Abstract submission

Track A will focus on key scientific advances relevant to HIV transmission, pathogenesis, viral control and persistence. In keeping with the AIDS 2024 theme, Put people first!, sessions will be designed with an emphasis on ageing with HIV, viral persistence in paediatric and young adult populations, and the role of biological sex on the host response to infection. Other highlights will include: advances in combining small molecules and immunotherapeutic agents to achieve viral control without ART; insights into the molecular interaction of the virus and target cells; the nature of the HIV reservoir and mechanisms of persistence; advances in using broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) for treatment, prevention and cure; innovations in long-acting molecules and the prevention of HIV transmission; and reducing the impact of HIV-related co-infections and co-morbidities. Recent findings will be linked to clinical research (Track B), where appropriate, and reflect the perspectives of people living with HIV.

Track B will focus on research developments in the clinical care of people living with HIV, with emphasis on novel agents and classes, the pipeline and potential of long-acting extended delivery technologies, evolving two-drug regimens, and clinical research on underserved populations. Person-centred care and the fourth “95” – quality of life – will be highlighted, along with options for integration. Early lessons from the introduction of first-generation injectables for treatment and prevention will be shared, informing future research to expand options and choice. Focus will also be placed on HIV care throughout the lifespan, including childhood, adolescence, adulthood and older age. Attention will be paid to the intersection of HIV and ageing, including approaches for treatment of HIV, management of co-morbid medical conditions, cognitive impairment, frailty and mental health conditions.

Continued expansion of the HIV prevention toolkit, with new formulations and modalities of PrEP delivery, new HIV testing platforms and updated testing algorithms, have contributed to a very different picture of HIV from only a decade ago. Additional advances, including in bNAbs, are on the horizon and will be a major focus of AIDS 2024. But challenges remain. Many countries have seen an increase in the incidence of bacterial and viral STIs, with limited diagnostics and symptomatic management remaining suboptimal. New HIV testing options, especially easy-to-use and affordable point-of-care tests, are urgently needed and will be challenged by the use of long-acting antivirals for prevention. Track C will present advances in our understanding of the changing epidemiology of HIV and the prevention tools that are available, along with assessments of where and why HIV incidence remains too high to achieve global targets.

Track D will focus on factors that affect HIV transmission, access to prevention and treatment, and the reduction of health disparities. Research in this area advances our understanding of HIV vulnerability and protective factors, HIV testing and self-care behaviour, HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and the behavioural and social dynamics associated with HIV prevention and treatment. For example, long-acting extended delivery (LAED) antiretrovirals for HIV prevention and treatment are slowly being rolled out in many countries. However, interventions aimed at the social and behavioural barriers to engaging with and adhering to HIV treatment and prevention services (such as stigma, discrimination, disclosure, medical mistrust and healthcare access) must first be deployed to fulfil expectations of LAED products as a game changer in the HIV response. Other social and behavioural factors, such as gender roles and norms, poverty, gender identity, sexual orientation and the availability of healthcare services, can significantly influence HIV vulnerability, intervention impact and outcomes for people living with HIV. Track D focus areas will also include: structural interventions for HIV prevention and treatment; advances in measuring and supporting adherence and retention; and factors that promote or impede the translation of social, behavioural and structural evidence into practice at all levels. Post-pandemic mental health crises, particularly for young people, will also be considered as an area that affects the HIV response.

Track E will include the latest science on approaches to achieving equity across the HIV care continuum. This will include research into: multi-level integrated strategies, such as individual-level behavioural incentives and organizational-level business incentives for biomedical intervention adoption in healthcare settings; local epidemiologically driven community-led advocacy approaches to addressing policy barriers in HIV, TB and STI service delivery; mHealth and other digital modalities that are integrated within clinical services, including peer-based strategies, social media tools, machine learning and other artificial intelligence; and systems integration approaches that facilitate continuity of care across disease processes and service delivery contexts while maximizing quality in service delivery and outcomes. The track will emphasize implementation research that reports on adoption, costs, reach and sustainability outcomes, as well as research that reports on service-related outcomes, including efficiency, equity, effectiveness, person-centredness and quality.

