- Significant scientific advances were made in the last few years that contribute to better HIV prevention and treatment outcomes and increased cost-effectiveness but major challenges remain that could undermine the attainment of the global goal to end AIDS as a public health threat: Better treatment and vaccines remain an urgent challenge to address the HIV/TB epidemic. Much more is needed to effect scale up and optimize treatment strategies in high-burden regions. Globally challenges remain in reaching ambitious targets across the continuum of care. Concrete innovations are urgently needed to improve HIV testing and its uptake and to retain individuals successfully in life-long care. This is particularly evident in adolescent populations. IAS 2017 will contribute to addressing some of the continuing challenges in HIV prevention, treatment and care in a scientific program that will integrate innovative approaches, such as the active application of avant-garde technologies in basic science and implementation research, and precision medicine as a bridging theme. France?s key role in HIV science and the strong political will enabling a rapid translation of science into policy, along with the country?s strong links with countries in Africa and Asia, will be defining factors for a scientific conference program that will present latest science from across the globe and discuss its translation into a variety of specific epidemiological and policy contexts. IAS 2017, taking place in Paris on 23-26 July 2017, has an expected attendance of 6,000 to 7,000 delegates from more than 120 countries.
The specific aims of IAS 2017 are to: 1. Accelerate basic science and innovation for the development of new prevention, treatment and care options; 2. Strengthen research towards remission off treatment and a vaccine; 3. Enhance knowledge transfer and sharing between HIV and co-infections, including tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, malaria, and co-morbidities; 4. Strengthen the implementation science research agenda to address key barriers and challenges across the HIV prevention and treatment cascades in a variety of epidemic scenarios; 5. Explore the links between HIV and human rights. The scientific program will consist of four tracks: Basic Science; Clinical Science; Prevention Science; Implementation Science. A symposium on HIV cure and cancer research with a further focus on therapeutic vaccines will be organized in conjunction with the conference. Cross-cutting aspects will be covered in plenary talks that also connect the scientific tracks with community and leadership perspectives; bridging sessions cut across at least two of the tracks to provide opportunities for multi-disciplinary dialogues. The participation of young researchers, basic scientists and researchers in related fields such as non-communicable diseases will be strengthened by active solicitation of relevant science and the provision of specific financial support.
Major advances in HIV prevention, treatment and care, together with significant political commitment to fast-track HIV responses both at global and national levels, have led to optimism that an end of AIDS as a public health threat is in sight. However, globally challenges remain in reaching ambitious targets across the continuum of care, and concrete innovations to improve HIV prevention, testing, treatment and its uptake and to retain individuals successfully in life-long care are sorely needed, particularly in adolescent populations. IAS 2017, to be held from 23-26 July 2017 in Paris, France, with an expected attendance of 6,000 to 7,000 delegates from more than 120 countries, will be the essential international convening to address these scientific and implementation challenges in HIV research, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities.
