Daily Digest: Tuesday, 15 July

Coming up today

Convert to your time zone through the IAS 2025 programme.

07:30 CAT

Satellite sessions include a focus on diagnostics and African infectious diseases. Gilead’s “The Power of Prevention” highlights barriers to ending the HIV epidemic and the role of prevention in breaking the cycle of transmission. 

09:00 CAT

Today’s plenary, “Better meeting the needs of people living with HIV”, takes a look at the HIV reservoir and novel approaches to measure and test HIV cure strategies, long-acting ART in low- and middle-income countries, and innovative sexual and reproductive health programmes. It concludes with the presentation of IAS Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) Grants.

10:45 CAT

Findings of several studies are shared in the oral abstract session, “ART strategies”, including a focus on efficacy of intermittent antiretroviral therapy dosing, a crisis response to the sudden cuts in USAID and PEPFAR funding. Oral abstract sessions also focus on targeting the HIV reservoir, scaling up comprehensive HIV prevention strategies and advancing equity in the HIV response, including enhancing mental health integration in key population HIV-focused programming after the passing of anti-gay legislation in Uganda. “From PrEP to harm reduction: Scaling up comprehensive HIV prevention strategies” explores innovations and interventions in communities of key and affected populations.

Symposium sessions focus on:

• How some low- and middle-income countries have taken ownership of their HIV responses, with experiences from such countries as Rwanda and Brazil
• Guidance on overcoming uncertainties and dilemmas in delivering DoxyPEP
• The integration of mental health in HIV care and prevention

12:15 CAT

Be sure to check out a satellite or poster exhibit! 

Satellites at this time focus on service delivery in a changing funding landscape, innovations in diagnostics, digital technologies to train healthcare workers, and more.

At the poster exhibition, open from 09:30 to 17:00, you can interact with authors at their posters from 12:15 to 13:15. Among your many options today:

• An evaluation of the differences in online drug-drug interaction tools among adults living with HIV
• A late-breaker assessment of the impact of the termination of the USAID APACE award in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the number of people living with HIV tested, diagnosed and initiated on ART

13:30 CAT

The special session, “Confronting the storm: The future of the HIV response”, brings together leaders from African governments, community, public and philanthropic donors to explore how the HIV response must change going forward. What adaptations are needed at country level to sustain services? With countries leading, what should donors fund for maximum impact? How will the role of community evolve?

15:00 CAT

Discover how Rwanda navigated the 2024 Marburg outbreak. This symposium explores the power of global health partnerships, the impact of clinical trials and experimental treatments, and lessons learnt. 

Also at this time, a symposium looks at how we protect progress in the HIV response amid the rise of the anti-rights movement.

Three oral abstract sessions also take place:

• “No retreat, no surrender: Sustaining the HIV response in times of turmoil”, including domestic resource mobilization and HIV financing in African countries
• “Centring mental health in the HIV response” on mental health challenges and interventions in the context of HIV
• “Here to stay: Renewed momentum for bNAbs in HIV treatment and cure studies” with learnings from several studies

16:30 CAT

A panel of journalists discusses the global health reset from a media perspective, exploring responsible journalism and how media can shape public perception, influence policy and foster accountability. 

The symposium, “Innovations in HIV virology: Translating discoveries into novel therapies”, focuses on cutting-edge research paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies. 

The oral abstract session, “Destination zero new acquisitions: Hailing a CAB to PrEP success”, brings us the latest on the long-acting injectable, cabotegravir, data on USAID-supported PrEP introduction, and more. “A multitude of complications” presents findings from several studies, including on predictors of weight gain among people living with HIV. Results presented in “Zero AIDS-related deaths: Scaling up advanced HIV disease response” include insights into why people living with HIV are not prescribed TB preventive treatment at ART initiation.

Criminalization of LGBTQ+ and the effect on public health efforts in Ghana is the focus of an abstract in “Health equity in challenging times: Threats and opportunities”. 

18:00 CAT

Satellite sessions take place, focusing on the future of HIV prevention trials, access to long-acting PrEP and more. Among them is MSD’s “Harnessing the private sector to deliver HIV prevention”, discussing new mechanisms to deliver HIV prevention services, policy shifts needed for delivery of HIV prevention through the private sector, and more. 
 

Rapporteur summaries

These are your go-to resources for highlights of IAS 2025. Thanks to the IAS 2025 team of expert rapporteurs, you can find daily recaps for each scientific track here.
 

The IAS 2025 exhibition

The exhibition is open from 10:30 to 17:00 CAT. Explore cutting-edge products and services and chat with representatives of key organizations in the HIV response.
 

JIAS

The Journal of the International AIDS Society supplement, “Expanding access to a choice-based HIV prevention market”, has just been launched. These articles from diverse contexts illustrate lessons learnt and challenges associated with expanding access to HIV prevention options across varied contexts and populations. 

Read it for free
 

Official media partners

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