Track F will address the structural factors that impede or enable access to HIV services, with specific emphasis on key populations disproportionately affected by HIV. Mpox and COVID-19 have shown how persistent inequalities and the politicization of health impact health outcomes. Research presented will foster discussions on the intersections between politics, governance, law, policy and human rights, and ways to more effectively address human rights and gender-related barriers through enabling legal environments and changes in law enforcement practice. We will also consider the negative impact of ongoing conflicts and climate disasters on health system resilience, exacerbating human rights barriers that reduce access to HIV services.

 

Copyright policy

Abstracts must not include libellous or defamatory content. Material presented in abstracts must not violate any copyright laws. If figures, graphics and/or images have been taken from sources not copyrighted by the author, it is the author’s sole responsibility to secure the rights from the copyright holder in writing to reproduce those figures, graphics and/or images for both worldwide print and web publication. The author must bear all reproduction costs charged by the copyright holder.

Language

As the official AIDS 2024 language is English, all abstracts must be in English. If English is not your native language, please arrange for a native English speaker to review your abstract before submission. Please use the UNAIDS terminology guidelines and People First terminology when drafting and submitting your abstract. Please ensure that you DO NOT use stigmatizing language. DO use: people or person living with HIV; person or people with COVID-19; person or people with TB; healthcare seekers or clients. DO NOT label people as: HIV-infected; infected; cases; carriers; victims; patients.

Resubmission policy

An abstract that has been previously published or presented at a national, regional or international meeting can be submitted to AIDS 2024 only if there are new methods, findings, updated information or other valid reasons for resubmitting.

If preliminary or partial data have been published or presented previously, the submitting author will be required to provide details of the publication or presentation, along with a justification of why the abstract merits being considered for AIDS 2024. The AIDS 2024 Organizing Committee will consider this information when making final decisions.

If the author neglects to provide these required details and justification or if evidence of previous publication or presentation is found, the abstract will be rejected.

Plagiarism

IAS – the International AIDS Society – regards plagiarism as serious professional misconduct. All abstracts are screened for plagiarism and, when identified, the abstract and any other abstracts submitted by the same author are rejected. In addition, the submitting author’s account and scholarship application (if one has been submitted) will be cancelled.

Ethical research declaration

The conference supports only research that has been conducted according to the protocol approved by the institutional or local committee on ethics in human investigation. Where no such committee exists, the research should have been conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association. If you answer “no” or “not applicable”, you will be required to provide a written explanation for your answer. The AIDS 2024 Organizing Committee may enquire further into ethical aspects when evaluating abstracts.

As is the case with most scientific and medical conferences, abstracts from AIDS 2024 are released to delegates and media under a strict embargo policy. The conference embargo policy can be found here. All conference delegates, presenters and media agree to respect this policy.

Conference account

Authors must create a conference account to submit an abstract. More than one abstract can be submitted through a conference account. After an abstract has been created, modifications can be made until 23 January 2024, 23:59 Central European Time.

Choosing a track category

The track category is the general heading under which the abstract will be reviewed and later published in the conference materials if accepted. During the submission process, you will be asked to select one track category for your abstract. Choose the track category that best describes the subject of the abstract.

Abstract structure

The conference offers two options for abstract submission:

Option 1

This is suitable for research conducted in all disciplines. Abstracts submitted under Option 1 should contain concise statements of:

• Background: Indicate the purpose and objective of the research, the hypothesis that was tested, or a description of the problem being analysed or evaluated.
• Methods: Describe the study period, setting and location, study design, study population, data collection and methods of analysis used.
• Results: Present as clearly and in as much detail as possible the findings and/or outcomes of the study. Please disaggregate data by age and gender where possible and summarize any specific results.
• Conclusions: Explain the significance of your study’s findings and/or outcomes for HIV prevention, treatment, care and/or support and future implications of the results.

The following review criteria will be used in scoring abstracts submitted under Option 1:

1. Is there a clear background and justified objective?
2. Is the methodology and/or study design appropriate for the objectives?
3. Are the results important and clearly presented?
4. Are the conclusions supported by the results?
5. Is the study original and does it contribute to the field?

Option 2

This is suitable for lessons learnt through programme, project or policy implementation or management. Abstracts submitted under Option 2 should contain concise statements of:

• Background: Summarize the purpose, scope and objectives of the programme, project or policy.
• Description: Describe the programme, project or policy period, setting and location, the structure, key population (if applicable) and activities and interventions undertaken in support of the programme, project or policy.
• Lessons learnt: Present as clearly and in as much detail as possible the findings and/or outcomes of the programme, project or policy. Include an analysis or evaluation of lessons learnt and best practices. Please summarize any specific results that support your lessons learnt and best practices.
• Conclusions/next steps: Explain the significance of the findings and/or outcomes of the programme, project or policy for HIV prevention, treatment, care and/or support and future implications of the results.

