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World AIDS Day

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• Official Site of World Aids Day

World AIDS Day , annual observance aimed at raising awareness of the global epidemic of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus ). World AIDS Day occurs on December 1 and was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1988 to facilitate the exchange of information among national and local governments, international organizations, and individuals. When the first World AIDS Day was held in 1988, an estimated 90,000 to 150,000 people were infected with HIV, which causes AIDS. Within two decades more than 33 million people were living with HIV infection, and since 1981, when the first AIDS case was reported, some 25 million people died of the disease. As a result, AIDS awareness became increasingly concerned with educating societies about HIV/AIDS through the unification and monetary support of international organizations.

A primary goal of World AIDS Day activities is the distribution of information. Each country creates and organizes its own agenda for World AIDS Day, and some countries launch weeklong campaigns. In addition, many countries and cities hold ceremonies that serve to commence World AIDS Day activities on international, national, and local levels. For example, in the United States the president delivers an annual proclamation, and in other countries, such as South Africa , Bermuda, and Brunei, ministers of health make annual speeches drawing attention to AIDS concerns. Typical World AIDS Day activities include concerts, rallies, memorials to those who have died from AIDS, discussions, and debates. A major international symbol of World AIDS Day is the red ribbon, worn as a demonstration of commitment to the fight against AIDS. In the United States a symbol commemorating those who have died of AIDS is the AIDS Memorial Quilt , sections of which are displayed in various cities and towns throughout the country on World AIDS Day.

WHO organized World AIDS Day, developing the annual themes and activities, until 1996, when these responsibilities were assumed by UNAIDS , the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. In 1997 UNAIDS created the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) to increase AIDS awareness and to integrate AIDS information on a global level. In 2005 the WAC became an independent body, functioning as a global AIDS advocacy movement, based in Cape Town , S.Af., and Amsterdam, Neth. In addition to ensuring the support of leaders and AIDS organizations, the WAC prepares information that is distributed for World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day’s first theme was “Communication.” For 2005 to 2010 the WAC fostered the theme “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise,” which the organization used not only on World AIDS Day but also throughout the year to raise awareness of AIDS.

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World AIDS Day is a global movement to unite people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Since 1988, communities have stood together on World AIDS Day to show strength and solidarity against HIV stigma and to remember lives lost.

In the UK, more than 105,000 people are living with HIV. Globally, an estimated 38 million people live with the virus. More than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS related illnesses over the past 40 years, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.

Medical advances mean people with HIV in the UK can expect a long and healthy life and that we have the tools to stop HIV transmissions for good. But HIV continues to be highly stigmatised and misunderstood. At National AIDS Trust, the UK’s HIV rights charity, we are contacted weekly by people experiencing discrimination because of HIV, including in work, education, housing and even healthcare.

World AIDS Day exists to shine a light on the real experiences of people living with HIV today, while celebrating the strength, resilience and diversity of the communities most affected. It is a moment to inspire the leadership needed to create a future where HIV doesn’t stand in the way of anyone’s life.

If you would like to honour a loved one lost to HIV or an AIDS related illness, visit our Memorials page .

The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV. It was first devised in 1991, when twelve artists met to discuss a new project for Visual AIDS, a New York HIV-awareness arts organisation.

It was there that they came up with what would become one of the most recognised symbols of the decade: the red ribbon, worn to signify awareness and support for people living with HIV. The artists wanted to create a visual expression of compassion for people living with HIV and chose red for its boldness, and for its symbolic associations with passion, the heart and love.

You can purchase red ribbons, or red ribbons brooches from National AIDS Trust’s shop .

We also send out a pack of 100 fabric red ribbons FREE to anybody fundraising for National AIDS Trust in the UK. For more information, visit the World AIDS Day fundraising page . We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to end the HIV epidemic for good, but we must also continue fighting the stigma still experienced by people living with HIV. By supporting National AIDS Trust this World AIDS Day, you’ll be helping to stop HIV from standing in the way of health, dignity and equality, and to end new HIV transmissions.

We have come so far in HIV, but it’s not over.

The UK government has set a goal of ending HIV transmissions by 2030. This is possible, but not without continued fight for political leadership, investment and a commitment to ending stigma and injustice. Stay up to date on our work to make this a reality.

You can also support our work by donating to National AIDS Trust . We rely on your support to continue championing the rights of people living with HIV.

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What is World AIDS Day?

Each year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.

