On this World AIDS Day we are filled with both hope and concern.
Hope because significant progress has been made towards universal access. New HIV infections have dropped. Fewer children are born with HIV. And more than 4 million people are on treatment.
Concern because 28 years into the epidemic the virus continues to make inroads into new populations; stigma and discrimination continue to undermine efforts to turn back the epidemic. The violation of human rights of people living with HIV, women and girls, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and sex workers must end.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on "all countries to live up to their commitments to enact or enforce legislation outlawing discrimination against people living with HIV and members of vulnerable groups". On this World AIDS Day, let us work urgently to remove punitive laws and practices and put an end to discrimination against and criminalization of people affected by HIV.
On World AIDS Day let us also act on HIV prevention. For every two people put on treatment, five are newly infected. Too often prevention programmes are not reaching those most in need.
We can eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We can empower young people to protect themselves from HIV. We can stop violence against women and girls. We can protect drug users from becoming infected with HIV. And we can reduce sexual transmission of HIV.
Gains made today are fragile and must be sustained. The economic crisis should not be a reason for reducing investments in health. Economic adjustments must be made through a human rights lens that keeps the focus on those most vulnerable. This is the time to increase rather than decrease funding for AIDS.
AIDS provides a powerful mechanism for creating integrated health, human rights and development programmes. We must take AIDS out of isolation and create a broad social movement that will accelerate progress toward the Millennium Development Goals.
World AIDS Day provides an opportunity for all of us - individuals, communities and political leaders - to take action towards making universal access a reality.
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS.
Business & Industry
- AskBio presents 18-month Phase Ib trial results of AB-1005 gene therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease
- Bayer and Thermo Fisher Scientific collaborate to increase patient access to precision cancer medicines
- Bayer and Aignostics to collaborate on next generation precision oncology
- AstraZeneca to acquire Amolyt Pharma, expanding late-stage rare disease pipeline
- European Commission approves Pfizer's PREVENAR 20® to help protect infants and children against pneumococcal disease
Research & Development
- How the Birmingham Drug Discovery Hub created an investment-ready 'drug library'
- Common HIV treatments may aid Alzheimer's disease patients
- Next-generation treatments hitch a ride into cancer cells
- Groundbreaking treatment approach shows promise in hard-to-treat cancers
- This outdated diabetes drug still has something to offer
- New drug prevents flu-related inflammation and lung damage
- Swapping red meat for herring/sardines could save up to 750,000 lives/year in 2050
Conferences & Events
- SAE Media Group proudly presents the 4th Annual AI in Drug Discovery Conference
- SAE Media Group's 6th annual 3D Cell Culture Conference
- CPHI Frankfurt returns to pre-pandemic strength as pharma industry booms again
- 14th Annual RNA Therapeutics: Investigating the next generation of genetic medicine through RNA based therapies
- CPHI Excellence in Pharma Award Winners 2022
- CPHI Frankfurt Report predicts huge funding overhang to drive contract services growth
- CPHI Frankfurt 2022: Global pharma confidence hits record high in the annual CPHI Pharma Index
Regulatory Affairs
- FDA approves nonsteroidal treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
- FDA approves first gene therapies to treat patients with sickle cell disease
- FDA approves first therapy for rare type of non-cancerous tumors
- First electronic product information (ePI) published for selected human medicines
- FDA approves first treatment for patients with rare inherited blood clotting disorder