Updated: Fri Jun. 03 2011 15:46:43

CTV.ca News Staff

Thirty years ago, AIDS was a source of public panic, a death sentence, a disease with no treatment and no hope. Today, that's no longer the case.

There's still no cure, but medical advancements and attitudes have come a long way. Antiretroviral medication drugs keep patients alive for decades.

Even the "cocktail" of drugs that was common a decade ago has improved, so that many patients now get by on a single pill a day.

But while the United Nations reports a decline in the number of new HIV infections worldwide in the last decade, in Canada, rates of infection are actually on the rise.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says there's been a 14 per cent increase in the number of people living with HIV in Canada from 2005 to 2008. Every eight hours, a Canadian contracts HIV. As well, young adults accounted for about 24 per cent of all people newly diagnosed with HIV and AIDS in 2007.

It's a disturbing and disappointing trend, says Christopher Bunting, the president of the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR).

"We've come a very long way both in terms of attitudes and in terms of medical advances. But we've still got a gap to close," Bunting told CTV's Canada AM Friday.

CANFAR just commissioned a new survey along with the Social Research Centre (SRC) on Canadians' attitude to AIDS and HIV prevention. Among its finds was the startling statistic that among Canadians who have had two or more sexual partners in the last year, almost six in 10 said they did not use a condom the last time they had intercourse.

Bunting says he doesn't know why so many are being complacent about picking up HIV.

"I think Canadians need to re-engage with this issue. This disease is still with us, it's still among us. And I think it's definitely moved off to the back burner over the last decade in particular," he said.

While HIV doesn't raise panic these days, that certainly wasn't the case 30 years ago. When the first cases of the disease were described in an article in the June 5, 1981, edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was intense worry.

The article described the cases of five previously healthy, young gay men in Los Angeles who had what appeared to be an unusual medical condition.

All had been diagnosed with a form of pneumonia that usually appeared only in those with substantial immune system damage. Doctors were baffled about what was happening to them.

Soon, more cases appeared, at first mainly in gay men, but then also in injection drug users, hemophiliacs and recipients of blood products. Later, heterosexual men and women, and newborn babies began dying of unusual illnesses.

Though doctors didn't realize it at first, all had what would later be called acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS.

Since then, more than 25 million people have died of AIDS. Today, at this moment, 33 million people are carriers of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Many of those people live in poor countries and will die quickly because of poor access to treatment. And yet, in Canada and other Western nations, newly diagnosed patients live for decades. In fact, they have a life expectancy only a few months shorter than people without HIV.

Slowly, the picture is changing. An estimated 6.6 million people in low- and middle-income countries were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS at the end of 2010, according to the World Health Organization. Of this, around 450,000 were children.

"The impressive new estimates are an important milestone in the public health response to HIV that began 30 years ago," Dr Margaret Chan, WHO's director-general, said in a statement Thursday.

"But we have much to do to reach the goal of universal access, and doing more of the same will not get us there. We need further innovation in HIV, including simpler and more accessible prevention and treatment approaches for all those in need."

Comments are now closed for this story

Raj
All victims of disease are innocent. Only those who knowingly would pass a disease on to somebody else would be void of my compassion. I think those infected have a responsibility to not engage in risky behaviour or in any way put others at risk. We as a society have a responsibility to ensure that the issue isn't dropped from the media. Parents surely need to step up and put the "scare" back in their kids because they are inundated with notions of promiscuity from television and media that are unhealthy both physically and mentally. And young people need to relearn what self-respect is and perhaps they can develop enough self-esteem to protect themselves.

It's What it IS
The fact is the large majority of AIDS victims are homosexual. Denying that fact accomplishes nothing, What needs to be done is to educate gays on safe sex practices, rather than the display shown in their parades.

Out of the box
It blows my mind that there are out there today that still have such ridiculous thoughts. Want to talk about intelligence? It makes me very sad and angry to think that so many people actually believe that contracting HIV is all because of sleeping around or doing drugs. Wake up you bunch of morons, you are the ones with so little intelligence.

cixcents
pride parades on the way across the nation and that's going to push the statistics higher yet again.

Prof. Pye Chartt
Twenty years ago, NBA star Irving "Magic" Johnson became, largely, the "face" of AIDS in North America. He brought great attention to the disease, lecturing about, making PSAs, and doing the talk-show circuit. He continued with his basketball career. He developed a successful business career. Amidst the continued efforts of Hollywood and the left-wing media machine to indoctrinate us with the rather disingenuous notion that "anyone" could contract AIDS, and that it was a death sentence, "Magic" Johnson inadvertently, unwittingly (but wonderfully) changed the picture. His seemingly thriving existence sucked the "fear" out of the equation, and attention gradually shifted to AIDS in Africa. Today, in North America, the disease isn't a big worry; witness the number of non-monogamous people who don't value the usage of a condom (which also prevents other diseases). Interesting, and sad.

