GCAB member
World AIDS Day 2025: A Call to Remember, Reflect, and Rise
World AIDS Day has been commemorated globally on December 1st since 1988. It remains one of the most powerful reminders that our movement is built on purpose, resilience, and the collective determination to end the HIV epidemic.
The many sobering events of the past year cannot diminish the progress we have made, the resilience of our communities, or the memory of the millions whose lives were cut short by HIV/AIDS. Thank you so much for your continued advocacy and your unwavering commitment.
The Meaning of This Year’s Theme
This year’s theme, Rethink, Rebuild, Rise, speaks directly to who we are. Every day, we rethink how to make care more equitable. We rebuild trust where stigma once tried to live. And we rise not alone but together with our heads up and our eyes forward.
Since the first World AIDS Day, we have honored those we’ve lost, supported people living with HIV, and recommitted ourselves to the work ahead. That mission continues.
The Global Reality
The global facts remain urgent, and they remind us why this work is far from over:
- 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV
- 1.3 million were newly diagnosed globally in 2024
- 600,000 AIDS-related deaths occurred this year
Progress is uneven. Some regions see declines in new diagnoses, while others experience increases fueled by inequities, stigma, and limited access to care. In the United States alone, approximately 1.2 million people are living with HIV, with about 32,000 newly diagnosed each year.
What the ACTG Continues to Lead
As a network, ACTG Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally continues to build a future rooted in science, equity, and partnership. We conduct cutting-edge research to strengthen treatment and advance therapeutic options that improve the lives of people living with HIV around the world.
Our studies range from novel antiretroviral therapies and long-acting injectables to community-informed methodology designed to expand equitable care, while also addressing co-infections such as tuberculosis and hepatitis. Every trial we run, every site we support, and every community voice we engage matters.
And let us be clear: community is not an accessory to research community is central to research.
A Shared Responsibility
Now is not the time to step back. Progress can be lost through stigma, discrimination, and reductions in funding. Every one of us community members, Principal Investigators, site staff, CAB members, scientists, and advocates plays a role in ensuring the truth about HIV/AIDS remains visible, grounded in science, and amplified with purpose.
Call to Action
Please take a moment today to post this message on your social media pages:
“December 1st was World AIDS Day. Pass it on”.
If each of us shares this message, we can amplify awareness, strengthen advocacy, and honor the lives lost to HIV/AIDS.
We will not be silenced.
We will not be erased.
We will Rethink, Rebuild, Rise together.
Thank you Drs. Eron, Gandhi, Kityo, and Dr. Currier for your leadership.
To all the members of ACTG, thank you for your dedication, your partnership, and your continued voice in this movement.
Orbit Clanton
ACTG Community Member