Marking World AIDS Day During the COVID-19 pandemic

As we mark the 33rd annual World AIDS Day, we mourn those we’ve lost and think about the lives irrevocably altered by the virus. This year, this includes those living with HIV who have been affected by COVID-19. This second pandemic has taken a toll, from disrupting access to services and social support, to creating uncertainty about how COVID-19 may impact people living with HIV. At the same time, the HIV pandemic taught us many lessons, which we are applying to the fight against COVID-19, from harnessing existing platforms and technologies, to forming collaborations, and ensuring that COVID-19 solutions are made accessible to everyone in the world.

We have made tremendous progress in the fight against HIV. In the early days, the disease took the lives of those living with it in less than two years. Today, for many, it is a manageable chronic illness. This progress is due to advances made possible by unprecedented collaboration between scientific, medical and advocacy communities, as well as governments and funders.

There is still work to do. We continue driving research across the HIV continuum of care to bring game-changing innovation to those in need worldwide. For example, Johnson & Johnson is collaborating with ViiV Healthcare on the first investigational long-acting injectable treatment regimen designed to help people living with HIV manage their disease with 12 or fewer injections per year.  As another example, earlier today, another one of our collaborators, the International Partnership for Microbicides, received WHO prequalification for the dapivirine vaginal ring, which is intended to help women in high-burden countries protect themselves against HIV.

To achieve a world without HIV, we ultimately need a vaccine. Johnson & Johnson, working with multiple partners, has developed the only preventive HIV vaccine candidate currently in late-stage clinical development, with two large-scale efficacy studies underway in 13 countries around the world.

On December 1, World AIDS Day, we are proud to recognize the advances we’ve made, together with our many partners, in the fight against HIV and to re-affirm our commitment that we will not stop until we make HIV history.