CROI 2014: Lynn Moffetson
Mother to child transmission has shifted since the 1980’s from 1 in 4 HIV positive mother’s transmitting HIV to their newborns to today where transmission has gone from 25% down to 3-5%, a stunning transition for HIV Pediatrics. Bringing mothers and children and pediatric representation into the pharmaceutical process is an ongoing struggle. A landmark transition driving access to new therapeutic options for pediatrics has been the shift from requiring a repeated full Phase III human studies in children for medications already approved for adult use, in the modern era only Phase I and II studies are required for safety and efficacy. Of interest for pediatrics research is new delivery systems for pediatric administration of drug, particularly in resource poor setting where liquid formulations are cumbersome and hard to refrigerate. The Mississippi Baby case is discussed as another clue in the puzzle towards a cure with the caution that parents of HIV infected children should not stop their children’s HIV medications without consultation from their health care professional.