HTB: no. 11 – HIV and COVID-19: issue 8 (14 October 2020)

This double issue of HTB (covering September and October 2020) is again combined with a supplement on COVID-19.

All readers are unfortunately already likely to know about our first news – a tribute to Timothy Ray Brown – an inspiring activist and the first person to be cured of HIV. Timothy will always have a unique place in the history of HIV and his story brought hope to millions of people globally. But he took this further in working for a cure for the rest of us. He will be missed and our thoughts are with his partner, family and friends.

We then include reports from two conferences, both held as virtual meetings: the biennial HIV Glasgow and the annual PK Workshop.

As the UK is already being pulled into a second lockdown, virtual meetings are likely to be with us for some time. And Glasgow did particularly well in developing a web format that retained the tension of a real-time meeting. Prerecorded videos enabled webcasts to be posted at the end of each day, but speakers and panelists were also available to answer questions in real time after each session in the programme. Posters were similarly already loaded as PDF files and were easy to download.

The programme was current and topical, with many lectures and sessions covering COVID-19, women’s health, side effects (notably weight gain) as well as presentations sessions on PrEP and pipeline compounds for treatment. First reports from this meeting are included in this issue and more will continue in the next.

Other HIV news included that BASHH PEP guidelines are now online for comment and an article on elite controllers and cure research by Richard Jefferys.

STOP PRESS also includes that the EMA have given a positive opinion on approving long-active cabotegravir/rilpivirine injections for treatment. Also that this is for both monthly or two-monthly dosing.

And as the UK is on the brink of a second lockdown, the supplement on HIV and COVID-19 – now in its eight edition – also has extensive news.

This covers HIV coinfection, potential treatment, transmission news (including cases of reinfection) and more.

As always, we extend our appreciation to all health workers during this difficult time – and hope all readers stay as safe as possible.