The Vancouver Consensus: antiretroviral medicines, medical evidence, and political will

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) 2015-08, Vol.386 (9993), p.505-507
• Main Authors: Beyrer, Chris, Birx, Deborah L, Bekker, Linda-Gail, Barré-Sinoussi, Françoise, Cahn, Pedro, Dybul, Mark R, Eholié, Serge P, Kavanagh, Matthew M, Katabira, Elly T, Lundgren, Jens D, Mworeko, Lilian, Pala, Marama, Puttanakit, Thanyawee, Ryan, Owen, Sidibé, Michel, Montaner, Julio S G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral drugs; Attitude of Health Personnel; Consensus; Drug therapy; Health Policy; Health Services Accessibility; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV Infections - transmission; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Internal Medicine; Prevention
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)61458-1

The Vancouver Consensus calls "on donors and governments to use existing resources for maximum impact and to mobilize sufficient resources globally to support ARV access for all".1 There is an urgent need to identify the resource gap required to ensure access to antiretrovirals for all people living with HIV and secure the funds to implement the UNAIDS 90/90/90 goals in all countries--the UNAIDS goals state that, by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.10 There is growing evidence that rapid expansion of coverage in access to antiretrovirals is not only desirable, but also possible.