Important note: Information in this article was accurate in December 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. 
The large international AIDS conferences tend to organize presentations into several themes or "tracks," such as:
Because HIV/AIDS affects so many people, attendance at these conferences has grown considerably, exceeding 10,000 people. As a result, more themes have been added, lecture halls are filled to capacity and often there is not enough time in question periods. With so many tracks, presentations, posters and piggybacking mini conferences, it is sometimes challenging to capture all the important information in such overwhelming circumstances. Therefore, not surprisingly, AIDS conferences may not always provide the ideal learning opportunity that they once did, particularly for people interested in the care and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Over the past decade, smaller and more focused conferences and workshops have appeared to better deal with issues relating to HIV/AIDS care and treatment. One of these smaller conferences is the International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection, which is held in Glasgow, Scotland.
Despite its remote location, the Sixth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection attracted leading doctors and scientists from Australia, North and South America, Africa and the European Union. Conference organizers sought and accepted input from people with HIV/AIDS. For instance, there was a session at the conference devoted to treatment strategies that was co-chaired by a knowledgeable community member from Paris. Presentations during this session were made by researchers from London, Paris and Vancouver. Eloquent talks by community members from New Mexico and Belgium helped to put a human face to important issues such as:
There was also a session devoted to issues about anti-HIV therapy in low-income countries. For the first time at a major AIDS conference, a leading manufacturer of generic drugs in India, Cipla Ltd., presented data on a novel combination product. Their presentation revolved around the development of a pill containing the following three medicines made by three different drug companies (this pill is not available in high-income countries):
In addition to lectures by leading researchers, panels on different topics and speeches by keynote speakers, there were about 300 posters on display. Posters are usually about one metre by one metre in size and filled with detailed descriptions of research, clinical trials or reports of a particular illness and its treatment. All in all, at conferences of this nature, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the density of information. Our coverage of the Glasgow conference will highlight selected issues, including the following:
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Copyright © 2002 - TreatmentUpdate. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Editor, The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, 555 Richmond St. West, Suite 505, Box 1104, Toronto, ON, M5V 3B1 • Phone: 416-203-7122 • Toll Free: 1-800-263-1638 • Fax: 416-203-8284 http://www.catie.ca
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