Each World AIDS Day focuses on a specific theme, which this year will be Let Communities Lead . Because change depends not on a moment but on a movement, the message “Let Communities Lead” will not only ring out on one day. It will be at the core of activities that will build up across November, see the release of the World AIDS Day Report – entitled Let Communities Lead – in late November, reach a crescendo on World AIDS Day on 1 December, and continue to echo throughout December and beyond.

This year’s theme joins a growing list of challenges that World AIDS Day has alerted people to globally. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever international day for global health. Every year, United Nations agencies, governments and civil society join together to campaign around specific themes related to HIV.

• Awareness-raising activities take place around the globe.
• Many people wear a red ribbon, the universal symbol of awareness of, support for and solidarity with people living with HIV. 
• People living with HIV make their voice heard on issues important in their lives.
• Groups of people living with HIV and other civil society organizations involved in the AIDS response mobilize in support of the communities they serve and to raise funds.
• Events highlight the current state of the epidemic.

World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it’s always been, reminding people and governments that HIV has not gone away. There is still a critical need for increased funding for the AIDS response, to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives, to end stigma and discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.

2023    Let Communities Lead

2022    Equalize

2021    End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemics.

2020    Global solidarity, shared responsibility

2019    Communities make the difference

2018    Know your status

2017    My health, my right

2016    Hands up for HIV prevention

2015    On the Fast-Track to end AIDS

2014    Close the gap

2013    Zero discrimination

2012    Together we will end AIDS

2011    Getting to zero

2010    Universal access and human rights

2009    Universal access and human rights

2008    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise—lead, empower, deliver

2007    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise—leadership

2006    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise—accountability

2005    Stop AIDS. Keep the promise

2004    Women, girls, HIV and AIDS

2003    Stigma and discrimination

2002    Stigma and discrimination

2001    I care, do you?

2000    AIDS: men make a difference

1999    Listen, learn, live! World AIDS campaign with children and young people

1998    Force for change—world AIDS campaign with young people

1997    Children living in a world of AIDS

1996    One world, one hope

1995    Shared rights, shared responsibilities

1994    AIDS and the family

1993    Time to act

1992    AIDS—a community commitment

1991    Sharing the challenge

1990    Women and AIDS

1989    Our lives, our world—let’s take care of each other

1988    A world united against AIDS

2023 / Let Communities Lead

2022 / Equalize

2021 / End inequalities. End AIDS....

2020 / Global solidarity, shared...

2019 / Communities make the...

2018 / Know your status

2017 / My health, my right

2016 / Hands up for HIV prevention

2015 / On the Fast-Track to end AIDS

2014 / Close the gap

2013 / Zero discrimination

2012 / Together we will end AIDS

2011 / Getting to zero

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Secretary-General's Message for 2023

World AIDS Day arrives at a defining moment.

AIDS-related deaths have fallen by almost 70 per cent since their peak in 2004, and new HIV infections are at the lowest point since the 1980s.

But AIDS still takes a life every minute.

We can — and must — end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. 

Reaching this goal means heeding this year’s theme: Let Communities Lead.

The path to ending AIDS runs through communities.

From connecting people to the treatment, services and support they need — to the grassroots activism pushing for action so all people can realize their right to health.

Supporting those on the frontlines of the battle against AIDS is how we win.

That means placing community leadership at the centre of HIV plans, programmes, budgets and monitoring efforts. 

We must also remove barriers to community leadership, and ensure space for local civil society groups to take forward their vital work.

Above all, we need funding.

The AIDS response in low and middle-income countries needs over 8 billion dollars more per year to be fully funded.

This must include scaled-up funding for local programmes led by people living with HIV, and prevention initiatives led by communities.

AIDS is beatable.

Let’s finish the job by supporting communities to end this scourge in their neighbourhoods, their countries and around the world.

AIDS is beatable. Let’s finish the job by supporting communities to end this scourge in their neighbourhoods, their countries and around the world. António Guterres

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A student's guide to world aids day.

A list of ideas you can use to observe World AIDS Day and other HIV Awareness Days on your college or university campus.

Held every year on December 1st, World AIDS Day is an opportunity for students in the United States and abroad to show their support for people living with and affected by HIV. In the U.S., approximately 25 percent of new HIV cases occur among young people between the ages of 13-24. Therefore, it is particularly important for college and university students to make their voices heard and organize efforts to raise HIV awareness on their campuses. Here are some ideas you can pursue based on what other colleges and universities have done to observe World AIDS Day and other HIV Awareness Days .

Ideas for World AIDS Day

Candlelight Vigil: Light candles for those who’ve lost their lives to AIDS-related complications in the United States and abroad.

