The STEPS workshops, initiated by Giulio Maria Corbelli in 2014 and organised annually ahead of the main European HIV scientific events, are an opportunity to expand the dialogue among community members, researchers and other relevant stakeholders, such as peer educators, community journalists, advocates, industry partners and healthcare professionals, in order to promote the share of knowledge, information, experiences from different perspectives, as well as community engagement in research on the HIV cure and related topics.
The 8th STEPS HIV Cure Community-led Workshop took place on Sunday October 23, 2022 in Glasgow (Scotland) and was attended by around 60 different stakeholders. Coordinated by Sean Hosein and chaired by Brian West, the workshop addressed approaches for HIV cure research with Dr. Casper Rokx, provided updates on therapeutic vaccination with Prof. Jean-Daniel Lelièvre and highlighted the significance of the contributions of the community with Simon Collins and Memory Sachikonye.
The meeting report was prepared by Alain Volny-Anne and provides an overview of key messages from the workshop.
Key Highlights
- Investing in HIV cure research is not a curiosity exercise but aims to solve many unanswered issues faced by people living with HIV.
- The strengthening of community involvement in HIV cure research is essential to the development and implementation of clinical trial strategies.
- The implementation of HIV cure-related trials remains complicated, even with strategies considered safe.
- A life-long remission (functional cure) is a more realistic objective than a sterilising cure. It is also easier to implement and safer.
- Researchers in the HIV cure field must work collaboratively.
- The impact of participation in cure-related research on individuals is something to consider fully before designing studies.
- Also, to consider, is the fact that some people with HIV perceive long-acting drugs almost as a cure.
- More effort on communication about why cure-related research is important is needed.
Resources
Click here to watch the recording of the event!
Materials
Get involved
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