Milestone era
HIV: Beginning of a Global Pandemic
An unprecedented virus appears and quickly threatens the entire world. The cities of New York and Los Angeles are the first to report cases.
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A timeline of HIV milestones
Follow the path from the first reports of HIV/AIDS to the scientific progress that continues to move vaccine research forward.
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The first official reports
In the early 1980s, a mysterious illness affecting gay men is reported by hospitals and doctors around the world. Soon, the CDC issues the first official report of what we now know as the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
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The virus is isolated
Researchers from the United States and Europe undertake a tough mission to identify the new infectious agent. Luc Montagnier and his group at the Pasteur Institute isolate the virus that we know today as the cause of AIDS.
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The AIDS Memorial Quilt begins
The Quilt, conceived by Cleve Jones and displayed for the first time two years later, is created in honor of friends and loved ones who died of AIDS. It becomes a visual representation of the devastating human cost of the disease.
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Milestone era
HIV and Social Impact
Stigma and fear spread with the virus, adding to the complexity of the response.
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ACT UP is founded
ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) is founded in New York City to open the conversation about AIDS and the people living with it, fight for better healthcare, and promote scientific research.
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World AIDS Day is established
On December 1, 1988, the first World AIDS Day is established. Since then, every year all who have died from HIV/AIDS are remembered and the fight to improve access to prevention and treatment services is promoted.
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Milestone era
HIV: A Fight for All of Us
Community members, scientists, and the US government find new ways to work together to address the virus and its impact.
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AIDS becomes a leading cause of death
AIDS becomes the leading cause of death among Americans ages 25 to 44.
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HAART changes treatment
The 11th International AIDS Conference announces the efficacy of HAART, a highly active antiretroviral therapy that rapidly reduces AIDS-related deaths by 47%.
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HVTN is established
Founded by the National Institutes of Health, the HIV Vaccine Trials Network establishes an international network of clinical study sites for experimental HIV vaccines. VAX003 and VAX004, the first Phase 3 HIV vaccine efficacy trials, are launched.
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PEPFAR is announced
To combat AIDS in the most affected countries, President George W. Bush announces the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief during his 2003 State of the Union Address.
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Milestone era
RV144 Study and the Development for the HIV vaccine
After several years of research, results begin to give hope for the possibility of a vaccine that can prevent infection.
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The RV144 study begins
The HIV vaccine study, RV144, begins. It will be the first vaccine candidate to show a positive signal with an estimated efficacy of 31% at 3.5 years after injection.
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Scientists analyze RV144 immune responses
Seven years later, HVTN laboratory scientists and statisticians, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Larry Corey, collaborate with the US Military HIV Research Program and the Thai government to analyze potential immune responses that correlate with the risk of infection in the RV144 study.
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Milestone era
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Advancements
Learnings in vaccinology and immunology from COVID-19 research provide scientific breakthroughs that can move HIV vaccine research forward more quickly.
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HIV remains a global challenge
At the beginning of the decade, 1.5 million cases of HIV/AIDS are reported annually and 27.4 million people are being treated for HIV.
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COVID-19 learnings accelerate HIV research
Forty years later, COVID-19 leads researchers to scientific advances that can be applied to vaccines to prevent HIV. mRNA vaccines developed against COVID-19 show greater than 90% efficacy, and the AMP study becomes the first to show that broadly neutralizing antibody infusion can help prevent HIV infection.
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New breakthroughs are on the horizon
After 40 years of research and tireless work by scientists, communities, and caregivers, new breakthroughs in the search for a vaccine against HIV are on the horizon. To make this possible, we need the participation and support of all of us.
