Quick Links: Skip to main page content Skip to Search Skip to Topics Menu Skip to Section Content Menu Skip to Common Links
  • Decrease font size
  • Return font size to normal
  • Increase font size
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

For Consumers

  • Print
  • Share
  • E-mail
-

World AIDS Day 2009

World AIDS Day was established 21 years ago by the World Health Organization to focus awareness and attention on the AIDS epidemic. It’s an important reminder that HIV and AIDS are still with us, still spreading, and still claiming lives.

World AIDS Day is also a time to remember those who have a place in our lives, and are no longer here. Those who lost the battle against AIDS, but remain in our minds, and our hearts.

World AIDS Day is a time for reflection, and also for celebration.

FDA plays a vital role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  The agency provides review and oversight in areas related to drugs, biologics and medical devices for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS and AIDS-related conditions. FDA helps to ensure the safety of the blood supply, is involved in surveillance and quality assurance of barrier products that can help prevent transmission of HIV, and plays a role in the search for workable preventive and therapeutic vaccines. Food safety also plays an important role in the health of people infected with HIV in the United States.

To support the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), FDA developed special expedited review procedures that allow FDA to quickly review applications for generic formulations of drugs to treat HIV, as well as unique fixed-dose combinations, or new dose formulations of approved drugs. During 2009, reached a milestone of more than 100 tentative approvals for the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to help make treatments more available in countries served by the program.

The work of people within FDA has contributed to tangible and profound changes in access to medical treatment for people living with AIDS, not just in the United States, but globally as well, through PEPFAR. Lower cost therapies, improved formulations that increase drug adherence, and new pediatric formulations have brought positive changes to the people of the developing world that were only dreamed of just a few years ago.

Richard Klein
Office of Special Health Issues
Food and Drug Administration

Kimberly Struble
Division of Antiviral Drug Products
Food and Drug Administration

-
-