Paul
There's a very good reason why the numbers are so high. The problems can't be identified due to political correctness. Also, teaching 2nd graders how to do oral sex as a new story reported I saw a few months ago in the US isn't helping matters!

steve
The reasons why HIV is higher-Unsafe drug use with infected users-Rise in serious drug use -Immigrants; yes I said it and believe it or not those coming from third world countries do not control it the way we do here in Canada and thus are more susceptible to passing on the virus, and I don't believe Canada orders a mandatory blood test due to expense.-Lack of funding to find a cure-Unaware that they are sick-Multiple sexual relations -Those infected that choose to have relations with another uninfected person just don't careIts only going to get worse as these seven things grow each day.

mikel
Sad that the consequences for deviant behavior are ignored while the behavior is celebrated.

Raj
At one time, it was a gay disease, now we see it in heterosexuals.I am not sure why we dont promote safe sex more than we do. But then again, its all ages, I really dont know why its up.When billions have been poured into research. One thing, more people are living with HIV , rather than dying from it

Jennifer
Heterosexual people have as much anal sex as Homosexuals do so please save the altruistic soapbox lectures about Homosexual sex. Homosexuals in Canada has of late (within the last decade) been given the support structures and rights by the government that Heterosexuals have taken for granted since Adam and Eve. This is part of the reason why for years Homosexuals were put at higher risk due to no support structures in society to recognize their rights or relationships. Healthy relationships and less risk are taken when you no longer need to live in the closet out of fear of job loss, firing, humiliation, blackmail, violence and ridicule. Remember that as a Heterosexual you are given all the support from the age of puberty to explore your "natural self" while young Homosexuals realize early on that they're different and their "natural self" is shunned and forbidden. Most have to reach adulthood before they can free themselves of constraint to become who they naturally are. Imagine how you would feel if you were boxed in and made to hide and deny yourself?

Karene
I'm very pessimistic that the "powers that be" (a dirty little secret) see more profit in pharmaceuticals than actually finding a final cure that makes HIV/AIDS disappear forever. Just like Cancer, AIDS drugs are an investment for share/stockholders so why would they ever want to cure something they're making money off? Sad but true.

rick
The drug companies make more money managing the disease rather than the presenting drugs to cure Aids. The virus was created in a CIA lab and the antidote was created at the same time! This was an experiment that went very wrong!

Jcritty
Um... Promiscuity hasn't got anything to do with getting AIDS. You can sleep with hundreds of people and never contract any form of STI, or you could get down with two people and find yourself living with HIV.It has everything to do with being responsible when you're having sex. Or using needles, for that matter (a prime example why the safe injection site in Vancouver is important).It's sad to hear Canadians saying they have no sympathy who contracted the disease. I'm assuming these people are Christian, and therefore hypocritical. I carry as much sympathy for an AIDS patient as I do a child with Cancer.Looking out for one another, caring for those in need and wanting to make the world a better place for everyone... These are the qualities that make Canadians the best people in the world.I hope a few of you will take time to reconsider your comments.

Boodarie
To all you judgmental people out there who blame "us" infected people living with HIV and how much it costs the health care system. What about the people (Robert Picton & Russel Williams) who commit crimes and cost the taxpayers millions of dollars to put them through the judicial system and cost of keeping them locked up? Now there is something for you to think about before opening your dumb ass mouths!!!

Dean - Edm
My hope is for the next generation to no longer tolerate the ignorance of people as ill-informed and close-minded as Paul ~ Kitchener. <>

This is Wonderful News! Great to hear of such progress for those having to live with HIV/AIDS

Amy
The pharmaceutical companies make far too much money off of the prescriptions that HIV/AIDS patients have to take. No cure will ever be found b/c it would only cut into their profit. They benefit the most from people being sick! Same deal with cancer, diabetes... or whatever other disease you can think of.As long as the pharmaceutical companies have the power that they do, no cures will ever be found for the diseases that the majority of us suffer with today. Think about it!

Redfern
This is an entirely self-inflicted disease. In short--a disease of choice. It is 100% preventable. If our healthcare system stopped paying for the treatment and expensive drugs, see how fast this would change behaviour. As long as we allow people to have all the sex and drugs they want without ever having to face the consequences of those choices, AIDS will continue to spread in Canada.

Joe Canadian
How quick we are to judge. I am a guy, I don't have the disease but when I think back to my University days and how many people I slept with....well, damn I was lucky. To all you morally superior people out there that want to stop funding - I agree! As long as....we stop funding for treating people that are fat - you choose what you eat and stop funding for people that get cancer from smoking - too bad for them. And stop funding for people that drink - too bad for them. And stop funding for people with high blood pressure and coronary problems, after all, they could exercise more......so unless your lifestyle has not contributed to your problem at all.....we don't pay for it. Got in a car accident on the way to work and you were speeding - too bad! Get the point yet? We all contribute to our health in a huge number of ways and unless you are eating tofu in your ivory tower, when it comes to funding.....shut up.

NS
I feel terrible for the people who have contracted this disease, and I do not hold myself any higher than any of them. Empathy is something Paul from Kitchener should read up on. God willing, there will be a cure for this soon, we have a lot of promising young people with outside of the box thinking in our science fields. They have the possibility to becomes heroes, and defeat this disease.

