Thou shall Not Bear Silent Witness: The Role of International Activism in Hiv (Perspectives‪)‬

Twenty-five years alter its discovery, HIV has proven to be a problem that is truly exceptional, medically, socially, and politically. HIV has galvanised partnerships across public policy, human rights, and medicine--constituency collaborations that would have been previously inconceivable. This unprecedented attention has been largely matched by investment in clinical research. That there are 24 licensed antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV infection from 4 different classes of drugs, presenting myriad therapeutic possibilities, is testament to the political and social tenacity of the response to the epidemic. No other medical discipline or disease can boast such tangible results. At the heart of this phenomenon is the remarkable legacy of AIDS activism. Even after all of these years, it is sobering to consider how much we as an activist community have learned and adapted in our fight against AIDS. In this moment of introspection, not only should we reflect on what the next 25 years may bring, but more importantly, we should define our place in this future and whether we are motivated and equipped to adequately address the impending challenges of HIV treatment and prevention in the developing world. The gaping chasm of inequality that stares back at us from other continents should be evidence enough to mobilise us. Consider this perverse transposition--80% of people with HIV in the developed world have access to antiretroviral therapy, while slightly less than 80% of those living in poorer countries that need HIV treatment do not. (1) And while the rest of this essay primarily addresses our advocacy efforts in the developing world, I accept as paramount and as a fundamental objective the necessity of working toward a "100% access" goal in our own developed countries.