The following review criteria will apply to abstracts submitted under Option 2:

1. Is there a clear background and justified objective?
2. Are the programme, project or policy design and implementation appropriate for the objectives?
3. Are the lessons learnt or best practices important, supported by the findings and clearly presented?
4. Are the conclusions/next steps supported by the results and are they feasible?
5. Is the work reported original and does it contribute to the field? 

Disaggregation by sex and other demographic data in abstracts 

Authors are encouraged to provide a breakdown of data by gender identity and/or assigned sex at birth and other demographics, such as age, geographic region, racial/ethnic identity and/or other relevant demographic characteristics in submitted abstracts, when appropriate. Your abstract should include the number and percentage of men and women who participated in your research or project (and additional breakdown by gender, age and/or ethnicity, if appropriate). Results should be disaggregated by sex/gender and other relevant demographics. Analyses of any gender-based differences or any other differences between sub-populations should be provided in the Results or Lessons learnt sections, if relevant.

Meaningful engagement of people living with HIV in research 

The IAS actively encourages the submission of research that meaningfully engages and involves people living with HIV, fostering collaboration through co-authorship and presenting author roles, in alignment with the principles outlined in the UNAIDS Global Advocacy Policy Brief on the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA).

Font

Use a standard font, such as Arial, when formatting the text. This helps prevent special characters from getting lost when copying the text to the online abstract submission form. Ensure that you check the final abstract with the system’s preview function before submission, and edit or replace if necessary.

Word limits

The abstract is limited to 350 words. Titles are limited to 30 words.

A maximum of two tables and/or graphs or images can be included. A graph or image (in JPG, GIF or PNG, ideally 600dpi) counts as 50 words and a table counts as five words per row (50 words maximum).

Common reasons for abstract rejection:

• Abstract poorly written
• Not enough new information
• Clear objective and/or hypothesis missing
• Methods (either quantitative or qualitative) inadequate and/or insufficient to support conclusions
• Summary of essential results inadequate and/or missing
• Study conclusions not supported by the data
• Linkage between different parts of the abstract not comprehensible
• Duplicate or overlap with another abstract
• Study too preliminary or insufficient to draw conclusions
• Study originality lacking

Recommendations:

• Abstracts should disclose primary findings and avoid, whenever possible, promissory statements, such as “experiments are in progress” or “results/lessons learnt will be discussed”.
• If English is not your native language, arrange for a native English speaker to review your abstract before submission.

Submission confirmation

After submission of the abstract, a confirmation email will be sent to the abstract submitter. To receive confirmation, please ensure that your email provider does not mark emails from aids2024@abstractserver.com as spam. 

IAS established the Abstract Mentor Programme (AMP) at AIDS 2004, the 15th International AIDS Conference. For two decades, the AMP has lifted the chances of abstracts mentees, particularly from resource-limited settings, being accepted for presentation. Building on this, the IAS remains determined to assist less-experienced and early-career researchers in improving their abstract submissions through innovative mentorship and learning initiatives. We invite you to join the IAS Mentorship Programme, register for the upcoming JIAS interactive workshops, and keep an eye on the launch of the IAS+ learning platform.

Abstract presenters interested in applying for a scholarship must submit their application by 23 January 2024. Please visit the Scholarship page for more information.

Abstract review

All submitted abstracts will go through a blind peer-review process carried out by international reviewers. At least three reviewers will review each abstract.

Abstract selection

A small number of abstracts will be selected for oral presentation in a session. The majority of abstracts selected will be paper posters to be displayed on site at the conference. 

Notification of acceptance or rejection to the corresponding author

Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent to the submitting (corresponding) author by early-April. Please note that only the corresponding author will receive an email concerning the abstract; this author is responsible for informing all co-authors of the status of the abstract. The presenting author, whose abstract has been accepted, will receive instructions for the presentation of their abstract.

Rule of two

Each presenting author may present a maximum of two abstracts at the conference. The number of submissions is, however, not limited. If an author has more than two abstracts accepted for presentation, a co-author must be named as the presenting author for one or more abstracts.

