December 08, 2023
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
40 years of research and action: testimonies from representatives of patient organizations
To mark the 40th anniversary of the identification of HIV, several interviews have been conducted with representatives of patient organizations for the Research Journal on the pasteur.fr website. You will already have read about the first two interviews in the newsletter on November 17, and we are pleased to present two further testimonies in this latest edition of the newsletter:
The 40-year fight against HIV: we speak to Jennifer Pasquier, Scientific Director at Sidaction
In 1983, the AIDS virus, HIV, was isolated by virologists at the Institut Pasteur. This new virus, which was completely unknown at the time, was a source of fear and rejection for infected people. And while there have been advances in scientific knowledge over the decades – for example, we now know that if a virus cannot be detected in the blood, it cannot be transmitted –, there are still many misconceptions about HIV, especially among young people, as Jennifer Pasquier, Scientific Director at French HIV/AIDS charity Sidaction explains.
The 40-year fight against HIV: we speak to Marc Dixneuf, CEO of AIDES
In 1983 the AIDS virus, HIV, was isolated by virologists at the Institut Pasteur. Forty years later, HIV-positive patients can live with the virus if they are diagnosed in time and receive the right treatment. Treatments are constantly being improved – great strides are being made as a result of close cooperation between patients, caregivers and scientists. They are the bedrock of the 40-year fight against HIV – as Marc Dixneuf, CEO of the French charity AIDES reminds us.