The German monthly, Vangardist, has made history by being the first publication to infuse ink with HIV-positive blood.
The publication carries absolutely no risk of infection, as a spokesperson for the magazine said that their protocols followed the stringent guidelines set out by Harvard and Innsbruck University.
According to Saatchi & Saatchi, the firm enlisted to help design the edition, every single word in the HIV issue is printed with the ink donated by three patients.
Published at a time where, according to the World Health Organisation, there has been an 80 percent increase in HIV in the last 10 years, the magazine is putting you in contact with the virus like never before.
The publishers stated “despite 30 years of campaigning, activism and research, HIV remains the sixth biggest cause of death in the world”.
“Yet for many people the virus is seen as old news, with discussion and debate relegated to just one or two days a year when key communities and organisations around the world force the issue back onto the news agenda.” they said.
Vangardist CEO and publisher Julian Wiehl spoke of the importance of bringing the conversation out of the periphery and into the forefront.
“If you’re holding the ‘infected’ print edition…you’ll get into contact with HIV like never before… it will make you reflect on HIV and you will think differently afterward. Because now the issue is in your hands,” wrote Wiehl.
By making the issue tangible, the publication is forcing people to acknowledge the harrowing effects of HIV on the community and address the social stigma often attached to those suffering with the disease.
Would a magazine printed in this ink make you think about HIV more? Share your comments with us in the section below.
