The International AIDS Society (IAS) is an independent association of HIV/AIDS researchers, professionals, and policymakers that promote dialogue and advocate for continued discussion and progress in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. The organization hosts the International AIDS Conference every two years as an opportunity for those working in the field of HIV to assess, evaluate, educate, and learn about the AIDS pandemic.

At the 2010 conference in Vienna, Austria, the Foundation published dozens of educational posters, conducted a journalist training, and hosted several satellite sessions and a skills-building workshop. Foundation President and CEO Charles Lyons also moderated a special session with Bill Gates on HIV prevention.

Foundation blogs from IAS:

Building on Success: A Roadmap for HIV Prevention
Date and time: Monday, July 19, 13:00-14:00
Location: Session Room 1

This special session focused on building upon the successful global HIV/AIDS response by expanding access to treatment, but also dramatically increasing prevention efforts to reduce new infections – including scaling up programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the virus. Following a presentation by Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Charles Lyons, President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, moderated a question-and-answer session with questions from the audience (video begins at 38 minutes, 15 seconds). This session was webcast live by the Kaiser Family Foundation.


 

Maternal and Child Health and HIV: Optimizing Care for Women and Children to Prevent Pediatric HIV
Date and time: Sunday, July 18, 9:00-11:00
Location: Mini Room 10

This session will identify areas for maternal and child health (MCH) and HIV linkages and integration, discuss challenges and barriers to linking and integrating these services, and explore the opportunities afforded by the current global guidance behind taking a woman-centered approach to improving MCH and preventing pediatric HIV. This session will include opening remarks from Charles Lyons, President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and Dr. Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE. Speakers will include Emily Bobrow, Dr. Denis Tindyebwa, and Susan Strasser from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Jorge Bejarano Jaramillo from CARE, and Rose Wilcher from Family Health International.

Presentations:

1. Overview of MCH/HIV Linkages and Integration
Emily Bobrow, PhD MPH, Senior Research Officer, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
2. The Context: Maternal Health and HIV/AIDS in Ecuador
Jorge Bejarano Jaramillo, CARE
3. Family Planning and HIV: Translating Integration Goals Into Practice
Rose Wilcher, FHI
4. PITC in Pediatric Settings: A Gateway to Enrolling families Into HIV Care and Treatment
Denis Tindywbwa, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Tanzania
5. No Missed Opportunities: Providing ART in MCH
Susan Strasser, PhD MPH PNP-BC, Technical Director, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Zambia
 

Making it Happen: Revising National Policies to Reflect Changes in WHO Recommendations for Preventing Vertical Transmission of HIV
Date and time: Tuesday, July 20, 18:30-20:30
Location: Session Room 7
Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
Phase 1 Toolkit: Understanding the Revised WHO Recommendations

The panel, made up of Ministry of Health leadership from three countries, WHO, and global experts, will review the justifications for the revised WHO recommendations concerning prevention of vertical transmission of HIV, discuss common themes around the revision and implementation processes, and highlight the work of governments to revise and implement national policies. This session will be moderated by Dr. Nicholas Hellmann from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. 

Presentations:

1. Use of Antiretroviratl Drugs for Treating Pregnant Women and Preventing HIV Infection in Infants (PMTCT ARV Guidelines)
Nathan Shaffer, PMTCT Team Leader, HIV Department, WHO

2. WHO Guidelines: 2010 and Beyond
Christian Pitter, MD MPH, Director, Global Technical Policy, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
3. Towards Virtual Elimination of Pediatric HIV: Adoption of WHO HIV and AIDS Guidelines
Tsitsi Mutasa-Apollo, Co-ordinator of HIV Treatment, Ministry of Health, Zimbabwe
4. Joint ART/PMTCT Guideline Review Process in Kenya
Dr. Nicholas Muraguri, Head, National AIDS and STI Control Program, Kenya
5. Making it Happen: Revising national policies to reflect changes in WHO recommendations for preventing vertical transmission of HIV - Malawi
Erik Schouten, Department of HIV and AIDS, Ministry of Health, Malawi

Infant Feeding and HIV: New Opportunities to Prevent Pediatric HIV and Improve Child Survival
Date and time: Thursday, July 22, 18:30- 20:30
Location: Mini Room 10
Co-sponsored by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, mothers2mothers, IYCN Project, and PATH

This session will review the evidence that informed the new WHO guidance on infant feeding in the context of HIV and explore how this guidance presents new opportunities to prevent pediatric HIV and improve child survival. The session will also present examples of tools that are available to support countries in changing national policies in light of the new international guidance and share specific country experiences in changing national policy and implementing the new guidance in the field. Speakers will include Nigel Rollins from WHO, Emily Bobrow from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Wasiu Afolbi from IYCN Project, Kiersten Israel-Ballard from PATH, and Nontobeko Mbuyane Dlamini from mothers2mothers. The session will be moderated by Dr. Laura Guay from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Male Participation in Prevention of Vertical HIV Transmission Programs: Mobilizing Men to Protect their Partners and Children from HIV Infection and Access HIV Care and Treatment
Date and time: Monday, July 19, 11:00-12:30
Location: Mini Room 10
Co-facilitated by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Sonke Gender Justice, UNAIDS, and Rwanda-Zambia Research Group

This skills-building workshop will begin with an overview of evidence of the links between gender inequality and HIV, including how gender inequality increases women’s vulnerability to HIV and negatively impacts uptake of HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment services for women, children, and men, particularly services to prevent vertical HIV transmission. The workshop will take participants through a series of frameworks that can be adapted to their own settings, to help participants think through context-specific factors that perpetuate the spread of HIV and pose barriers to male involvement in PMTCT and HIV care and treatment. The workshop will then explore strategies and approaches for enlisting men to protect their partners from HIV, supportively participate in prevention of vertical HIV transmission programs, and proactively help their families to access HIV care and treatment.

Speakers include Dr. Christian Pitter from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Jantine Jacobi from UNAIDS, Dean Peacock from Sonke Gender Justice, Susan Strasser from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Willliam Kilembe from Rwanda-Zambia HIV Research Group and Appolinaire Tiam from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Elena Ghanotakis from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Presentations: