STEPS – HIV Cure Community Workshops

Why?

In recent years, there has been a renewed scientific focus on therapeutic strategies for long term drug-free remission from HIV infection. This research is widely supported by both the scientific and advocacy communities. However, it raises critical issues such as minimising risk for analytical treatment interruptions and restarting therapy, assessing benefit-risk balance, managing the expectations from clinical trials participants, providing up-to-date and reliable information accessible to participants and to the community at large.

What?

The STEPS workshop provides a platform for discussion on the importance of patient involvement from the very earliest phases of the development of this innovative research. The objective is to improve participation, exchange of information and knowledge about research on therapeutic strategies for long term remission from HIV and the possible dissemination among the European activists and the community at large. The workshop presents an overview about investigational strategies used in the HIV cure and vaccines field, analyses in depth the mechanism of persistence and intervention to reduce the size or eradicate the HIV reservoirs, brings to the discussion psychosocial and ethical questions related to the participation to trials and to the potential achievement of a cure for HIV.

With whom?

The workshop is led by EATG and is primarily of interest for the community of people living with HIV but aims to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including peer educators, community journalists, advocates, industry partners, academic researchers and healthcare professionals with an interest in the scientific research for the long-term drug-free remission of HIV infection.

How?

Initiated by Giulio Maria Corbelli in 2014, a yearly workshop is organised by EATG ahead of or as part of the programme of the main European HIV scientific events (HIV Glasgow Congress and EACS Conference).

For what outcome?

The workshop is an opportunity to expand the dialogue among community members, researchers and other relevant stakeholders in order to promote the share of knowledge, information, experiences from different perspectives and promote community engagement in research on the HIV cure and related topics.

STEPS series of workshops are dedicated to Giulio Maria Corbelli.