Dr. Julio Montaner, Local Co-Chair
8th IAS Conference on Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2015)
Vancouver, Canada
Closing Session Speech

Dear friends,

I echo Chris´s sentiments. It has been a terrific week. Science, venue, weather, volunteers, staff, delegates and even Pope Francis; everything came together better than we ever hoped.

It has been quite a conference. Indeed, a transformational week. Much, as in Vancouver 1996, this has been a game changer for HIV. IAS 2015, with more than 6,500 delegates from all over the world, comes on the heels of three major achievements.

First, the Millennium Development Goal of 15 million people on antiretroviral therapy by 2015. This is the first MDG that has been met, and we have done so nearly nine months ahead of schedule.

Second, The recent release of the TEMPRANO and START trials, which provide the definitive and compelling evidence in support of universal immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Today, there is renewed urgency to ensure that all HIV infected persons have a chance to start treatment as soon as possible.

And finally, the complete results of the landmark HPTN 052 trial showing HIV infected persons who sustain effective antiretroviral therapy are virtually non-infectious.

The evidence was pointing in this direction for some time, as research from many jurisdictions, including Vancouver, San Francisco, KwaZulu-Natal, and Rwanda, conclusively showed Treatment as Prevention¨ works just the same, in resource rich and limited settings.

The message emerging from IAS 2015, in Vancouver is clear and loud:

• Treatment preserves quality of life, fully prevents progression to AIDS, & premature death, and secondarily – without additional expense or infrastructure – treatment is the most effective means to stop HIV transmission.
• Investing in the expansion of access to HIV testing, care, support and treatment, saves lives, stops new infections and saves money! What is there not to like!

We leave Vancouver with a compelling body of scientific evidence in support of the UN 90-90-90 Target, as the best and most efficient means to end the AIDS Pandemic by 2030.

We should heed Michel Sidibé’s call to rally behind the 90-90-90 Target. We need to ensure by 2020, at least 90% of people living with HIV globally are diagnosed, at least 90% of them are on treatment, and at least 90% of them are virologically suppressed. All of this while we continue to fight to eliminate stigma, discrimination and criminalization.

Imagine this, we are poised to decrease AIDS incidence by 90%, AIDS deaths by 90%, and new HIV infections by 90% by 2030. We have come a very long way!

My friends, it is time to draw a line in the sand. Today, we are telling the very many political leaders of the world who are still hesitating about financing the global AIDS response: you have no where to hide. You are either with us or against us. And if you fail to join us, you will be the enablers of further AIDS related suffering, and ongoing HIV spread. Future generations will judge you harshly if you fail to act at this critical time. We urge you to do the right thing for our global family.

We want all those in need, whoever they love, whatever their drug use history, however they earn a living, whether on or off reserve, to have facilitated access to the best HIV treatment, support, care, prevention and harm reduction services. All of this within a culturally appropriate manner and in a non-discriminatory society.

Our collective hard work, passion and commitment have made all of this possible. We have come quite far; however, there is still a lot to do. Together, we have what it takes to get the job done, and I am sure we will. Together we will STOP HIV & AIDS.

Thank you for joining us in Vancouver this week. Safe travels, see you in Durban!