18th International Workshop on Comorbidities, 12-13 September, New York, USA

The 18th International Workshop on Comorbidities and Adverse Drug Reactions in HIV was held from 12-13 September 2016 in New York.

This long-running workshop, initially set up to look at lipodystrophy, continues to be an important focus for research into side effects of ART and other comorbidities. In addition to having an abstract-driven programme, plenary talks are notable for including lectures from outside the HIV field that address new issues and complications.

This year the meeting was held the New York Academy of Sciences at the World Trade Centre in New York, immediately following the 15th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11. A parallel between the immediate loss of life from both AIDS and the terrorist attacks was made during the opening welcome by the workshop co-chair Donald Kotler who was a doctor involved in early medical responses to both.

It was also important that a new scholarship award for best young investigator study was named to honor long-time HIV activist Bob Munk who before his death last year had been involved in this workshop since the first meetings, including as a community representative on the scientific steering committee for many years.

As well as the abstract-driven programme, plenary talks at the meeting are notable for including lectures that address new issues and complications often from expert from outside the HIV field. This year these talks included physiology of bone, metabolic regulation of ageing, adipose tissue as an HIV reservoir, smoking cessation and new treatments for LDL management.

Presentations from the workshop, including the programme and abstract book will be available from the conference website.