Other News In 1995
For women, transmission of HIV through heterosexual contact rises by 38 percent, equal to the number of women who contract HIV by injection drug use.2
Researchers discover that the HIV virus is highly susceptible to mutation and likely to result in resistance to antiviral therapies.3
Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis announces he is HIV positive, leading to public debate on disclosure.4
1995
First Protease Inhibitor Becomes Available
In a development that would forever change the HIV/AIDS treatment landscape, the FDA approved an open label study of saquinavir in June 1995. The first drug of its kind to be made available outside ongoing clinical trials, saquinavir is a protease inhibitor. It targets a cell’s protease, which is a protein needed by HIV to replicate itself.
On December 6, 1995, just 6 months later—virtually a nanosecond on a typical drug approval timeline—saquinavir was approved for use in combination with other nucleoside analogue medications. The age of combination therapy—and a new era of hope for people with access to the new treatment—had arrived.
The news media referred to the new treatment variously as a “drug cocktail,” “triple combination therapy,” “combination therapy,” “antiretroviral therapy” and, often, simply as “protease inhibitors.” Among scientists, the use of drugs (usually two) in combination with a protease inhibitor was called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART.
HAART became widely available to people living with HIV/AIDS in 1996. AIDS morbidity and mortality fell almost immediately in the industrialized world, and the way we think about AIDS also changed forever.
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Toward Passage - 1986
HRSA Debuts First
AIDS Program - 1987
AZT Reimbursement
Program Launches - 1988
Pediatric AIDS
Grants Begins - 1989
HRSA Funds Move
Outside Epicenters - 1990
CARE Act Is Adopted,
Named for Indiana Teen -
The Early Years - 1991
HRSA Awards First
CARE Act Grants - 1992
Training Creates Access
to Expert Care - 1993
Largest Epicenters
Now Number 25 - 1994
AZT Is Found to Protect
Newborns From HIV - 1995
The Age of Combination
Therapy Arrives -
Adapting to Change - 1996
CARE Act
Reauthorized - 1997
Programs Unite
Under One Umbrella - 1998
Administration Addresses
Epidemic in Minorities - 1999
Minority AIDS Initiative
is Launched - 2000
Reauthorization Focuses
on People Not in Care -
A New Millennium - 2001
HRSA Publishes Treatment
Guide for Women - 2002
CARE Act Expertise
Goes Global - 2003
Global HIV/AIDS
Program Begins - 2004
HRSA Addresses
Severity of Need - 2005
New Treatment
for Addiction -
New Approaches - 2006
The CARE Act
Makeover - 2007
New Policies—
Waves of Change - 2008
Continuing Work
on Re-entry Programs - 2009
Improving
Performance Data - 2010
20 Years and
a Legacy of Care -
The Road Ahead - 2011
30 Years of AIDS:
Honoring the Past,
Looking Toward the Future - 2012
Care is Prevention