Conference 2022

CAHR extends its appreciation to the over 550 individuals that registered for CAHR 2022 Virtual (31st Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research).

The conference was held virtually from April 27th to 29th, 2022. CAHR extends its appreciation to Conference co-chairs – Dr. Eric J. Arts and Dr. Carmen Logie – and the entire Scientific Planning Committee.

Virtual conference participants enjoyed all the activities that make the CAHR Conference an engaging learning experience including: plenary sessions; special sessions on a wide variety of topics; oral abstracts and poster viewings; and opportunities to converse and network with colleagues and friends.

The theme of CAHR 2022 was “Striving Towards Equity and Flourishing in the HIV Response”. As described in the Conference program:

“SARS-CoV-2 disrupted global advances in HIV testing, anti-retroviral therapy, and combination prevention access and uptake that have taken place over the past decades. These advances, led by community responses and HIV clinical, biomedical, social, and implementation scientists, resulted in 27.5 million people accessing ART in 2020 and a 50% reduction in new HIV infections since 1997. During the mid 2000s, we cut through the red tape presented by patent protections, TRIPs, and the arrogance of Western medicine to demonstrate that access to low-cost medication, training, equitable and compassionate care could benefit all global populations, including socially, legally, and economically marginalized communities. The 30-year fight to get ART to those who need it most should have been a lesson for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, yet only 3.5% of low-income countries are vaccinated compared to 75% in high-income countries. The urgent work to address social and health disparities—including in HIV—within Canada and globally is far from over. Both HIV and COVID-19 demand responses grounded in equity, social determinants of health, and human rights. The convergence of intersecting stigma and discrimination—including racism, sexual and gender-based violence, poverty, and criminalization, produce barriers for HIV prevention and care access among impacted communities, including African, Caribbean and Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ2S peoples, as well as sex workers, people who use drugs, and those at the intersection of these identities and experiences. Flourishing—pursuit of individual and collective visions for the future, leading a ‘good life’, and realizing one’s potential—is intricately linked with health and rights and is key to realizing the ‘fourth 90’ of wellbeing and quality of life among people living with HIV. Striving for equity and flourishing in the HIV response calls for synergies between community priorities and transdisciplinary HIV research, enabling social and structural environments to increase access to and uptake of clinical and biomedical advances, and rights-based approaches.”

Below is an overview of the Conference proceedings.

CAHR 2022 Sponsors

The Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) gratefully acknowledges the companies and organizations which contribute to the Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research. These generous donations make it possible for CAHR to hold the annual conference.