Medscape

Editor's note:

The International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) convened "A Decade of HAART: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions" in San Francisco, California, September 25-26, 2006. A number of leading HIV experts reviewed critical issues in the field since the advent of what is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART. Data have now shown that this medical intervention has saved millions of years of lives since its introduction just one decade ago.

At the meeting, invited experts reviewed the contribution of this striking advance, existing challenges in HIV research and care, as well as some of the biggest challenges that lie ahead.

Dr. John G. Bartlett, Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, Maryland, has been an internationally recognized leader in the field of infectious diseases for decades. One of the many substantial contributions to his medical specialty has been his commitment to advancing both the scientific investigation and clinical management of HIV/AIDS.

Below, Dr. Bartlett provides short synopses of some of the key talks that were given at the meeting.

A Decade of HAART: Historical Perspective, Successes, Failures, and Future Considerations
Anthony Fauci, MD, Director of NIAID, reviewed some successes and failures that have been experienced over the last quarter century of the AIDS pandemic, as well as future challenges.

More Than a Decade, and Counting: Hope for the Future From a Leading Activist
Martin Delaney, founder of Project Inform, has been at the forefront of AIDS treatment activism for more than 2 decades. He recounted some milestones along the way.

Survival Benefits of Medical Interventions for HIV/AIDS in the United States
Rochelle Walensky, MD, of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, reviewed research that has shown that prevention of opportunistic infections and the widespread use of HAART has saved millions of life-years among people with HIV/AIDS.

Future Trends in HIV Research and Clinical Management
Brian Gazzard, MD, of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, provided his expert assessment of where the field is heading in terms of HIV management trends, prevention strategies, and investigational agents.

A Look Back at the Cost of HIV/AIDS Care -- Then and Now
Samuel Bozzette, MD, PhD, of University of California, San Diego, looked at how costs of HIV/AIDS care have changed over time in the United States.

HIV Prevention -- New Strategies Are Under Investigation to Limit HIV's Spread
Robert Grant, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, noted what's working and not working in the field of HIV prevention.

Changes in HIV Drug Resistance in the HAART Era
Deenan Pillay, MD, PhD, of Royal Free and University College in London, discussed the prevalence of ARV drug resistance mutations and reviewed the clinical implications of baseline resistance in HIV-infected patients.