An international coalition of scientists and activists launched a common declaration—“We Can End the AIDS Epidemic”—on the eve of the United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, according to a statement from the United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS (AVAC). The declaration calls for world leaders to support a rational, evidence-based approach to combating global AIDS. It states that for the first time in three decades we have the potential to end AIDS by putting millions of people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment, which helps prevent transmission. The coalition recommends scaling up funds for treatment programs and sustaining research that builds on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), microbicides and vaccines to prevent HIV.

For the full text of the declaration and the AVAC statement, click here.