History of HIV

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publish a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), describing cases of a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia (PCP), in five young, previously healthy gay men in Los Angeles. All the men have other unusual infections as well, indicating that their immune systems are not working; two have already died by the time the report is published. This edition of the MMWR marks the first official reporting of what will become known as the AIDS epidemic.

By year’s end, there is a cumulative total of 270 reported cases of severe immune deficiency among gay men, and 121 of those individuals have died. Some researchers begin calling the condition GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency). This terminology influences both the medical profession and the public to perceive the epidemic as limited to gay men, with serious long-term consequences for women, heterosexual men, hemophiliacs, people who inject drugs, and children.

CDC uses the term “AIDS” (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) for the first time and releases the first case definition of AIDS: “a disease at least moderately predictive of a defect in cell-mediated immunity, occurring in a person with no known case for diminished resistance to that disease.”

CDC reports a case of AIDS in an infant who received blood transfusions. The following week, the MMWR reports 22 cases of unexplained immunodeficiency and opportunistic infections in infants.

CDC hosts a public meeting with the representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), NIH, the blood services community, gay activists, and hemophilia specialists to identify opportunities to protect the nation’s blood supply from AIDS, but participants fail to reach consensus on appropriate action.

CDC reports cases of AIDS in female sexual partners of males with AIDS.

CDC establishes the National AIDS Hotline to respond to public inquiries about the disease.

People living with AIDS (PLWAs) take over the plenary stage at the National AIDS Forum in Denver, and issue a statement on the right of PLWAs to be at the table when policy is made, to be treated with dignity, and to be called “people with AIDS,” not “AIDS victims.” The statement becomes known as The Denver Principles, and it serves as the charter for the founding of the National Association of People with AIDS.

CDC identifies all major routes of HIV transmission—and rules out transmission by casual contact, food, water, air, or environmental surfaces.

IOWA: AIDS becomes reportable in the state of Iowa.

Community-based AIDS service organizations join together to form AIDS Action, a national organization in Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of people and communities affected by the epidemic, to educate the federal government, and to help shape AIDS-related policy and legislation.

CDC states that avoiding injection drug use and reducing needle sharing “should also be effective in preventing transmission of the virus.”

Ryan White, an Indiana teenager who contracted AIDS through blood products containing HIV that were used to treat his hemophilia, is refused entry to his middle school. His family’s protracted legal battles to protect White’s right to attend school call national attention to the issue of AIDS, and Ryan chooses to speak out publicly on the need for AIDS education.

President Ronald Reagan mentions AIDS publicly for the first time, calling AIDS “a top priority” and defending his administration against criticisms that funding for AIDS research is inadequate.

CDC reports that AIDS cases are disproportionately affecting people from the African-American/Black and Latino communities. This is particularly true for African American/Black and Latino children, who make up 90% of perinatally acquired AIDS cases. The National Minority AIDS Council (now known by its acronym, NMAC) was formed this year.

FDA declares HIV prevention as a new indication for male condoms.

Princess Diana makes international headlines when she is photographed shaking the hand of a person living with HIV who was a patient in a London hospital. She goes on to become a passionate advocate for people living with HIV and speaks forcefully against HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

The U.S. Public Health Service adds HIV as a “dangerous contagious disease” to its immigration exclusion list and mandates testing for all visa applicants. The HIV ban will not be lifted until January 4, 2010.

President Reagan makes his first public speech about AIDS and establishes a Presidential Commission on HIV.

Ryan White, a teenager living with HIV who has become a national spokesperson for AIDS education, testifies before the President’s Commission on AIDS.

World AIDS Day is observed for the first time. The date (Dec. 1) is designated by WHO and supported by the UN.

HRSA awards HIV planning grants to 11 states and 10 cities in order to create a plan for HIV/AIDS systems of care, and also funds the first Pediatric AIDS Service Demonstration Grants. These grants lay the groundwork for the statewide programs that will later be funded under the Ryan White CARE Act.

