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R Douglas Wright Lecture 2015
"From the beginning to the end of HIV: the great successes and remaining challenges"
presented by
Professor Sharon Lewin
Director
Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
The advances in the treatment and prevention of HIV infection have been spectacular. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to a major reduction in HIV-related mortality and morbidity. Life expectancy is now often normal for people living with HIV. Treatment is relatively simple, has few adverse effects and is currently available to 15 million people in low and middle income countries. In addition, treatment of HIV leads to a marked reduction in HIV transmission. New prevention strategies have also been developed and are highly effective, including pre exposure prophylaxis and circumcision.
The great successes achieved in the HIV response are a result of significant investment in science and highly effective collaborations with the private sector, with government and philanthropy and most importantly the affected and at risk community. Patient advocacy played a major role in the development of evidence based public health policy, the very rapid development of effective drugs and testing them in combination and then widespread availability in low and middle income countries. Many believe that we now have the tools to see the end of AIDS as well as a major decline in new infections - but the challenge is in implementing and funding what we know works.
Despite these great advances, globally only 30% of people living with HIV are on effective treatment and in 2014 there were 37 million people living with HIV, 2 million new HIV infections and 1 million AIDS related deaths. Stigma and discrimination also continue in many parts of the world with ongoing marginalisation of affected communities. Leadership and advocacy is needed to change this. In addition, treatment is lifelong and most countries are still struggling to fun pre-exposure prophylaxis. Therefore, the search for an effective vaccine and a cure remain top scientific priorities to ultimately see the end of HIV.
Given that HIV is a retrovirus and integrates into our DNA, strategies to effectively cure HIV will be complex. There is currently only one patient reported to be truly cured of HIV but several reports of HIV-infected individuals who remain in “remission” off treatment. This gives hope that a cure or long term remission may be possible. Many advances in HIV cure strategies are being reported – often learning from approaches used in oncology, using drugs that modify gene expression, boosting immune function and gene therapy. Multiple challenges remain and significant work and investment is still needed to truly see the end of HIV.
Date:
Wednesday 28 October 2015
Time:
6.00pm - 7.00pm
Venue:
The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
Auditorium
Ground Floor
792 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne 3000
Queries
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