The world's largest HIV conference concluded in Rio de Janeiro on Friday with a clear message: while scientific advances have brought humanity closer than ever to ending AIDS, declining global funding now poses the greatest threat to achieving that goal.
After six days of scientific presentations, policy debates and community discussions, delegates at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) celebrated major advances in HIV prevention and treatment while warning that shrinking financial support could reverse decades of progress.
More than 7,000 researchers, policymakers, health professionals, activists and people living with HIV from over 175 countries attended the conference under the theme "Rethink. Rebuild. Rise."
The overriding conclusion was that science is no longer the biggest barrier to ending HIV; equitable access is.
Researchers presented promising data on long-acting HIV prevention medicines, simplified treatment strategies and next-generation therapies that could dramatically reduce new infections and improve treatment adherence. Experts described the findings as the most significant advances since antiretroviral therapy transformed HIV from a fatal disease into a manageable chronic condition.
Delegates, however, cautioned that these breakthroughs will have limited impact unless governments, donors and pharmaceutical companies ensure affordable and equitable access.
Incoming International AIDS Society (IAS) President Professor Kenneth Ngure of Kenya said scientific discoveries change lives only when they are translated into policies, financing and health services that reach the people who need them most.
Outlining his vision for the IAS, Ngure pledged to champion science, equity and the next generation of researchers while working to ensure that innovation benefits all countries, not just the wealthiest.
Despite the optimism surrounding these advances, concerns over funding dominated discussions throughout the conference.
Researchers, UN agencies and civil society organizations warned that the global HIV response is facing one of its most challenging financial periods in decades following significant cuts to international assistance, particularly from the United States.
Community organizations in several countries have already begun scaling back HIV prevention, testing and outreach services, raising fears that hard-won gains could be reversed.
New estimates presented during the conference showed that around 1.2 million people acquired HIV and 570,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide in 2025.
Experts warned those figures could rise if investment continues to decline.
The conference also highlighted how quickly HIV epidemics can expand when prevention programs weaken, citing Fiji as a stark example.
Researchers described Fiji as one of the world's fastest-growing HIV outbreaks, with new diagnoses rising sharply over the past five years, driven largely by injecting drug use. They urged the expansion of harm reduction measures, including needle and syringe programs, opioid substitution therapy and community-led interventions.
Throughout the week, speakers stressed that biomedical innovation alone will not end AIDS.
Success, they said, will also depend on protecting human rights, reducing stigma, strengthening community-led organizations and ensuring that key populations remain at the center of the response.
The discussions also carried important lessons for Bangladesh. Although the country remains a low-prevalence setting, much of its HIV prevention program—particularly services for people who inject drugs and other key populations—continues to rely on international donor support.
Experts said declining external financing makes greater domestic investment increasingly important to sustain prevention efforts and protect past achievements.
The conference also underscored the need for stronger collaboration between scientists, governments and communities, arguing that scientific breakthroughs have little value if they remain confined to laboratories instead of reaching the people who need them.
As the conference concluded, the International AIDS Society entered a new chapter with Kenneth Ngure assuming its presidency.
Ngure said the next phase of the global HIV response must focus not only on generating scientific evidence but also on translating discoveries into policies that improve lives through equitable access, stronger partnerships and investment in young researchers.
Delegates also looked ahead to the IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2027), scheduled to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 12 to 15, 2027, where scientists and policymakers will assess whether the commitments made in Rio have translated into tangible progress.