Red Ribbon Mural: Pin red ribbons onto a mural to honor the lives of the people who’ve died of AIDS-related complications around the world.

AIDS Memorial Quilt: Host the AIDS Memorial Quilt at your college or university. It’s easy, affordable, and an important way to preserve and teach others the history of AIDS activism.

Kissing Booth: Far too many people still believe HIV can be transmitted through saliva. Debunk this common myth by organizing a kissing booth on your campus.

A Day Without Art: Hold a ‘A Day Without Art’ to remember artists who are no longer with us because of HIV.

Ideas for all HIV Awareness Days

Experts’ Panel: Convene a panel of local, regional, and national experts who can talk about the current realities of HIV. HRC would be happy to help.

Speakers’ Bureau: Many communities have a local speakers’ bureau of people living with HIV who are ready and willing to share their personal stories. Check with local advocacy organizations for contact information.

Benefit Concert: Organize a concert where proceeds benefit an HIV or AIDS service organization in your community.

Film Screenings: Host a film screening and discussion on one or more movies or documentaries about the HIV epidemic.

Health Fair: Organize a health fair where students can learn how to have safer and more pleasurable sex.

Tips for a Successful Event

Collaborate! Collaborate! Collaborate! Reach out to student organizations (e.g., Black Student Union, Queer Student Union) and student affairs professionals (e.g., Counseling & Psychological Services) that might be interested in working with you on the event.

Distribute Condoms & Lube: Depending on the event, it might be a good idea to order condoms and lube and make them available to your attendees.

Involve Your Local ASO: Reach out to the local AIDS Service Organization in your area to see if they would like to co-sponsor the event and/or provide free, rapid HIV testing.

Contact HRC: HRC has a number of resources available that we would be happy to send to your campus free-of-charge, including:

Let’s Bring HIV Out of the Closet: HIV & AIDS Resource Guide

What Do I Do? A Handbook to Understanding Health and HIV

Safer Sex for Trans Bodies

This resource is not a substitute for sound medical advice — and the examples throughout it don’t cover every situation! We encourage you to seek out additional resources from other community advocates and, most importantly, talk to a knowledgeable healthcare provider before making any medical decisions. Last updated: February 2017

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World AIDS Day 2022: Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV

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Each year on December 1st, we commemorate World AIDS Day. This important awareness day remains a time to reflect on our worldwide response to HIV/AIDS while honoring the lives of those lost to AIDS-related illnesses. On this day, we also renew our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of those with HIV, as well as those at risk for infection.

The U.S. Government (USG) theme for World AIDS Day 2022— Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV — emphasizes accountability and action, affirming the Biden-Harris Administration’s dedication to ending HIV, both in the United States and around the globe, through an approach that centers on communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This year, we observe World AIDS Day in the context of two other infectious disease threats—COVID-19 and monkeypox—which have heavily impacted many of those same communities. These epidemics have further highlighted that our public health response to HIV will require us to address health disparities holistically.

The theme also highlights the importance of HIV testing. “Everyone should get tested for HIV and know their status. We are advancing a status-neutral approach to HIV testing that puts equity at the forefront. Under this approach, no matter what the outcome of the test, people should be connected with the necessary HIV prevention and treatment services, including strategies to address social determinants of health and barriers to access,” said Kaye Hayes, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infectious Disease and the Director of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy.

We have made remarkable strides since the first World AIDS Day commemoration 34 years ago. Scientific research has yielded innovations in HIV care, treatment, and prevention so that individuals with HIV can enjoy longer, healthier lives. Robust scientific studies have also shown that people who are on HIV medication and achieve and maintain viral suppression cannot spread HIV to others, which means that successful treatment further drives down new transmissions. These advances have been possible due to strategic collaborations between governments, public-sector partners, multilateral institutions, nongovernment and philanthropic organizations, private companies, and research institutions. People with HIV have been central to this progress, and community-based organizations working in areas most affected by HIV are at the forefront of ensuring that the advances we have made translate into real improvements in the health and lives of the people they serve.

Yet despite our tremendous progress, our work is not finished. Globally, there are approximately 1.5 million new cases of HIV every year, including over 35,000 new infections in the United States. Due to stigma, discrimination, and other structural factors, certain populations and geographic areas continue to bear most of the burden of this disease. We remain deeply committed to ending HIV everywhere by engaging and empowering communities, and by ensuring that our programs, research, and policies are informed by the voices of those populations most impacted by HIV.

