This year, someone close to me died of an AIDS-related illness.

I kept asking: ‘How can this still be happening in 2025? With all that we know, all the medications we have? Surely our collective desire and will to eradicate HIV as a major public health threat would have prevailed by now?’

‘Coming from the most affected region, I’ve let go of the single story that paints people living with #HIV as helpless and tragic…

It’s time we become the authors of our own story.’

Powerful & pertinent remarks from Nomonde Ngema at the closing of #IAS2025.

@iasociety.bsky.social

‘Conflict disrupts not just lives, but destroys health infrastructure… Just imagine that you have no functioning hospital, healthcare workers are being killed & you still find the courage to serve.’

Xavier Biggs refers to a powerful session from #IAS2025 in his summary.

@iasociety.bsky.social

‘Communities are never hard-to-reach; they are underserved.’

Great takeaway message from rapporteur summary for #HIV prevention, by Rayner Kay Jin Tan.

@iasociety.bsky.social

#IAS2025

Exciting news from #IAS2025! A once-monthly #PrEP pill option is on the horizon.

MK-8527 was safe, well-tolerated & protective levels were maintained. It’s now headed into Phase 3 trials.

We need as many PrEP options as possible to end the #HIV epidemic.

@iasociety.bsky.social

‘Policies can save lives.’ Meg Doherty @who.int documents how changes in ART policy — including when it was offered to people with #HIV — have saved many lives.

These life-saving changes have been driven by scientific advances, policy AND activists who urged for changes.

@iasociety.bsky.social

At #IAS2025, Yazdan Yazdanpanah highlights something we don’t speak about enough: lack of equity in grants & authorship between researchers from high-income countries & those from lower income countries—where research is usually conducted.

Little has changed over a decade…

@iasociety.bsky.social

We have both old & new #HIV challenges according to Jeanne Marrazzo, speaking in her personal capacity at #IAS2025.

But she stated that ‘we cannot compromise when we’ve come so far. We cannot lose heart.’

@iasociety.bsky.social

At #IAS2025, @solangebap.bsky.social from @itpc.bsky.social speaks about how trust was lost when communities lost access to services due to funding cuts.

‘Communities are experts… they can tell us where the little money that’s available needs to be spent.’

@iasociety.bsky.social

Intermittent ART may be an important response to current #HIV funding cuts: taking pills 4 or 5 days a week, instead of 7.

This approach maintained viral suppression from #IAS2025.

But: excellent adherence, no prior treatment failure & already virologically suppressed.

@iasociety.bsky.social

‘How can we innovate when everything around us is unstable and hostile?’ Magda Queta asks at #IAS2025.

She shares crucial lessons learnt in challenging contexts: innovation is not just about technology: find new ways of centring community & integrating local knowledge.

@iasociety.bsky.social

Amazing scientific advances in the pipeline, some presented at #IAS2025 this week.

But long-acting injectable treatment uptake has lagged, even in high-income settings.

How will we use science to stop the epidemic? We need targeted, accessible & affordable solutions.

@iasociety.bsky.social

‘Community action is what gives science its soul, its reach and its relevance. Sustaining HIV progress means investing in people.’

A powerful reminder of what drives #HIV science: community must be at the centre of all that we do.

@rosemarymburu.bsky.social

@iasociety.bsky.social

#IAS2025

Rousing #IAS2025 opening plenary @iasociety.bsky.social by
@linda-gailb.bsky.social

‘We will not go back… We no longer stand at a crossroads. We now find ourselves at a precipice.’

The global #HIV response is in peril. We need decisive leadership, resilience & the strength of communities.

A rousing opening plenary talk by Chris Beyrer at #CROI2025

He emphasized that three words cannot be left out of the #HIV response: diversity, equity & inclusion. The HIV response has always embodied these principles.

‘This stunning collective silence ensures that the abuses of power & assaults on our humanity will continue… Now is the time for moral courage.’ — Rebecca Denison, WORLD founder, commenting on devastating US aid cuts for global #HIV services at #CROI2025 #CROI

It’s International Women’s Day!

We should recognise that International Women’s Day celebrates and advocates for the social, economic, cultural and political progression of ALL women, including trans women.

#InternationalWomensDay