I remember as if it were yesterday when Timothy Ray Brown (aka the Berlin Patient) was featured on the cover of POZ in 2011. Back then, I was deputy editor of POZ, and Timothy was the first person to have been cured of HIV. The world has moved on.

 

I’ve been blessed to be editor-in-chief since 2012. We lost Timothy in 2020 to a recurrence of the leukemia he was treated for with stem cell transplants that resulted in his HIV cure. Scientists have since successfully reproduced the procedure in several people. Go here to read about the 11th person (aka the Toronto Patient) to benefit from this rare cure.

 

It’s difficult to convey the mixed feelings that Timothy’s story brings up in me and perhaps in others. As someone who tested HIV positive in 1992, before effective treatment, I internalized early on a fear of never living a long life, let alone witnessing an actual cure for the virus. Yet I have to juggle my joy about potential cures with the realities about the widespread implementation of a practical cure for HIV.

 

Thankfully, we have legions of scientists, researchers and advocates worldwide who remain focused on curing HIV. A steadfast player in that symphony is amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. The nonprofit organization has marked four decades of scientific discovery, which includes major support of HIV cure research. Go here to read more about amfAR’s latest contributions and for a profile on Kyle Clifford, the group’s first openly HIV-positive CEO.

 

When Kyle found out he was living with HIV in 2012, the news was compounded by also receiving an AIDS diagnosis. That dual result persists as an all-too-common occurrence for people around the world and here at home, which only underscores the continuing need to increase HIV prevention and testing. And as always bears repeating, effective HIV treatment is prevention, so getting more folks living with the virus on medications to suppress their viral load to an undetectable level is also a key goal.

 

In addition to amfAR’s efforts, this special issue of POZ dedicated to HIV science and treatment checks in on related news. Go here to read about a new combination pill for HIV treatment. Then Go here to learn how antiretrovirals slow accelerated biological aging in people with HIV.

 

The evidence is clearer every day that early treatment yields better outcomes for people living with HIV. As a result, folks who test positive for the virus must not only deal with the emotional stress of the moment but also increasingly make quick decisions on treatment. The introduction of new medications only makes the choice all the more consequential. Go here for the 2026 HIV Drug Chart to see the most current options.

 

Having additional choices of medications can also be a lifesaver for people who are already on HIV treatment but considering other options. Go here to read the latest updates on switching HIV treatment.

 

The financial costs of the virus are ever present. Dining Out For Life has met the challenge for 35 years. Go here to read how the nationwide fundraiser continues to provide a place at the table for people living with HIV.