World AIDS Day: COVID, Inequality & the Future of HIV

This year marks forty years since the first case of AIDS was reported. While we have the tools and knowledge to address HIV and AIDS, the world is failing to meet many of the targets set out by the international community as we enter the fifth decade of the pandemic. In Canada and around the world, persistent and unaddressed social and structural inequalities continue to confound efforts to address the crisis. In the past two years, we have also witnessed the impact of these inequalities as they have been further exposed, and exploited, by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aligned with the UNAIDS theme of “End inequalities, End AIDS, End pandemics”, the CTN is excited to offer a diverse set of speakers to discuss these important topics, including recent advances in HIV vaccines, what we have learned about COVID-19 in people living with HIV, and the pervasive impact of social inequalities on our collective goals.

• Dr. Rupert Kaul will discuss the latest developments in the pursuit of HIV vaccines, as well as the possibility of a functional cure
• Drs. Ann Burchell and Cecilia Costiniuk will describe the research being done to assess the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in people living with HIV
• Dr. Pascal Djiadeu will be discussing the intersection of COVID-19 and the HIV/AIDS pandemic through the lens of social determinants of health

We have also recognized that people may be growing tired of traditional webinars and virtual talks, so we have planned something more creative and engaging. The event this year will feature short, image-focused presentations, which will be followed by audience questions, emceed by Shari Margolese, the Community Co-Lead of the CTN’s Cross-Core Community Collaborative (C4) teams.

Everyone is welcome, please share widely. We hope to see you there!