The 22nd International AIDS Conference took place July 23-27, 2018 in Amsterdam. Now that the conference is over and people are making their way back to their home countries, the second wave of information is swelling across the internet: summaries, reflections, and calls to action are being published. There are many worth reading; here are a few.
Plenary and Special Sessions
The official opening, TB and HIV, encouraging and supporting youth; treatment, the list goes on. These are the official videos from AIDS 2018. Take your pick and view on YouTube
Mark King’s Daily Coverage
If you ever visit TheBody.com, you are probably familiar with Mark King, a positive blogger who has been writing for years about his experiences with HIV (My Fabulous Disease). Mark recorded daily video blogs (vlogs) of his time at AIDS 2018. These are short pieces (each about 3 minutes) with great daily content, from his arrival to departure.
AIDS Map
AIDS Map is an excellent source of medical and social science research updates. This continues to hold with their coverage of AIDS 2018, with information on testing, prevention, PrEP, and harm reduction.
Bringing Science to Justice: Historic Announcement at AIDS 2018
On July 25, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network announced “Today we welcome an important development in the ongoing fight against HIV criminalization in Canada and around the globe. Twenty of the world’s leading HIV scientists published a peer-reviewed “Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context of the Criminal Law.” Their consensus? In most instances, the per-act possibility of transmitting HIV ranges from low to none.” Read the Legal Network’s blog
AIDS Map covered some criminalization too: Criminalisation (sic) of HIV high on agenda at AIDS 2018
How Do You Make People Positive About HIV?
In an opinion piece from AIDS 2018, William Pett talks about the ever-present stigma:
There is a strong sense, within research, clinical and patient communities alike, that elimination of the disease is no longer just a fantasy, but something we should realistically aim to achieve within a generation. But these significant breakthroughs in prevention and treatment do not yet seem to have significantly influenced the public’s view of HIV. Stigma remains a huge barrier to those living with the condition, whether in relation to their treatment, employment, housing or relationships.
He goes on to address UEqualsU and how this could change the landscape. Read the entire piece: How Do You Make People Positive About HIV?
AIDS 2020 Location Challenged: #AIDS2020ForAll
One of the strong trends I saw on Twitter was the movement to get AIDS 2020 out of the U.S. The conference is slated to be in California, but activists are fighting for another location because of U.S. policies.
Read Why Activists Want the 2020 AIDS Conference Removed From the U.S. Search the hashtag #AIDS2020ForAll on Twitter (you don’t have to have an account to look at posts on Twitter.)
We appreciate the the energy, activism and action the conference has inspired.
Questions? Feedback? Get in touch! Janet Madsen, Capacity Building and Knowledge Translation Coordinator, [email protected]