Globally, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history. Led by the U.S. Department of State in collaboration with seven other USG partner agencies, PEPFAR has worked for the past 19 years with more than 50 countries across the globe to address HIV/AIDS. In collaboration with partnerships across multiple sectors, PEPFAR’s programs have saved more than 21 million lives, prevented millions of HIV infections, and helped countries build a strong foundation to prevent, detect, and respond to other health threats, including COVID-19. “The greatest public health asset and the greatest public health response is PEPFAR. Through collaboration and partnership, we have made considerable progress toward ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic, but the last mile of the response is the greatest challenge. We are working with our multisectoral partners to focus on areas where gaps still exist among key and vulnerable populations to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” said Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Health Diplomacy, who leads PEPFAR.

Here in the United States, the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative continues to provide a bold vision for dramatically reducing the number of new HIV cases over the next several years, while the updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), released by President Biden during World AIDS Day last year, provides stakeholders across the nation with a complementary framework for addressing HIV among the populations and communities most impacted. The NHAS Federal Implementation Plan (PDF, 707 KB), released in August 2022, outlines specific actions and activities that various federal agencies will take to achieve the goals set forth in the Strategy.

“This World AIDS Day, we acknowledge the role equity plays in either the success or failure of our Nation’s HIV response. Providing equitable access to HIV testing, prevention, care, treatment, and research is key to ending the HIV epidemic,” said Harold Phillips, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. “The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our resolve and our ability to focus on ending the HIV epidemic. This World AIDS Day, we must recommit and re-energize all sectors of society to center equity within our HIV response by ensuring that everyone with HIV and those at-risk for infection have access to appropriate HIV testing, treatment, and prevention services. We encourage everyone to get an HIV test and to help us combat HIV-related stigma. As we work to implement the National HIV AIDS Strategy, this year’s theme reminds us that the time has come to act, and for all of us to put ourselves to the test of ending HIV.”

Related HIV.gov Blogs

White house seeking community input on 2026-2030 national hiv/aids strategy, recap: the white house rising leaders summit – shaping the future of hiv today, cdc publishes new data from medical monitoring project.

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World AIDS Day Through a Mental Health Perspective

Exploring the connection between hiv/aids and mental illness..

Posted November 30, 2018

World AIDS Day is observed each year on December 1 and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and remember those who have died. Started in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day.

Mental illness is higher in individuals with HIV/AIDS

The CDC estimated that at the end of 2006, the most recent year for which national prevalence estimates are available, there were 1,106,400 adults and adolescents living with HIV infection in the United States. In 2009, the estimated rate of AIDS diagnoses in the US was 11.2 per 100,000. HIV and AIDS not only have severe physical health consequences but the majority of individuals affected by the debilitating disorder struggle with the psychological stress of their diagnosis, fueled by stigma , discrimination , anxiety , despair, and confusion. In fact, research shows a strong correlation between mental health disorders and living with HIV or AIDS, a correlation that is often overlooked. In the US, the HIV prevalence among those with a serious mental illness (2–6 percent) compared to the general population (0.5 percent) is significantly higher.

Mental illness can lead to suboptimal treatment outcomes in individuals with HIV

According to the National Institutes of Health, people with HIV have an increased risk for developing mood, anxiety, and cognitive disorders and are twice as likely to live with depression as those who do not have HIV. Among adolescents and young adults living with HIV, more than 60 percent of the population has some type of mental disorder. An estimated 50 percent of people living with HIV meet criteria for one or more mental or substance use disorders, which is associated with suboptimal HIV treatment outcomes.

HIV/AIDS and other chronic infectious disorders such as hepatitis, herpes, and syphilis result in severe social stigma, often leading to decreased self-esteem , and may eventually trigger destructive behaviors such as drug and alcohol use. HIV/AIDS requires multiple medications on a daily basis, routine monitoring from medical providers, and an immense amount of social support, not to mention the financial burden this disease can have on an individual. With all of these stressful underlying triggers, individuals are at an increased risk for developing mental health disorders. Additionally, some individuals who experience mental health problems have trouble taking their HIV treatment correctly and may miss doses, skip appointments, or not eat a healthy, balanced diet .

Positive mental health is associated with improved physical health outcomes across a range of chronic illnesses, including HIV however when a negative psychological response is attached to an HIV diagnosis, it can result in disease progression, worsening stigma, loss of social support and an increase in mental health problems in those individuals. HIV/AIDS and mental health are truly intertwined.

