Moving HIV prevention and treatment tools from the lab to all those in need

Shobha Shukla - CNS

Recent scientific advancements have brought to the fore the promise of more effective and long term solutions to help people living with HIV to thrive and not just survive. Today we have a buffet of HIV prevention options (such as, oral daily PrEP, once-a-month vaginal dapivirine ring for women, 2-monthly long-acting injectable) along with a bouquet of improved treatment modalities (monthly and 2-monthly long-acting injectables) adorning the HIV/AIDS arena, thanks to the untiring efforts of the scientific community. Many others are in the pipeline in different stages of research and development.

Shobha Shukla's exclusive trilogy (3 article-series) from #IAS2021

A bouquet of novel compounds: New treatment options for HIV

Shobha Shukla - CNS

It was 40 years ago when the first case of HIV infection was diagnosed. Since then, 77.5 million people have been infected with the virus and 34 million people have died from AIDS-related causes. While a lot has been achieved in terms of providing lifesaving antiretroviral treatment to save lives, we still lost 690,000 people living with HIV to AIDS-related illnesses in 2020. Even today more than 10 million (27%) of the 37.6 million people living with HIV are not on treatment. Moreover, "we are getting signals of HIV drug resistance, which means we need to strengthen our surveillance efforts and continue to invest in long-acting prevention and treatment tools, in the absence of an HIV vaccine, and also remember that solutions we find may not be one size that fits all", said Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS), during the closing session of the recently concluded 11th International IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2021).

One size does not fit all: Expanding the buffet of choices for preventing HIV

Shobha Shukla - CNS

Great strides have been made in HIV prevention, treatment and care, since the first case of the viral infection was reported 40 years ago. Thanks to the untiring efforts of the HIV community, activists, and medical fraternity, 74% (27.5 million) of the 37.7 million people living with HIV are able to access the lifesaving antiretroviral therapy today. But the governments' promise of ending AIDS by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goals) is still far from our sight.

Tale of two pandemics: Follow the science and do not forget one at the cost of the other

Shobha Shukla - CNS

Covid-19 has posed innumerable health, economic, and social challenges for all, including people living with HIV. It has exposed the fragility of health systems around the globe and has diverted political attention and funding from other infectious diseases like TB and HIV. The opening session of the 11th International IAS Conference on HIV Science (#IAS2021) held virtually from Berlin, saw a lively panel discussing the tale of the two most horrendous recent pandemics in the history of our civilisation: Covid-19 and HIV/AIDS.