The National Commission on AIDS meets for the first time.

Ryan White, the Indiana teen who became an international spokesperson against HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, dies of AIDS-related illness at the age of 18.

The U.S. Congress enacts the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act of 1990, which provides $220.5 million in federal funds for HIV community-based care and treatment services in its first year. HRSA is given responsibility for managing the program, which is the nation’s largest HIV-specific federal grant program.

In response to the critical, unmet need for HIV prevention and care among Latino persons, a group of community leaders forms the Latino Commission on AIDS.

American basketball star Earvin “Magic” Johnson announces that he is living with HIV.

Freddie Mercury, lead singer/songwriter of the rock band Queen, dies of AIDS-related illness at age 45.

NMAC, in cooperation with the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) and the National AIDS Interfaith Network, holds the first annual National Skills Building Conference, which will later become the United States Conference on AIDS.

In this year, AIDS becomes the number-one cause of death for U.S. men ages 25 to 44.

FDA licenses a rapid HIV diagnostic test kit, which gives results from a blood test in 10 minutes.

President Clinton establishes the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP).

FDA approves the internal condom (previously known as a "female condom").

In this year, AIDS becomes the leading cause of death for all Americans ages 25 to 44.

FDA approves an oral HIV test, the first non-blood-based antibody test for HIV.

President Clinton issues an Executive Order establishing his Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. The Council meets for the first time on July 28.

The National Association of People With AIDS launches the first National HIV Testing Day (June 27).

In this year, the number of new AIDS cases diagnosed in the U.S. declines for the first time since the beginning of the epidemic.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt is displayed in its entirety for the last time. It covers the entire National Mall in Washington, DC.

TIME Magazine names HIV/AIDS researcher Dr. David Ho as its “Man of the Year” for his work on highly active antiretroviral therapy. Ho advocates for a new strategy for treating HIV – “hit early, hit hard,” in which patients are placed on new, more aggressive treatment regimens earlier in the course of their infection in hopes of keeping them healthier longer.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) becomes the new standard of HIV care.

CDC reports the first substantial decline in AIDS deaths in the United States. Due largely to the use of HAART, AIDS-related deaths in the U.S. decline by 47% compared with the previous year.

FDA approves Combivir®, a combination of two antiretroviral drugs in one tablet, which makes it easier for people living with HIV to take their medications.

CDC reports that Black/African American persons account for 49% of U.S. AIDS-related deaths. AIDS-related mortality for Black/African American persons is almost 10 times that of white persons and three times that of Latino persons.

In October, President Clinton declares AIDS to be a “severe and ongoing health crisis” in Black/African American and Latino communities in the United States. He announces a special package of initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on racial and ethnic minorities.

CDC issues the first national treatment guidelines for the use of antiretroviral therapy in adults and adolescents with HIV.

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers those in earlier stages of HIV disease, not just those who have developed AIDS.

IOWA: HIV becomes reportable by name in the state of Iowa.

WHO announces that HIV/AIDS has become the fourth "biggest killer" worldwide and the "number one killer" in Africa. The organization estimates that 33 million people are living with HIV worldwide, and that 14 million have died of AIDS.

CDC releases a new HIV case definition to help state health departments expand their HIV surveillance efforts and more accurately track the changing course of the epidemic.

The Clinton Administration declares that HIV/AIDS is a threat to U.S. national security.

President Clinton issues an Executive Order to assist developing countries in importing and producing generic HIV treatments.

UNAIDS, WHO, and other global health groups announce a joint initiative with five major pharmaceutical manufacturers to negotiate reduced prices for HIV/AIDS drugs in developing countries.

February 7 marks the first annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the U.S.

May 18 is the first annual observance of HIV Vaccine Awareness Day.

HRSA begins focusing on individuals with HIV who know their status and are not receiving HIV-related services. HRSA instructs its grantees to address this population’s “unmet need” for services.