Anne
Behaviour is a factor. So is perception and responsibility. Those Gay Pride parades are advertisments for wanton reckless activity. You want to make an impact on AIDS/HIV? Stop highlighting the stereotypes of your community by holding yourselves up for ridicule and censure. The perceived acceptance of the promiscuous nature of gay persons does a lot of damage to sober dialogues of the problem.

MAL of TO
While I don't feel the need to insult or demean the two core groups who mostly compromise aids/hiv sufferers, add me to the list of those that can't see why millions should be spent on something a trip to the drugstore [condoms] would mostly prevent, as for the drug users... why is their need to shove a used needle into their arm my concern? Please send my pitiful small share of the health care budget to suffering children instead.

Dilip
I wonder how many new cases in canada are immigrant in last 5 years.They get free medication which adds on our health care budget. To the best of my knowledge we do not know the HIV status of newcomers.

Erlage70
I have AIDS. It is cheaper to pay for meds than pay for hospitalization. This allows HIV infected people to live longer and contribute to society. Our "base" nature is not base, simply normal human nature, unless of course you are morally superior, which of course is fine. And I have an IQ of 145. The judgemental comments reveal a superior attitude that are clearly not coming from people with love or compassion - sorry there are still people who think they are better than others, but that is life for them. HIV has an unusual side effect: after a while, it makes some very nice people demonstrate their human warmth for others, something we can each all choose and cherish. Love your neighbour, but use a condom.

HB
Lets continue searching for a cure, and do our best at forgiving those who contracted it by irresponsible means. I think healthy truthful education is what is needed. Let us be open about the evidence of what spreads it... promiscuity, and needle sharing. Lets not force our morals on each other, but lets be open and honest, and get the statistics out to people. Other than that, monogamy is the way of life I choose, again, only because God showed me the way. Not because I am so good as to know what is best for me, but the Creator does. And evidence keeps pointing to it. I pray that people will "get it".

Janna J.
Yesterday, there was an article on how we are "losing" the war on drugs. Most posters then foolishly concluded we should end the war and legalize drugs. Now we are being told that we are losing the war on Aids in Canada. Should we abandon all efforts there too? Fools. Just because there are increases doesn't mean we should abandon our efforts. Increases only prove how stupid humans really are.

Dean
Several comments posted here make reference to Restraint and well I believe that in a perfect world if we all had such ability 100 % of the time; then yes AIDS and host of other sexually transmitted diseases not mentioned here but yes do exist, would be abolished. Disease aside, restraint towards drug use, crime in general, heck even impulse shopping… how good the world would be. Oh and Paul from Kitchener, people of quote “lower mental intelligence” are not the only segment who are at risk. Reading your comment puts in personally in the category of lower intelligent if you think that you and your family could not be affected. “Everyone thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing themselves”… if it were to happen to you, I would challenge you to define sympathy and exercise it wisely.

CraigW
AIDS is the most preventable disease in history. Drug users and homosexuals, who still make up the vast majority of new infections aren't even told to stop the activities they participate in which cause HIV infection. They are told to simply use the clean needles and condoms, which are handed out for free. I strongly question the morality of giving so much to cure what is mostly a self-inflicted disease at the expense of innocent victims of other diseases, such as leukemia.

Proud to serve
@ Paul in Kitchener, I'm sure a lot of people that have HIV said they'd never contract it either, and it's not a "low intelligence" seeker. You are naive to think you'll never get it, because there are people who have it that don't know for a while. One accident is all it takes, be it a health care provider, or you helping an accident victim that has it.@ Restraint Needed, human beings are not monogamous people for one, and don't forget the drug users that share needles that have it. Common sense use, isn't very common.

m in .to
I guess "harm reduction" (or what used to be called enabling) hasn't worked as well as expected.

Ashera
Never in a million years, would a cure for AIDS or any other disease be found. The Financial gain for the Pharmaceutical Companies and their Partners would never allow it. Curing a disease is beyond their comprehension. Money vs Cure? One would be very naive to distinguish between the financial gain and finding a cure.

Paul ~ Kitchener
This is a self inflicted deadly disease contracted by those of lower mental intelligence. This is a disease that must be transmitted through unprotected (at times immoral sex) sex. All the news by all medias, facts by health agencies, warnings from all sectors of society still we have growth in spreading this deadly costly disease. Those that are careless with their sex lives, and drug taking, cost the rest of us millions of dollars to provide health care for them. Ignorance and low intelligence levels, continue to cause the expansion, and we will always have these individuals in our midst. I will never get it, nor my family, & I have no sympathy for those who walk right into getting Aids.

Restraint Needed
The rapid spread of AIDS was and remains due primarily to promiscuous sexual activity. The cure is more in our choice of restraint than in medicine. AIDS would cease to be an issue if we as a community would choose to restrain ourselves and be monogamous. That of course is asking too much as we want to be able to act out of our base nature dictate without any responsibility for our actions. Unfortunately AIDS is proof life doesn't work that way yet we still don't "get it".

Adam - GTA
Not many people know that back in the early 80's the great Ronald Regan would not fund reasearch into Aids as he considered it a gay disease. This surely cost many lives.

Ken in Ottawa
One day...