Vancouver gets IAS 2015

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, July 19-21 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 organised 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,” IAS 2015 international chair Professor Chris Beyrer said.

“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.

Men who have sex with men represent the population most effected by the epidemic (48 per cent of all HIV infections), followed by people infected by heterosexual sex, and people infected by injection drug use.

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 Sydney in 2007, Cape Town in 2009, Rome in 2011, with the next edition to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 30–July 3 2013.