Treating mental health disorders and HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS can be such a devastating physical disorder that health professionals often overlook the mental health effects it can have on an individual. The stigma associated with HIV embodied in discriminatory social structures, policy, and legislation results in a disparity between physical and mental health care services with lower accessibility, availability, and quality of services. Prescribing medications, monitoring blood counts, and enrolling in new treatment studies may be the only avenues a physician will offer to an individual with a new diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. However, it is important to understand the bigger picture and treat the individual from an emotional and mental health standpoint as well. Screening for signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety should be performed on a regular basis and offering support groups that aid in mental and emotional health can also help alleviate some of the stress associated with this disorder. HIV/AIDS and any other chronic medical condition can often lead to severe mental health disorders and therefore treating these disorders as if they were co-occurring disorders may benefit the individual in the long haul.

Kristen Fuller, M.D., is a physician and a clinical mental health writer for Center For Discovery.

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NIH Statement on World AIDS Day

December 1, 2022

Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.,  Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Maureen M. Goodenow, Ph.D., Associate Director for AIDS Research and Director, Office of AIDS Research, National Institutes of Health

AIDS Awareness Ribbon and Pin of Remembrance

In the 34 years since the first observance of World AIDS Day, transformational progress has been made in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, yet challenges remain. Today, we at the National Institutes of Health reflect on the 40 million lives lost to the disease and renew our commitment to the research necessary to end the global pandemic.  

Innovative research led to the highly effective HIV treatment and prevention modalities available today. However, each year new HIV infections occur at an unacceptably high rate. In 2021, roughly 1.5 million people worldwide, including 160,000 children, were newly infected with HIV, and an estimated 650,000 people died, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). In the United States, approximately 35,000 new HIV cases are diagnosed each year. Stigma, racism, housing and food insecurity, substance use disorder, and other sociostructural factors serve to place the heaviest HIV burden on marginalized and minority populations, including men who have sex with men, transgender women, people who use drugs, and members of the Black and Hispanic/Latino communities. This year’s World AIDS Day theme, Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV, ties into one of the cornerstones of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)—addressing disparities and health inequities to ensure that HIV prevention and treatment services reach the people who need them most. NIH research plays a major role in the plan’s goal of reducing new HIV cases in the United States by 75% in 2025 and by 90% in 2030. 

The global scale-up of life-saving antiretroviral treatments (ART) has led to a 40% reduction in HIV/AIDS mortality since 2010 and, subsequently, has helped reduce HIV transmission. However, too many people who should be on ART are not. Specifically, as of the end of 2021, there were 38.4 million people currently living with HIV and 28.7 million people on ART—a treatment gap of 9.7 million people. Antiretrovirals not only improve and maintain the health of the individual with HIV, but also prevent transmission to others. Global promotion of the “undetectable equals untransmissible,” or U=U, benefit of ART has helped raise awareness, but more must be done to ensure that people diagnosed with HIV have access to treatment— as early as possible in their infection —and remain in care. Long-acting ART (cabotegravir plus rilpivirine) delivered via monthly injection offers an alternative to a life-long regimen of daily oral ART that may be preferable for many people. Injectable cabotegravir received FDA approval late last year for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) based on data from the NIAID-sponsored HPTN 083 and HPTN 084 studies. These clinical trials found that injectable cabotegravir—given as infrequently as six times per year—was more effective at protecting against HIV acquisition than oral ART. Follow-on data from those studies found the protective effect was sustained for as long as 12 months. Hopefully, this approach to protect against HIV infection will be made available to many more people, as oral PrEP has been generally underutilized.  

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) that can neutralize multiple genetically distinct HIV strains represent a potential new strategy for HIV treatment and prevention. Last year, the NIAID-developed VRC01 bNAb delivered intravenously once every eight weeks safely and effectively prevented acquisition of 75% of the HIV strains circulating in the regions of the world where they were tested. This year, a small study conducted by NIAID scientists and their collaborators found that people who began ART during the early stages of their HIV infection achieved a long period of HIV suppression (nearly 40 weeks) without ART after receiving an infusion of two investigational bNAbs. As next-generation antibodies with increased potency and durability are developed, there is hope that infrequently administered bNAbs, possibly with a long-acting injectable ART, could lead to HIV suppression for years, not months. 

Vaccines to prevent HIV infection also remain a focus for the NIH. The Phase 3 Mosaico/HPTN 706 HIV vaccine clinical trial among men who have sex with men and transgender people in the Americas and Europe continues with results expected in 2024. Building on lessons learned from the COVID-19 vaccines, the NIH recently launched the Phase 1 HVTN 302 trial evaluating three investigational HIV vaccine candidates based on a messenger RNA (mRNA) platform. 

