2012 International Microbicides Conference - Health Minister to Open major HIV conference in sydney.

HEALTH MINISTER TO OPEN MAJOR HIV CONFERENCE IN SYDNEY
15-18 April, 2012

Wednesday, 11 April 2012 (Sydney, Australia) Federal Minister for Health, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, will be opening a major international HIV conference in Sydney on Sunday the 15 April. The address will take place at 6pm at the Sydney Exhibition and Conference Centre at Darling Harbour. Registered media are invited to attend.

The 2012 International Microbicides Conference (M2012)  - From Discovery to Delivery - is attracting  nearly 600 HIV experts from around the world to advance a new type of product that could change the face of HIV prevention.  Eleven international leaders in HIV prevention will be attending the event as plenary speakers. Ms PlibersekÕs presence at the conference shows the importance Australia attaches to the conference and global HIV prevention.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFINGS
Daily press briefings will be held from the conference. The schedule is as follows:    

MONDAY, 16 April   
10:30am-11:00am: Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Director of CAPRISA - Centre for the AIDS Program of Research, South Africa - MEDIA ROOM 1    
    
3:30pm-4:00pm: Oral PrEP, a summary of trials conducted and what's ahead. Connie Celum, Professor of Global Health and Medicine at University of Washington, USA and Kenneth Mayer, Medical Research Director, Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute - MEDIA ROOM 1    
    
TUESDAY, 17 April
10:30am-11:am: Ms Milly Katana (MPH, MA, MBA), Public Health Specialist, John Snow Incorporated, Uganda - MEDIA ROOM 1    
    
3:30pm-4:00pm: Rectal microbicides, an overview.  Ian McGowan, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P., co-principal investigator of the University of Pittsburgh-based Microbicide Trials Network and Jim Pickett, Executive Director of the International Rectal Microbicide Advocates - MEDIA ROOM 1
 
WEDNESDAY, 18 April
10:30am-1100am: Dr Debrework Zewdie, Deputy Executive Director, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Switzerland
 
3:30pm-4:00pm: HIV and hormonal contraceptives and multi-prevention technologies.  Gustavo Doncel, M.D. Deputy Director, Preclinical Research CONRAD and Henry Gabelnick, Ph.D, Executive Director CONRAD

5:00pm: Omolulu Falobi Award, Parkside Auditorium

5:10pm: Lifetime Achievement Award, Parkside Auditirium
 
In addition, video interviews with the speakers and other multi media materials will be available on the conference website.