Each presenting author may also present one late-breaker abstract at the conference.

The submission of an abstract constitutes the author(s)’ consent for publication. If the abstract is accepted, the author(s) agree that the abstract is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) licence. The licence allows third parties to share the published work (copy, distribute, transmit) and to adapt it for any purposes, on condition that AIDS 2024 and authors are given credit and that in the event of reuse or distribution, the terms of this licence are made clear. Authors retain the copyright of their abstract, with first publication rights granted to the IAS.

Accepted abstracts may, therefore, be published on IAS websites and in such publications as the AIDS 2024 online conference programme and other conference materials, the IAS abstract archive and the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS).

For AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, an abstract is a standalone statement that briefly explains the essential information of a study, research project, policy or programme.

Detailed descriptions of the scope and objectives of each scientific track, as defined by the AIDS 2024 Organizing Committee, can be found on the abstract submission page.

The deadline for submission of abstracts is 23 January 2024, 23:59 Central European Time.

Abstracts are intended to present scientific studies, research, programmes and policies, highlighting the methods and/or description and results and/or recommendations. If you are describing a study that is still in the planning stage, it would not be suitable for submission unless the methods that you use are, for example, of particular scientific interest. However, if your study is ongoing and you have preliminary data that seems relevant or significant, please submit an abstract.

Late-breaker submissions must introduce data of unquestioned significance. Data analysed after the regular submission deadline (23 January 2024) should not be sent in for late breakers if the data do not meet an extremely high standard of scientific merit. The percentage of abstracts selected as late breakers will depend on the number of submissions made, but selection will certainly be more rigorous than for regular abstracts. A small number of late-breaker abstracts will be accepted for presentation orally or as posters at the conference.

During their abstract submission, authors will have to declare the reason why their abstract is a late breaker. The same submission rules apply for late-breaker abstracts as for regular abstracts, but each presenting author may present only one late-breaker abstract at the conference. Late-breaker abstract submission will be open from 8 April to 2 May 2024.

An abstract consists of a title, author list and abstract text no longer than 350 words. It can also include tables or graphs and/or images. Literature references should not be included.

AIDS 2024 offers two options for abstract submission:

Option 1

This is suitable for research conducted in all disciplines. Abstracts submitted under Option 1 should contain concise statements of:

• Background: Indicate the purpose and objective of the research, the hypothesis that was tested or a description of the problem being analysed or evaluated.
• Methods: Describe the study period, setting and location, study design, study population, data collection and methods of analysis used.
• Results: Present as clearly and in as much detail as possible the findings and/or outcomes of the study. Please disaggregate data by age and gender where possible and summarize any specific results.
• Conclusions: Explain the significance of the findings and/or outcomes of your study for HIV prevention, treatment, care and/or support and future implications of the results.

Option 2

This is suitable for lessons learnt through programme, project or policy implementation or management. Abstracts submitted under Option 2 should contain concise statements of:

• Background: Summarize the purpose, scope and objectives of the programme, project or policy.
• Description: Describe the programme, project or policy period, setting and location, structure, key population (if applicable) and activities and interventions undertaken in support of the programme, project or policy.
• Lessons learnt: Present as clearly and in as much detail as possible the findings and/or outcomes of the programme, project or policy. Include an analysis or evaluation of lessons learnt and best practices. Please summarize any specific results that support your lessons learnt and best practices.
• Conclusions/next steps: Explain the significance of the findings and/or outcomes of the programme, project or policy for HIV prevention, treatment, care and/or support and future implications of the results.

Before submitting an abstract, you will be asked to create a conference account. One or several abstracts can be submitted through this account.

To submit abstracts, please log in to your conference account and click on the “Abstract submission” box on the conference account overview page. Then click on the red button, “Submit an abstract”. In the abstract submission system:

1. Select the track, category and country of research. Enter your abstract title and text.
2. Enter the presenting author and co-authors (individually).
3. Preview your abstract and check format and correctness.
4. Submit your abstract.

After an abstract has been created, modifications can be made at any time until the submission deadline. After submission, the abstract submitter will receive a confirmation email with an abstract reference number. Please refer to this reference number in all conference correspondence.

