News

On Monday, 17 November, during the EACS General Assembly, members elected a new Governing Board member. We are pleased to welcome Botond Lakatos (Hungary) to the EACS Governing Board! 

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the outgoing member Marta Vasylyev (Ukraine) for her dedication and contributions during her term.

The research article entitled ‘Missed opportunities for anal cancer screening in women living with HIV in the WHO European Region: results from a WAVE survey’ is now published in Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The WAVE study investigated anal cancer screening practices for women living with HIV across the WHO European Region. Women with HIV have a higher risk of anal cancer, yet screening remains inconsistent. The survey of 240 healthcare professionals revealed:

• Only 28% reported following national anal cancer screening guidelines.
• Many national protocols do not include women with HIV, despite international recommendations from EACS and the International Anal Neoplasia Society.
• Access to screening tools is limited: anal cytology is not routinely available in 23% of settings, and high-resolution anoscopy in 37%
• Key barriers include lack of resources, integrated services, and clear guidance.

This study highlights the urgent need for harmonised guidelines, integration of screening into HIV care, and training of healthcare workers on its benefits. WAVE calls for action to close these gaps and protect women living with HIV.

Click here to read the article.

EACS President Miłosz Parczewski and Secretary Anne-Marie Wensing shared their vision for the future in an interview published by EMJ Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. They discussed priorities such as harmonising HIV care standards across Europe, ensuring equitable access to innovations like long-acting injectables, and strengthening collaboration to address challenges linked to migration, stigma, and continuity of care.

They also highlighted initiatives including a virtual clinic to share expertise across regions, programmes for young researchers, and gender-focused projects like WAVE. Both emphasised EACS’s unique role in connecting scientific, clinical, and community perspectives to shape policy and improve care.

Beyond leadership priorities, the interview also addressed emerging HIV subtype diversity due to migration, drug resistance trends, and the need for European-level solutions to complex issues such as mobility and cultural barriers. 

Read the full interview on EMJ here.

Esteban Martínez, Immediate Past President of EACS, shared insights on the major updates in the 2025 EACS Guidelines in an interview published by EMJ Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 

Among the most main changes are long-acting therapies for HIV treatment and prevention, which offer freedom from daily pills and require robust organisational support. The Guidelines also place strong emphasis on person-centred care, incorporating patient-reported outcomes and shared decision-making to address ageing-related challenges such as frailty, cognitive health, and comorbidities.

Updates also include guidance on gender-affirming therapies, chemsex, and multidisciplinary collaboration to manage cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health issues.

Read the full interview on EMJ here.

EACS General Assembly 2025

Dear EACS member,

You are cordially invited to the EACS General Assembly scheduled on Monday, 17 November 2025 from 16:00-17:00 CET. The meeting will be conducted via an online video conference.

  More information

Following the first detections of locally acquired mpox clade Ib cases within the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is calling for heightened awareness and targeted prevention measures.

Locally acquired mpox cases have now been confirmed in four countries. Spain reported its first such case on 10 October 2025, and the Netherlands on 17 October 2025. These have been followed by additional cases reported in Italy (2) and Portugal (1). This development is distinct from the previously reported travel-associated clade Ib cases between August 2024 and October 2025, mostly among returning travellers from mpox-endemic areas outside of the EU. These new cases have been reported among men, some of whom identify themselves as men who have sex with men, with no recent travel history to mpox-endemic areas. This indicates that transmission may be ongoing in sexual networks among men who have sex with men in European countries. 

Read the full news item and Threat Assessment Brief by ECDC.

The European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) proudly showcased the creative work of people living with HIV during the 20th European AIDS Conference, held in Paris from 15–18 October 2025. The EACS Art Exhibition invited artists living with HIV to submit original works created between 2020 and 2025, including drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, and images of 3D pieces.

An international jury selected the pieces to be displayed at the Conference, and delegates were invited to vote for their favourite works throughout the event.

Prizes for the most popular artworks were announced during the Closing Ceremony on 18 October. The winners are:

• First Prize: Nicholas Clary
• Second Prize: Charity Nyirenda – Roots of Resilience
• Third Prize: Trandafir Bogdan – Music Therapy

EACS extends its thanks to all participating artists for their powerful contributions, which helped make the exhibition a moving and memorable part of the Conference.

A public conference (in French) will take place on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, at 16:30- 18:30 CEST at Hôpital Saint-Louis in Paris, ahead of the 20th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2025). The programme will cover the early years of HIV/AIDS, how people live with HIV today, new prevention tools, and the role of associations and community actors in supporting people living with HIV.

Speakers include:

Yazdan Yazdanpanah (Director, ANRS MIE)

Willy Rozenbaum (Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris)

Bruno Spire (AIDES/INSERM, Marseille)

Karine Lacombe (Hôpital Saint-Antoine / Sorbonne Université, Paris)

Jean-Michel Molina (Université Paris Cité / Hôpital Lariboisière–Saint-Louis)

Bernadette Rwegera (Association Ikambere, Paris)

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required as places are limited.

Click here to register.