CDC announces a new HIV Prevention Strategic Plan to cut annual new cases of HIV in the U.S. by half within five years.

The United States announces a framework that will allow poor countries unable to produce pharmaceuticals to gain greater access to drugs needed to combat HIV, malaria, and other public health crises.

UNAIDS reports that HIV/AIDS is now by far the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, and the fourth biggest global killer. Average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa falls from 62 years to 47 years as a result of AIDS.

FDA approves the first rapid HIV diagnostic test kit for use in the United States that provides results with 99.6% accuracy in as little as 20 minutes. Unlike other antibody tests for HIV, this blood test can be stored at room temperature, requires no specialized equipment, and may be used outside of traditional laboratory or clinical settings, allowing more widespread use of HIV testing.

Worldwide, 10 million young people, aged 15-24, and almost 3 million children under 15 are living with HIV. During this year, approximately 3.5 million new infections will occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and the epidemic will claim the lives of an estimated 2.4 million people in Africa.

CDC calculates that 27,000 of the estimated 40,000 new cases that occur each year in the U.S. result from transmission by individuals who do not know they are living with HIV.

President George W. Bush announces the creation of the United States President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in his State of the Union address. PEPFAR is a $15 billion, 5-year plan to combat AIDS, primarily in countries with a high burden of infections.

October 15 marks the first annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day in the U.S.

WHO announces the “3 by 5” initiative to bring treatment to 3 million people by 2005.

In February, UNAIDS launches The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS to raise the visibility of the epidemic’s impact on women and girls around the world.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela announces that his son, Makgatho Mandela, has died of AIDS-related illness at age 54. Mandela urges South Africans to treat AIDS as an “ordinary disease,” rather than a “curse.” He also asks families to speak openly about the toll of the disease in order to break down the taboos associated with HIV/AIDS.

May 19 is the first annual National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the U.S.

March 10 is the first annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the U.S.

March 20 is the first annual observance of National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the U.S.

In October, CDC launches Prevention IS Care (PIC), a social marketing campaign designed for healthcare providers who deliver care to people living with HIV.

CDC reports over 565,000 people have died of AIDS in the U.S. since 1981.

IOWA: Prenatal HIV testing is required under Iowa state law.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that the incidence of HIV infection among gay men in the U.S. is increasing, following an encouraging period of decline. Between 2001–2006, new HIV diagnoses in gay men under age 30 rose 32%. Among Black and Latino men, the figure was 34%. Most troublingly, the number of new diagnoses among the youngest men in the study (ages 13–19) doubled.

A large international study finds evidence that people taking HIV treatment can now expect to live into their 60s and beyond. Researchers report that a 20-year-old person living with HIV who starts treatment with a CD4 cell count above 200 cells/mm3 can expect to live to be 70.

September 18 marks the first observance of National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day.

September 27 marks the first observance of National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Newly elected President Barack Obama calls for the development of the first National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States.

June 8 marks the first annual recognition of Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

President Obama announces that his administration will officially lift the HIV travel and immigration ban in January 2010 by removing the final regulatory barriers to entry. The lifting of the travel ban occurs in conjunction with the announcement that the XIX International AIDS Conference will return to the United States for the first time in more than 20 years.

The U.S. Government officially lifts the HIV travel and immigration ban.

President Obama signs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PDF, 2.72 KB], which expands access to care and prevention for all Americans—but offers special protections for those living with chronic illnesses, like HIV, that make it difficult for them to access or afford healthcare.

The Obama Administration releases the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States.

A new CDC study and a separate clinical trial (the Partners PrEP study) provide the first evidence that a daily oral dose of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV can also prevent new infections in individuals exposed to HIV through heterosexual sex.

Lead federal agencies release implementation plans in support of the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

The FDA approves the first at-home HIV test that will let users learn their HIV status right away.

