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Vancouver selected to host the 8th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2015)
The world's largest international open scientific conference on HIV/AIDS will be held in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 19 to 22 July 2015
22 May 2013, Geneva, Switzerland - The International AIDS Society (IAS) has announced
the selection of Vancouver as the host of the 8th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2015) . IAS
2015 will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre , 19 - 22 July 2015.
Held every two years, the IAS conference is a unique forum for scientist, clinicians, public health experts and community leaders
to examine the latest developments in HIV science and also explore how such developments can be realistically applied in
implementation programmes.
IAS 2015 is organized by the IAS in partnership with the University of British Columbia Division of AIDS, based at St. Paul's Hospital, Providence Health Care. The
conference is expected to gather some 6,000 delegates including 300 media representatives.
"We are excited that IAS 2015 will be held in Vancouver," said Prof. Chris Beyrer, IAS 2015 International Chair,
IAS President-Elect and Professor of Epidemiology and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health in Baltimore, Maryland. "Canada has a long history of leadership in HIV and AIDS, particularly in the
implementation of prevention strategies and in research surrounding antiretroviral therapy. We believe
that IAS 2015 delegates will benefit from hearing successes and challenges specific to this country
which has an evidence-based approach to HIV based on human rights and gender equality."
According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), it is estimated that 65,000 Canadians are now living with HIV
and that every year some 3,300 people are diagnosed with HIV infection. Men who have sex with men represent the population most effected by
the epidemic (48% of all HIV infections), followed by people infected by heterosexual sex, and people infected by injection drug use.
Aboriginal people (composed of First Nations, Inuit and Métis), only account for 3.8% of the overall population however represent
an exceptional high number of HIV infections, with an 8% of all prevalent infections at the end of 2008.
Dr. Julio Montaner, Chair in AIDS Research and Head of Division of AIDS in the Faculty of Medicine at the University
of British Columbia has been appointed IAS 2015 Local Co-Chair. Dr. Montaner is Director of the British Columbia Centre for
Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Canada's largest HIV research facility working on the development and dissemination of
comprehensive research and treatment programmes for HIV and related diseases.
"The IAS conferences truly are exceptional gatherings for all those involved in the field of HIV," commented Dr. Montaner.
"Groundbreaking new science is regularly presented and researchers have the opportunity to share best practices with colleagues from
around the world. At the last IAS Conference in Rome in 2011 (IAS 2011) further evidence was presented supporting the efficacy of
Treatment as Prevention (TasP), a milestone in HIV-related research, and I look forward to making IAS 2015 another landmark
in the global response to the HIV epidemic."
Vancouver was selected to host IAS 2015 following an evaluation of candidate cities conducted by the IAS Governing Council
according to three main criteria: impact on the epidemic, sufficient infrastructure, and freedom of movement and travel for people
living with HIV and AIDS. According to a policy of non-discrimination first adopted by the IAS Governing Council in 1992, the
IAS will not hold its conferences in countries that restrict short term entry of people living with HIV and AIDS, and/or
require prospective HIV-positive visitors to declare their HIV status on visa application forms or other documentation
required for entry into the country.
The IAS conference was previously held in Cape Town (2009), Rome (2011), with the next edition to be held in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia 30 June - 3 July 2013.
END
About the IAS
The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world's leading independent association of HIV professionals, with over 16,000 members from more than 196 countries working at all levels of the global response to AIDS. The IAS members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on the frontlines of the epidemic, as well as policy and programme planners.
The IAS is lead organizer of the IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 30 June - 3 July 2013 and custodian of the biennial International AIDS Conference, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia, 20-25 July 2014.
www.iasociety.org | www.ias2013.org | www.aids2014.org | www.ias2015.org
IAS on Facebook | IAS on LinkedIn | Twitter @iasociety
About the University of British Columbia Division of AIDS
The Division of AIDS is the first academic division of its kind in Canada. The Division was created in 2007 to bring together, enhance and expand the research, training, service delivery and administration that have evolved over the last two decades within the UBC Department of Medicine. The University of British Columbia is one of Canada's largest and most prestigious public research and teaching institutions. UBC is consistently ranked among the world's 40 best universities.
For more information:
Siân Bowen (Geneva, Switzerland)
Senior Manager, Communications
Email: Sian.Bowen@iasociety.org
Tel: +41 22 710 0864
Francesca Da Ros (Geneva, Switzerland)
Communications and Media Officer
Email: Francesca.Daros@iasociety.org
Tel: +41 22 710 0822
"Reproduced with permission - International AIDS Society"
International AIDS Society
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