[Program, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

lAS
SoCE The International AIDS Society 'IAS'
- what it is and what it does

IAS

1. Background
IAS (International AIDS Society) was founded in
1988 in connection with the IVth International
AIDS Conference in Stockholm, Sweden. The
Society consists of individual scientists and people
who are professionally engaged in the fight against
HIV and AIDS. Since then, many national and
regional societies have appeared, for example the
Society on AIDS in Africa and the Society on
AIDS in Asia and the Pacific and IAS has become
a federation offering a possibility for societies to
become affiliated.
IAS consists of around 5,600 individual and
4,000 affiliated members from all parts of the world.
IAS represents the international scientific
community.
2. IAS Purposes
STo contribute to the control and management
of HIV infections and AIDS throughout the
world in cooperation with national and regional AIDS Societies, with UNAIDS and other
international organisations including networks
representing people living with HIV/AIDS,
women and communities.
* To serve as an international forum for scientific
interest groups and caucuses on HIV and
AIDS. To initiate, co-ordinate and evaluate
special activities to control HIV and AIDS.
* To organise international conferences and
subspecialty conferences on HIV infections
and AIDS.
* To organise training courses related to HIV
infections and AIDS
* To represent the scientific community as a
voice of reason in AIDS controversies, to
counteract discrimination and promote the
ethical aspects of rescarch and interventions

* To advocate for adequate resources for research
and training as well as for controlling the
epidemic and alleviating its consequences
* To solicit and receive funds for supporting the
IAS activities against HIV and AIDS
* To serve as a central registry of individuals
professionally involved in AIDS research and
activities to prevent the spread of HIV
* The IAS is not organised nor is it to be
operated for profit

3.
*

IAS Activites
Arranging the World AIDS Conferences such
as the one in Geneva in 1998

* Sponsoring Regional Conferences
* IAS Newsletter - published 3-4 times a year.
Contains current information on relevant
themes as well as membership updates and
forthcoming events related to HIV/AIDS
worldwide
* Continuing Medical Education
* Supporting scholarships for people from
developing countries
* Creation of networks of Scientists
* World Wide Web - will contain extract from
the IAS Newsletter, information on coming
events, information to members, an Open
Forum etc.
For further information, please contact the IAS
Permanent Secretariat:
IAS, P O Box 5619, S-114 86 Stockholm,
Sweden
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]