[Press Kit, International Conference on AIDS (16th: 2006: Toronto, Canada)]

AIDS 2006 to Present Latest Research Findings
Reports based on abstracts selected from a record number of submissions (nearly 13,000) will
shape a particularly strong scientific programme, tracing new trends in basic and clinical
research, epidemiology, social science and policy.
Researchers will report fresh findings on the origins of HIV-1, propose how select groups
manage to resist infection despite ongoing exposure to the virus, and explain how immunologic
variables in infected people may shape the course of resistance to antiretrovirals. Leading
medical experts will present new data on the complex intersections between TB and HIV,
tackle the critical question of how pregnant women exposed to single-dose nevirapine respond
to later antiretroviral therapy, and dissect results of the landmark structured treatment
interruption trial, SMART. On the behavioral front investigators will offer some of the first hard
evidence on how wider access to HIV testing and antiretrovirals affects sexual behavior,
transmission of HIV, and AIDS stigma.
Other Sessions Explore Community, Leadership and Issues of Accountability
As a follow up to the United Nations' recent Special Session on AIDS, AIDS 2006 will provide
an opportunity for delegates to explore how best to monitor progress toward universal access
to anti-HIV medications and ensure accountability moving forward. The programme will
emphasize evidence-based approaches shown to prevent HIV and proven strategies that offer
practical solutions to the enormous challenges of scaling up access to treatment and care.
Empowering women and girls has recently emerged as a major priority for an effective
response to the epidemic, and the conference programme will feature a number of sessions
addressing this theme. Other session topics include the relationship between HIV, poverty and
development, and the importance of sexual and reproductive health rights for women,
including commercial sex workers.
The programme will explore issues affecting men who have sex with men, and other vulnerable
populations, such as Aboriginal people and injecting drug users. There will also be a focus on
the greater involvement of peop!e living with HIV/AIDS. The programme will highlight the
importance of new leadership inregions with emerging epidemics and from all sectors, such as
the faith and business communities and the media. Two special sessions will offer a
retrospective of the first 25 years of AIDS and AIDS activism, while also exploring the major
priorities towards ending the epidemic.
New Focus Areas
Newly designated Key Challenge sessions will marshal the collective experience, knowledge
and insights of conference delegates toward developing responses to the following shared
challenges:
* Accelerate research to end the epidemic;
* Expand and sustain human resources to scale-up prevention and treatment;
* Intensify involvement of affected individuals and communities;
* Build new leadership to advance the response; and
* Scaling Up: Lessons from the field.
An expanded youth programme will offer sessions organized by and for young people that will
explore issues of particular importance to this heavily affected population. A new youth website
(http://youth.aids2006.org) will serve as a portal for youth-related programming during the
conference and will feature interactive reports written by youth delegates.

www.aids2006.org

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