Click on a session title for more information.
Friday– May 2, 2025 |
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12:30 – 14:00 | Sponsored Lunch Symposium – ViiV Healthcare |
17:00 – 18:30 | Sponsored Symposium – Merck |
Saturday– May 3, 2025 |
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12:30 – 14:00 | Sponsored Lunch Symposium – Gilead |
ViiV Healthcare Sponsored Symposium

Collective Empowerment: Making the Best Choice
Date: Friday, May 2
Time: 12:30 – 14:00
Community experts and healthcare professionals will explore shared decision-making and community empowerment in HIV treatment and prevention. With an interactive panel discussion and audience engagement, the symposium will foster meaningful dialogue around obstacles to shared decision-making and potential practical solutions.
Learning objectives:
- Discuss the importance of prioritizing choice to empower people to make informed decisions, in treatment and prevention
- Describe the transformative role of long-acting options on personalized choice, in treatment and prevention
- Identify potential barriers and solutions to informed decision-making, from the personal to systemic level, in treatment and prevention
Moderator:
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Muluba Habanyama Director of Communications and Programs, Ontario AIDS Network National Spokesperson, Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research Lead, Knowledge Mobilization Hub, CIHR Pan-Canadian Network for HIV and STBBI Clinical Trials Research, Toronto, ON |
Speakers/Panelists:
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Jonathan Angel, MD, FRCPC Head, Division of Infectious Diseases & Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON |
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Andrew Bui-Nguyen, MD Quorum Medical Clinic, Montréal, QC Hôpital Laurentien, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC |
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Heidi Pharand-Jovens, NP Nurse Practitioner, Nine Circles Community Health Centre, Winnipeg, MB |
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Khaled Salam Executive Director, AIDS Committee of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
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Merck Sponsored Symposium

Today’s Considerations for Individualization of HIV Management & Future Directions
Date: Friday, May 2
Time: 17:00 – 18:30
This session will explore the critical need for personalized approaches in HIV care, taking into account patient demographics, social circumstances, and comorbidities. It will also shed light on the roles of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTTIs) in the treatment of HIV. Finally, through clinical case presentations and discussions of real-world experiences in Canadian practice, attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in antiretroviral therapy and the different considerations that impact treatment choice for people living with HIV.
Learning Objectives:
- Emphasize the importance of individualization in HIV management, considering factors such as patient demographics, social circumstances, and comorbidities
- Discuss the role of the NNRTI and NRTTI classes in the treatment paradigm of patients living with HIV
- Examine practical scenarios and real world experiences with the latest ARVs in Canadian clinical practice
Moderator:
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Dr. Sean Yaphe, MD, MPH Clinique L’actuel |
Speakers/Panelists:
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Dr. Melanie Murray, MD, PhD, FRCPC BC Women’s Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital |
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Dr. Shariq Haider, MD, FRCPC Juravinski hospital, McMaster university |
Gilead Sponsored Symposium

HIV in Canada: Past Achievements, Present Realities, Future Visions
Date: Saturday, May 3
Time: 12:30 – 14:00
This symposium will explore the transformative power of groundbreaking innovations in HIV research and underscore the critical importance of sustained investment tailored to community needs. We will discuss the urgent need to deliver successful interventions to those who need them most, aiming to improve health outcomes and achieve health equity. The conversation will also highlight the risks we face if we relax our collective efforts now.
Learning Objectives:
- Examine ARV Innovation; Evolution and Revolution [A Career Retrospective]
- Reaching 95-95-95 Targets, Defining Effective Strategies
- Discuss the Disproportionate Impact of HIV
- Reassess the Transformed Perceptions and Expectations of People Living With and at risk for HIV
Speakers/Panelists:
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Dr. Stephen Shafran, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FIDSA University of Alberta |
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Sasha van Katwyk, M.Sc BA Institute of Health Economics |
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Nadine Sookermany, BA Chief Executive Officer, OHTN |
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Dr. Patrick O’Byrne, RN-EC PhD University of Ottawa |
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Dr. Joss De Wet, MD Spectrum Health
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