World AIDS Day – December 1, 2013: Honoring Their Memories. Finding a Vaccine.

On this World AIDS Day, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) pays tribute to the tens of millions of people who have lost their lives by reaffirming our commitment to finding a vaccine that will help end the AIDS pandemic.

“There has been tremendous success in treating millions with HIV over the past three decades,” said IAVI President and Chief Executive Officer Margie McGlynn, “but a great deal of continued commitment, innovation and persistence will be needed to realize the vision of a world without AIDS.”

Thanks to dedicated governments, donors, scientists, healthcare providers, advocates and communities, existing tools have brought life-saving treatment to almost 10 million people with HIV and dramatically reduced the number of AIDS-related deaths. But those tools still remain out of reach or of limited effectiveness for many who need help, and each year still brings more than 2 million new HIV infections. Sustained momentum, support and funding are crucial to get to zero – zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, zero discrimination – and to make sure that no-one is left behind.

It has been 32 years since researchers diagnosed the first case of AIDS. More than 36 million people have died. Another 1.6 million die each year. A vaccine will help us return to a world without the devastating impact that AIDS continues to have on individuals, families and communities.