Thirty years ago, Dr. Robert Gallo, the co-discoverer of HIV, stood next to Heckler at that news conference. He felt uneasy when he heard Heckler say that a vaccine would be available in two years. Over the next three decades many guarantees would be made about HIV, almost all of them empty promises. Yet today, Gallo sees the situation finally changing. He says that a "functional cure, I believe, is definitely achievable."
And in December, the White House announced a $100-million initiative toward finding a cure for HIV. This investment has the potential to make an enormous difference. But research is only one piece of the puzzle. Our ability to treat and cure HIV in the future is threatened by the continued stigma, apathy and ignorance surrounding the virus. HIV at 30 still has a long way to go.