After an abstract has been submitted via the conference account, modifications can be made until the submission deadline, 23 January 2024. After making your modifications, you need to resubmit your abstract. No modifications will be accepted after 23 January 2024.

A good abstract title is short, specific, representative and informative. It helps the reviewers categorize your abstract and, if accepted, it may help conference delegates find your presentation. The title should summarize your abstract without going into excessive details. Describe the topic clearly, including, for example, the population, country and issue of the research. Titles are limited to 30 words.

It is permitted but not mandatory to include tables, graphs and/or images in the abstract. A maximum of two tables, graphs or images in total can be included. A graph or image (in JPG, GIF or PNG, ideally 600dpi) counts as 50 words, and a table counts as five words per row (50 words maximum). As a reminder, the abstract text body is limited to 350 words.

Please create your table or upload your graph or image following the instructions in the abstract submission system. Place the table, graph or image into your abstract text and save the changes. Review the abstract preview page to ensure that your table, graph and/or image displays properly.

There is no limit to the number of co-authors per abstract, although we strongly recommend the use of a study group name for abstracts with a high number of co-authors. A person can be listed as a co-author if they meet ALL the following criteria:

1. They made substantial contributions to concept and design, acquisition of data or analysis and interpretation of data.
2. They drafted the abstract or revised it for intellectual content.
3. They approved the final version to be submitted.

If the abstract is accepted, the presenting authors are asked to disclose all financial and personal relationships between themselves and others that might be perceived as biasing their work. IAS asks that all presenting authors disclose any conflict of interest at the time of presentation for the benefit of conference delegates. The purpose of this is to guarantee that all potential conflicts of interest are recognized and that mechanisms to resolve them before the conference are implemented.

Material presented in abstracts should not violate any copyright laws. If figures, graphics and/or images have been taken from sources not copyrighted by the author, it is the author’s sole responsibility to secure the rights from the copyright holder in writing to reproduce those figures, graphics and/or images for both worldwide print and web publication. The author must bear all reproduction costs charged by the copyright holder.

Yes, you may submit an abstract of a paper that is currently in review in a scientific journal as long as the paper is not published before its presentation at the conference as this would go against the AIDS 2024 embargo policy.

All submitted abstracts will go through a blind peer-review process by international reviewers. At least three reviewers will review each abstract. The AIDS 2024 Organizing Committee makes the final selection of abstracts to be included in the conference programme.

A small number of abstracts will be selected for oral presentation in a session or as a paper poster to be displayed on site. The majority of abstracts selected for the conference will be selected as on-demand virtual e-posters displayed on the conference platform.

The methodology or study design presented in your abstract should be appropriate to address the purpose and objectives. Results or lessons learnt should be clearly presented and support the conclusions. In addition, the findings should contribute to the advancement of knowledge and development in the field.

If English is not your native language, we strongly recommend that you arrange for a native English speaker working in your field to review your abstract before submission.

Please use the UNAIDS terminology guidelines and People First terminology when drafting and submitting your abstract. Please ensure that you DO NOT use stigmatizing language. DO use: people or person living with HIV; person or people with COVID-19; person or people with TB; healthcare seekers or clients. DO NOT label people as: HIV-infected; infected; cases; carriers; victims; patients.

You may check the common reasons for abstract rejection in the abstract submission guidelines found further up on this page.

You may also review examples of abstracts from previous conferences.

The IAS remains determined to assist less-experienced and early-career researchers in improving their abstract submissions through innovative mentorship and learning initiatives. We invite you to join the IAS Mentorship Programme, register for the upcoming JIAS interactive workshops, and keep an eye on the launch of the IAS+ learning platform.

Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent to the submitting (corresponding) author by early-April.

To obtain a certificate for abstracts accepted, please contact abstracts@aids2024.org.

The submission of the abstract constitutes the authors’ consent to publish. If the abstract is accepted, the authors agree that their abstract can be published under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) licence. The licence allows third parties to share the published work (copy, distribute, transmit) and adapt it for any purposes, on condition that AIDS 2024 and the authors are given credit and that in the event of reuse or distribution, the terms of this licence are made clear. Authors retain the copyright of their abstracts, with first publication rights granted to IAS.

An electronic abstract book will be available free of charge on the conference website.

Accepted abstracts will be published on IAS websites and in such publications as the AIDS 2024 online programme and other conference materials and the IAS abstract archive. Oral abstracts will be published in the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS).