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Letters | Aids is not a ‘gay disease’, and charities pushing for a cure need all the support in the world
- HIV is no longer a death sentence for those able to afford antiretroviral drugs, but it remains so for millions of people unable to access these medicines
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The news that the “London patient” has become the second person to remain free of HIV, after coming off antiretroviral drugs following stem cell treatment for his Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer, is marvellous.
As Hong Kong is about to host the amfAR gala fundraising dinner tonight (March 25), it is worth remembering that, away from the glitter of the evening, The Foundation for Aids Research has, since its inception in 1985, raised over half a billion US dollars and awarded more than 3,300 grants to research teams around the world.
The courage of the late Dr Mathilde Krim, amfAR’s founding chairman, and Dame Elizabeth Taylor, founding international chairman, to fight an illness that, despite being known as the “gay disease”, has devastated the lives of millions, regardless of their sexual orientation, is remarkable.
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While HIV is no longer a death sentence for those able to afford their antiretroviral drug treatment, it remains so for millions of people unable to access these medicines. Local charities may lack the fanfare of amfAR, but they are equally vital in the link – ensuring that regional sufferers have access to testing and treatment.
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