By Susan J. Blumenthal and Lauren Brunet

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found decreases in HIV infections overall in the U.S., but not for women.  

At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, the scientific and medical communities failed to recognize that women could be seriously affected by the disease. As a result, they were excluded from clinical trials for HIV and AIDS treatment and preventive interventions. This major public health oversight led to a rapid rise in the number of HIV cases among women worldwide. Women now represent 54 percent of people living with HIV globally, and 24 percent in America.

Thankfully, significant investments in research over the last four decades have produced lifesaving discoveries in HIV prevention and treatment.