[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 109 (Wednesday, July 20, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE 6TH IAS CONFERENCE ON HIV 
                PATHOGENESIS, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 2011

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
resolution in support of the 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, 
Treatment, and Prevention (IAS 2011), which takes place from July 17, 
2011, through July 20, 2011, in Rome, Italy. This year's conference is 
of particular importance given the first documented case of a patient 
being cured of HIV infection and global resurgence of tuberculosis 
(TB), including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and 
extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). My resolution 
supports a strong international response to HIV/AIDS; the rights of 
those infected; and increased access to testing, treatment, and care.
  There are currently 33.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS 
worldwide and more than 25 million have died of AIDS since the first 
cases were reported in 1981. In the United States, approximately 1.1 
million people are living with HIV/AIDS and someone is newly infected 
with HIV every 9.5 minutes. To make matters worse, one in five 
individuals living with HIV is unaware of their infection, and 
significant disparities persist across different communities and 
populations with regard to incidence, access to treatment, and health 
outcomes.
  The biennial IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and 
Prevention is the world's largest open scientific conference on HIV/
AIDS, attracting about 5,000 delegates from around the world. Together 
with the International AIDS Conference, which will next be held in 
Washington, DC from July 22, 2012, through July 27, 2012, it provides 
the world's leading scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and community 
leaders with a unique opportunity to examine the latest developments in 
HIV research and how scientific advances can practically guide the 
national and global response to HIV/AIDS.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, TB 
is the leading cause of death among persons with HIV worldwide and XDR-
TB is resistant to the most powerful first-line and second-line drugs. 
The improper treatment of TB in HIV-infected individuals perpetuates 
the spread of this infectious disease as well as bolsters drug 
resistance, which poses a tremendous threat to public health in the 
United States and abroad. Improved efforts to prevent and treat TB 
among people living with HIV, including the development of new, 
transformational antibiotic drugs, can save millions of lives.
  Several organizations, including small business biotechnology 
companies, developing therapeutic vaccines and other immune-based 
therapies are presenting updates on their clinical research at IAS 
2011. In addition, the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) 
and Health People, the first community-based organization for women 
infected with HIV in the United States, are hosting the NAPWA 
``Treatment Horizons: Pathways to a Functional Cure'' satellite 
symposium, which is officially affiliated with IAS 2011. Therapeutic 
vaccine candidates and immune-based therapies such as those being 
presented at IAS 2011 may lead to a ``functional cure'' for HIV/AIDS.
  Mr. Speaker, continued commitment by the United States to HIV/AIDS 
research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to protecting 
global health. I urge my colleagues to support my resolution, which 
recognizes the important contributions of the 6th IAS Conference on HIV 
Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention in the global struggle to end 
the HIV/AIDS pandemic. If we are to be successful in preventing the 
transmission of HIV and tuberculosis and improving the health outcomes 
of people living with HIV/AIDS, we must encourage the ongoing 
development of innovative therapies, advances in clinical treatment, 
and new, transformational antibiotic drugs to treat infectious 
diseases.

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