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
- Pfizer Announces Positive Topline Results From Phase 3 Study of Hemophilia A Gene Therapy Candidate
- Darolutamide meets primary endpoint in Phase III ARANOTE trial
- Pfizer advances development of once-daily formulation of oral GLP-1 receptor agonist danuglipron
- AskBio receives FDA Fast Track and MHRA Innovation Passport designations for AB-1005 investigational GDNF gene therapy for Parkinson's disease
- GSK and CureVac to restructure collaboration into new licensing agreement
Research & Development
- Data from largest clinical trial of pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's disease now widely available
- Fighting antibiotic resistance with peptide cocktails
- Novel drug application shows improved survival for patients with relapsed and refractory acute myeloid leukemia
- Study shows ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers
- New AI approach optimizes antibody drugs
- A comprehensive derivative synthesis method for development of new antimicrobial drugs
- Delaying diabetes with diet and exercise for 4 years results in better long-term health
Conferences & Events
- New insights into T and B cells offer hope for autoimmune disease sufferers
- 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
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