The FDA approves the use of Truvada® for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Adults who do not have HIV, but are at higher likelihood for acquiring it, can now take this medication to reduce their chances of getting the virus through sexual activity.

During AIDS 2012, the AIDS Memorial Quilt is displayed in its entirety in Washington, D.C., for the first time since 1996. Volunteers have to rotate nearly 50,000 panels to ensure that the entire work is displayed.

President Obama issues an Executive Order directing federal agencies to prioritize supporting the HIV care continuum as a means of implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The HIV Care Continuum Initiative aims to accelerate efforts to improve the percentage of people living with HIV who move from testing to treatment and—ultimately—to viral suppression.

Dallas Buyers Club—a film about an HIV-positive man who smuggled unapproved HIV drugs from Mexico to meet the demands of people who were dying of AIDS—is released to wide critical acclaim. The film, which is based on the true story of Texas electrician Ron Woodroof, goes on to win three Academy Awards. Woodroof died of AIDS-related illness on September 12, 1992.

UNAIDS estimates that, worldwide, 2.3 million people newly acquired HIV during the year, and 1.6 million people died of AIDS. Approximately 35.3 million people around the world are now living with HIV, including more than 1.2 million people in the U.S.

UNAIDS also announces that new HIV cases have dropped more than 50% in 25 low- and middle-income countries, and the number of people getting antiretroviral treatment has increased 63% in the past two years.

The Pew Charitable Trust reports that southern states are now the epicenter of HIV in the U.S.

CDC releases a new report that finds gaps in care and treatment among Latino people diagnosed with HIV.

CDC announces that only 30% of Americans with HIV had the virus "under control" (i.e. virally suppressed) in 2011. Approximately two-thirds of those whose virus was "out of control" have been diagnosed but are no longer in care. (Note: The quotations indicate language that is original to the 2014 study but stigmatizing and no longer in use. The concept being discussed is what we now refer to as viral suppression.)

CDC announces that more than 90% of new HIV acquisitions in the United States could be prevented by diagnosing people living with HIV and ensuring they receive prompt, ongoing care and treatment.

Indiana state health officials announce an HIV outbreak linked to injection drug use in the southeastern portion of the state. By the end of the year, Indiana will confirm 184 new cases of HIV linked to the outbreak.

Results from the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) study indicate that individuals with HIV who start taking antiretroviral drugs before their CD4+ cell counts decrease have a considerably lower risk of developing AIDS or other serious illnesses. Subsequent data releases show that early therapy for people living with HIV also prevents the onset of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other non-AIDS-related diseases.

Researchers report that antiretroviral therapy is highly effective at preventing sexual transmission of HIV from a person living with HIV to a heterosexual partner who does not have HIV, when partner with HIV is virally suppressed. The finding comes from the decade-long HPTN 052 clinical trial.

The WHO announces new treatment recommendations that call for all people living with HIV to begin antiretroviral therapy as soon after diagnosis as possible. WHO also recommends daily oral PrEP as an additional prevention choice for those at substantial risk for acquiring HIV. WHO estimates the new policies could help avert more than 21 million deaths and 28 million new infections by 2030.

CDC announces that annual HIV diagnoses in the U.S. fell by 19% from 2005 to 2014. There were steep declines among heterosexuals, people who inject drugs, and Black/African American people (especially Black women), but trends for gay/bisexual men varied by race/ethnicity. Diagnoses among white gay/bisexual men decreased by 18%, but they continued to rise among Latino gay/bisexual men (+24%) and Black gay/bisexual men (+22%), although the increase for the latter leveled off since 2010.

CDC reports that only 1 in 5 sexually active high school students has been tested for HIV. An estimated 50% of young Americans who are living with HIV do not know they have acquired it. 

NIH and partners announce they will launch a large HIV vaccine trial in South Africa in November 2016, pending regulatory approval. This represents the first time since 2009 that the scientific community has embarked on an HIV vaccine clinical trial of this size.