X International AIDS Conference, 1994

The X International AIDS Conference, 1994 was held in Yokohama, Japan. The theme of the conference was "The Global Challenge of AIDS: Together for the future".

AIDS in Japan before the conference

In 1994 the media identified only 4 Japanese citizens in Japan who would publicly admit to being HIV positive.[1] Only 800 cases of HIV had been reported in Japan to this time, and the public perception was that HIV was a disease for foreigners.[1]

Various groups asserted that persons in Japan who lived with HIV would face discrimination.[2] In preparation for the event, the Ministry of Health appealed to restaurants, hotels, and hospitals not to refuse service to anyone because of their HIV status.[1]

Highlights

Guests at the opening ceremony included Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama and Crown Prince Naruhito.[3]

Attendees found that few advances had been made to treat HIV infection with standard antiretroviral therapy.[4] The mood at the conference was pessimistic.[5][6]

For reasons including a consensus was that no conclusive clinical advances were being made, organizers decided to change the event from an annual event to a biennial event after this one.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c POLLACK, ANDREW (August 7, 1994). "Japan May Have to Face Up to AIDS - New York Times". The New York Times. New York. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  2. ^ Hills, Ben (6 August 1994). "AIDS spotlight turns on Japan's dark secret". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 28. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  3. ^ "Japan Opens AIDS Forum; Note of Gloom". The New York Times. New York. 8 August 1994. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  4. ^ Berger PB (June 1995). "New directions in research: report from the 10th International Conference on AIDS". CMAJ. 152 (12): 1991–5. PMC 1338021. PMID 7780908.
  5. ^ Barr, Mike (June–July 1994). "Essay: World AIDS Conference". poz.com. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  6. ^ Wilson, Phill (October–November 1994). "Rising Sun?". poz.com. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  7. ^ Cotton, P. (1994). "Many Clues, Few Conclusions on AIDS". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. 272 (10): 753–756. doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03520100017005.