STAT: Women are leading the way in HIV research
Linda-Gail Bekker, president of the International AIDS Society and co-director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Center at the University of Cape Town, and Anthony S. Fauci, director of the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

“…Women now represent half of the people living with HIV around the world. To end this pandemic, women are advancing research on the front lines as scientists in laboratories and clinics and as leaders of large, international clinical trial efforts. Women are also making a difference in clinics around the world as participants in clinical trials, volunteering to help us better understand and fight the disease, one person at a time. Women are setting examples, breaking down barriers, and demonstrating the value that inclusivity brings in scientific research. Because of their efforts, more trials will ensure that the unique biology of women is taken into account as new HIV treatment and prevention tools are developed, tested, and ultimately used by both sexes. … As HIV researchers, we see every day how our work to end this pandemic depends on strong women. We have met countless women along this journey who have given unconditionally, volunteering their time, their bodies, and their hope to drive the scientific process. We thank and salute them” (3/8).