Washington, DC - Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), released the following statement on the occasion of World AIDS Day.

"On December 1, World AIDS Day, we join the global community in paying tribute to the 33.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and reaffirm our commitment to helping those in need.

For almost 25 years, USAID has been on the cutting edge of HIV prevention, care, support, and research. Through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), USAID has helped contribute to significant gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

This year, we witnessed groundbreaking, innovative research that will provide major advances in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. In July, the Centre for AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), supported by USAID and the Government of South Africa showed the world that a microbicide could help prevent HIV transmission in women. In addition, positive results from a recent trial showed that an oral antiretroviral (ARV) pill, taken daily, can significantly reduce HIV transmission among men who have sex with men. USAID is currently supporting a similar trial to test the safety and effectiveness of a daily dose of the same ARV in women.

On the heels of these promising results, USAID is committed to confirming the effectiveness of different prevention methods for women, such as microbicides and the daily use of an ARV. Our goal is to provide proven safe and effective HIV prevention products to the most vulnerable populations as quickly as possible.

While we made great progress this year, we cannot rest on these accomplishments. We have a shared responsibility to build on the successes achieved to date by making smart investments that will ultimately save more lives in the future."

About the U.S. Agency for International Development

The American people, through USAID, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years. For more information about USAID's programs, please visit http://www.usaid.gov.