On the HIV cure front, the third and fourth documented cases of HIV remission in the absence of ART following a stem cell transplant were made public. Additionally, researchers at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center and their collaborators developed a cutting-edge technology that revealed new insights into HIV cellular reservoirs . This research could lead to new strategies for targeting latent virus. HIV therapies involving the CRISPR gene editing tool also entered early-stage testing in 2022.

There was some encouraging news for people with HIV who had never been vaccinated against or infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). People living with HIV, including those on ART, are at greater risk of liver-related illness and death when co-infected with HBV. The ongoing, NIAID-sponsored ACTG A5379 study found that a three-dose course of the HEPLISAV-B hepatitis B vaccine resulted in significant levels of protection for study participants. 

These examples are illustrative of the many ways in which NIH HIV/AIDS research—which represents the largest public investment in HIV/AIDS research in the world and crosses more than 21 NIH institutes, centers, and offices—continues to lead to groundbreaking innovations in HIV diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and cure. The critical role of research in the federal response to ending the HIV pandemic is highlighted by its prominent role in the White House NHAS and its accompanying Federal Implementation Plan . Partnerships with people with HIV and the community organizations that support them continue to strengthen this work through initiatives, such as listening sessions conducted by the Office of AIDS Research, to obtain feedback on HIV research priorities .

As the world continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic’s early negative effects on the HIV community became clear: there were fewer new HIV diagnoses, and a reduced number of people began ART in 2020 compared to earlier years due to disruptions, shortages in materials for HIV tests and hesitancy to access healthcare. Similar impacts occurred with tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment resulting in an increase in TB deaths among people with HIV in 2020. Unfortunately, the monkeypox—now called mpox—outbreak of 2022 also had a considerable impact on the HIV community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40% of people diagnosed with mpox in the United States were people living with HIV. It is not clear whether having HIV increases the likelihood of becoming ill with mpox if exposed to the virus; however, the CDC recommends mpox vaccination for anyone exposed to or at risk for mpox disease.

A personal note from Dr. Fauci: As I step away from my long-time role at NIAID and government service, I want to thank all the scientists, health care professionals, policymakers, advocates and clinical trial participants who have made the remarkable accomplishments in HIV/AIDS science possible. It is because of your many years of dedication, hard work and selfless contributions that a once-certain death sentence has become for many, a manageable disease. It has been my honor and privilege to work with you. The NIH will continue to collaborate on the important research needed to improve the health of those with HIV, prevent new infections and achieve a lasting end to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. 

A personal note from Dr. Goodenow: On behalf of the NIH HIV/AIDS research community, thank you, Dr. Fauci, for your extraordinary leadership, vision and contributions to the field of HIV/AIDS research throughout your career. From many roles—founding director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research, an architect of landmark and truly innovative initiatives, such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the steward of NIAID’s extensive HIV/AIDS research activities, and more—you have led the progress made toward ending this global pandemic. The NIH, the broader global research community and all those whose lives have been touched by HIV are stronger because of your contributions. We wish you well as you embark on your next chapter.

Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., is Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Maureen M. Goodenow, Ph.D., is Associate Director for AIDS Research and Director, NIH Office of AIDS Research.

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3 Episodes That Explain Phil Donahue’s Daytime Dominance

In his very first episode, which aired locally in Dayton, Ohio, the host, who would go on to redefine such talk shows, interviewed one of the most notorious figures in America.

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By Maya Salam

Phil Donahue, who died on Sunday at age 88 , will long be remembered as the king of daytime television.

Starting in 1967 at a local Ohio station, he immediately set a new tone for what a talk show could be by tackling some of the most taboo topics of the day. His unique approach, which included making audience participation fundamental, proved wildly successful, and over the next 29 years, he would record more than 6,000 episodes of “The Phil Donahue Show” — shortened to “Donahue” during his heyday in the late 1970s and ’80s.

He was such a juggernaut that in Oprah Winfrey’s early days, she was told it would be impossible to compete. In an Instagram post on Monday that included a glitzy black-and-white photo of them together, Winfrey said , “There wouldn’t have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously.”

In a lengthy 2001 interview with the Television Academy, Donahue said he struggled the most with questions like, “Who was your best guest?” These questions are easy to ask but impossible to answer, he said.

Even if Donahue himself was loath to pick the most memorable moments, some episodes do stand out from the pack. Here are three that explain how he endured.

Madalyn Murray O’Hair

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