IAS Digest: Advancing prevention
Our fourth edition of the IAS Digest centres on the theme, Advancing prevention. It includes updates from IAS programmes on the pressing issues around HIV prevention impacting people affected by and working on HIV today. It features IAS-led sessions from HIVR4P 2024, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, held in Lima, Peru, from 6 to 10 October.
A message from IAS President
As HIVR4P 2024 wrapped up, IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn reflected on the critical role of prevention in ending the HIV pandemic.
Takeaways from HIVR4P 2024
About 1,300 scientists, advocates, community representatives and policy makers came together in Lima and virtually to share and explore the latest evidence and emerging tools from HIV prevention science.
The conference highlighted the advancement of long-acting HIV prevention options, PEP and PrEP implementation, the importance of choice, and HIV vaccine R&D and bNAbs in HIV prevention.
As an IAS Member, you can already watch the HIVR4P session recordings on IAS+. The session recordings will be available to the wider public from December 12.
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise
Connections between prevention and cure research are coming to the fore and could support the dual goals of HIV prevention and eradication. This was underlined at the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise’s satellite session, “Beyond Prevention: Harnessing HIV Vaccines for an HIV Cure”, at HIVR4P 2024.
Highlighting breakthroughs in HIV vaccine research, the Enterprise, in collaboration with Scripps Research Institute, hosted a webinar, titled “Cutting-edge developments in HIV vaccine research: New insights and implications”. It explored recent progress in inducing bNAbs and underscored the scientific community’s ongoing commitment to innovative HIV vaccine development.
Two webinars addressed bNAbs for HIV prevention in newborns and infants, focusing on the challenges and potential policies for implementing bNAb interventions.
Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD)
The DSD programme’s HIVR4P satellite session, “Differentiated PEP and PrEP – reaching more people with HIV prevention services using DSD”, spotlighted the latest evidence and guidance on differentiated PEP and PrEP and showcased models that have been shown to increase access, improve uptake, support effective use and reduce unnecessary burdens on the health system.
Corporate Partnership Programme
Amid pressing challenges in global HIV prevention, complex patent landscapes create barriers that often delay vaccine development, a Corporate Partnership Programme and Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise satellite, “Understanding and managing intellectual property for HIV vaccine research and development”, emphasized. The session called for improved access to essential technology.
Industry leaders discussed collaborative strategies to boost PrEP access across South America in the session, “Enhancing service providers' engagement in PrEP delivery, uptake, and retention in Latin America & the Caribbean”, focusing on stronger partnerships with local healthcare providers.
Educational Fund
Since January 2024, the IAS Educational Fund has held key meetings in Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, the Philippines and Pakistan, with a strong emphasis on HIV prevention, a priority across all regions.
These convenings, contextualized for local needs, are intended to drive improvements in strategies, policies and clinical practices in the HIV response that align with the latest scientific evidence.
The Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) published an abstract supplement for HIVR4P 2024, which includes all oral abstracts from the conference and features interdisciplinary studies on HIV prevention strategies.
JIAS also announced the winners of the JIAS HIV Prevention Impact Award 2024 at HIVR4P 2024. The award recognizes one high-impact publication from 2023 with a focus on HIV prevention, determined by the votes of the journal’s Editorial Board members and Deputy Editors.
John Kinuthia (Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya) and Julia Dettinger (University of Washington, Seattle, USA), received the award for their co-authored article, “Risk-based versus universal PrEP delivery during pregnancy: a cluster randomized trial in Western Kenya from 2018 to 2019”.
Youth Hub
Muhammad Amir Haziq Zakria, a 2024 Youth Hub seed grantee, is advancing prevention through his project, Perform to Protest. This project highlights the experiences of young key populations in Malaysia through a musical titled Life Is… The Musical. Amir and his team aim to increase knowledge of and access to HIV prevention through compelling storytelling and an engaging community experience.
Indigenous people with HIV “invisible” in Latin America
Latin America is one of the few regions where HIV acquisitions have increased, despite advancements in prevention tools, IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn reminded us at HIVR4P 2024. An article in SciDev discusses the lack of visibility of Indigenous communities affected by HIV in Latin America, and HIVR4P 2024 highlighted the urgency of addressing HIV prevention challenges in Latin America.
Person-Centred Care
Prioritizing the needs of people living with HIV inspires inclusive, lasting solutions. That was a key message from the IAS Person-Centred Care programme webinar, “Person-centred care approaches for preventing HPV-related cancers among people living with HIV”. The event complemented the pre-meeting at IAS 2023, which underscored the pressing need for integrated HIV and HPV screening and treatment to end HPV-related cancers among people living with and affected by HIV.
With a focus on the critical role of civil society, the discussion took place against the backdrop of global goals to eliminate HPV-related cancers by 2030. It highlighted how the initiative seeks to harness community passion and healthcare collaboration to end cervical, anal and other HPV-related cancers.
Meet the IAS change makers
The IAS has expanded its “Meet the IAS change makers” landing page. It now features over 50 change makers who are alumni or current recipients of our grant, fellowship or mentorship opportunities. This page celebrates the diverse contributions of the next generation of HIV researchers, advocates and healthcare providers, highlighting their work and impact across communities.
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