(English) Scientists gather in Toronto to present the newest HIV research findings
2011-04-11To download the complete press release, please click here
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More than 800 of Canada’s top scientists, physicians and community leaders are gathering in Toronto this week for a national conference on HIV/AIDS research. It is taking place at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel from Thursday to Sunday (April, 14 to 17). The conference is sponsored by the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR).
“This is CAHR’s 20th anniversary conference and we’re using the occasion to examine the progress we’ve made over the years in responding to the epidemic,” explain Drs. Mona Loutfy and Peggy Millson, co-Chairs of the 4-day event.
Below are a few of the highlights:
Nobel Peace Prize winner’s address will highlight Canada’s role in the global response to HIV/AIDS
Dr. James Orbinski will deliver the keynote address at the 20th Canadian Conference on HIV Research, being held this week in Toronto. He will speak about some of his experiences while serving as President of Médecins Sans Frontières, the organization that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for its pioneering approach to medical humanitarianism. In addition to his heroic work in responding to HIV/AIDS among the world’s poorest peoples, Dr. Orbinski also co-founded Dignitas International, an organization that provides community-based HIV/AIDS services to thousands of people in low income countries.
The Conference will also showcase Canada’s international leadership in the area of HIV prevention. On Sunday morning, Dr. Stephen Moses of the University of Manitoba will provide an update on how his ground breaking findings on male circumcision are helping to prevent thousands of new infections around the world.
Canada’s AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) wins prestigious “Red Ribbon Award”
The Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) has announced that this year’s winner of its prestigious “Red Ribbon Award” will be The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE). This will be the first time the award has been given to an organization. Ordinarily, it is presented to an individual member of the HIV/AIDS community “who has given outstanding service to the cause of research in a way that has increased our understanding of the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS”.
In presenting the award, CAHR President, Dr. Bill Cameron, explained: “It is appropriate this year, on the occasion of CAHR’s 20th anniversary, that we recognize all the staff and volunteers of CATIE as a group. From the beginning they have always played a critical role in building bridges between research and people affected by HIV/AIDS.
“Information and knowledge is empowering,” he continued, “and CATIE has provided this for the good of many people who have few other means.”
Driven originally by the need to uncover new information about life-saving medicines, CATIE has evolved over the years into a world leader in the translation of complex research findings into plain language information and in the dissemination of that information throughout Canada and beyond.
A panel of top scientists to discuss worrying increase in rate of new HIV infections
In Ontario, HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men increased by 3.5 percent in 2009, reversing the gains made in previous years. Nationally, 2,500 new cases of HIV are reported each year to the Public Health Agency of Canada. This rate has not declined and has even increased among certain populations (e.g., first nations people and women).
A panel of leading experts will meet in Toronto on Saturday to discuss why current HIV prevention strategies have not been more successful, and what it would take to achieve a significant reduction in —or even elimination of— new HIV/AIDS cases in Canada.
Recent breakthroughs in the treatment of Hepatitis C among the highlights of scientific talks at Toronto AIDS conference
At this week’s conference, Dr. Curtis Cooper of the University of Ottawa will present exciting new breakthroughs in the treatment of Hepatitis C (a common co-infection in people with HIV/AIDS).
Other speakers will include Dr. Priscilla Hsue of UCSF in San Francisco, who will present new findings on the relationship between HIV and cardiovascular disease, and Dr. Irving Salit of Toronto will present a symposium on the role of alternative therapies in the management of HIV/AIDS. As well, In addition to the above, more than 100 scientists will present their findings in the four tracks of HIV/AIDS research (i.e., basic, clinical, social & behavioural and epidemiologic).
There are more than double the number of people living with HIV/AIDS today than there were 20 years ago (i.e., 65,000, as compared to 30,000), a significant part of this week’s conference will be devoted to highlighting some of the tremendous advances that science has made in treating this disease and improving the health of Canadians who are living with it.
To find out more about any of the above topics or about the Conference in general, please contact…
Ms. Cindy Miranda
Media Coordinator
Email: cindyrellamiranda@hotmail.fr
Phone: (416) 841 1884
Or
Mr. Bob O’Neill
Executive Director
Email: oneill_bob1@yahoo.ca
Phone: 778-960-7578
The Conference website address is: www.cahr-conference-acrv.ca