000 copies of a special edition issue by using ink mixed with HIV-positive blood to educate the masses about the disease. Three HIV-positive patients donated their blood for the cause.
"The media publishes what sells, but HIV doesn't sell anymore,” said Julian Wiehl from Vangardist Magazine. “It doesn't make the headline anymore and that's why we need to talk about it and reignite the conversation.”
Wyndam, a 26-year-old homosexual man, Wiltrut, a 52-year-old heterosexual single mother who contracted the disease from her ex-husband, and Philipp, a 32-year-old heterosexual man are the three donors. Other copies have been printed without the use of blood.
In a Youtube video about the issue, the company stated the difficulties behind finding a printer who would agree to using blood to print magazines. The issues are contained within a thin, clear plastic and silver aluminum package.
“We took the blood from three HIV-positive donors and mixed it with the ink of the printing presses. Breaking the seal of the magazine is kind of breaking the stigma of HIV and if you hold it in your hands and talk about it, then you have the power to heal it,” said Wiehl.
Dr. Therese Kosak from the Vienna Laboratory said in the Youtube video that HIV-positive patients greatly fear the reactions of friends and family. Kosak stated that society fears physical contact to HIV patients due to lack of information on the issue.
