Health priority - 40 years after the discovery of the virus, two generations take turns in the fight against AIDS

Published on : 24/03/2023 – 09:00

The Sidaction weekend takes place from March 24 to 26, 2023. © Sidaction

In 1983, the AIDS virus was identified by French researchers: Professors Luc Montagnier (1932-2022) and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, which earned them the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008. If today , a treated HIV-positive person has a life expectancy close to that of the general population, AIDS still caused 650,000 deaths worldwide in 2021, while 38.4 million people are HIV carriers. The fight against AIDS is thus still topical.

How do the old and new generation work together ? How have the stakes in the fight against AIDS evolved? ?

Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Doctor virologist, researcher, co-discoverer of HIV, Nobel Prize for Medicine 2008, member of the Academy of Sciences, President of SidactionHonorary President of the international network of Pasteur institutes.
Lucie Etienneresearcher at International Center for Research in Infectiology In Lyon. Research officer at CNRSMember of the scientific committee of Sidaction
Dr Nadine Etoundimedical specialist in infectious and tropical diseases in Cameroon
Andrea Mestre, AIDS activist. President of the association Movement against serophobia »