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Ayne11
Yep
Member since 1/09 18021 total posts
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Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
The field of HIV/AIDS research has suffered a savage blow as reports suggest that as many as 108 leading researchers and advocates within the field were on board the Malaysia Airlines flight that that crashed yesterday. While the loss of any individual in such an instance is an extreme tragedy, the situation is particularly saddening given the loss of knowledge and expertise that was dedicated to tackling this dire global health problem.
The Boeing 777 airliner, which took off from Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, was on its way to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed on the Ukraine-Russia border, carrying 298 passengers. According to US and Australian governments, the cause of the crash was a surface-to-air missile. There were no survivors.
On board flight MH17 were a number of delegates headed to Melbourne for the AIDS 2014 conference which is due to start on Sunday. Over 100 attendees were scheduled to take this flight, but official confirmation of those on board has not yet been released. However, it is known that former International AIDS Society president and leading AIDS researcher Joep Lange was amongst those on the plane. Lange’s partner and ArtAIDS board member, Jacqueline van Tongeren, was also on board.
“Joep had an absolute commitment to HIV treatment and care in Asia and Africa,” director of Kirby Institute David A Cooper said in a University of New South Wales press-release. Lange has been working on HIV treatments since 1983 and has made ground-breaking contributions to the development of affordable HIV treatments, in particular combination therapies.
According to International AIDS Society president Francoise Barré-Sinoussi, the conference is scheduled to go ahead despite the tragedy, as “we know it’s really what they would have liked us to do.”
The conference is held every two years and is designed as a platform for campaigners to highlight developments in the field, discuss challenges and share expertise. One particular focus this year is said to be the laws in place in some African countries that criminalize homosexuality, and those in the former Soviet Union that punish intravenous drug users.
The situation has, as expected, hit home on the global AIDS community, and many members have expressed their sadness.
“These people were the best and the brightest, the ones who had dedicated their whole careers to fighting this terrible virus,” HIV researcher Clive Aspin told Guardian Australia. “It’s devastating.”
Prof. Richard Boyd, director of the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories described the situation as “gut-wrenching,” and said that the loss of research leaders will have global ramifications on the field. “That knowledge is irreplaceable,” he told Guardian Australia.
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Posted 7/18/14 4:50 PM  |
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MissJones
I need a nap!
Member since 5/05 22136 total posts
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Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
Holy Crap!!!
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| Posted 7/18/14 5:20 PM |
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PearlJamChick
No one sings like you anymore.
Member since 7/10 9264 total posts
Name:
Petticoated Swashbuckler
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
It's so sad...who knows what kind of additional advances these people would have made in the world of HIV/AIDS.
The whole thing is just so tragic.
The woman who lost family members in both Malaysian airline tragedies.
The three children and their grandpa, returning to Australia in time for school while their parents stayed back in Amsterdam.
Heartbreaking.
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| Posted 7/18/14 5:49 PM |
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kimbalina
Bring on the glitter and bows!
Member since 6/08 15158 total posts
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Kim
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
Insane! It's such a tragedy!
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| Posted 7/18/14 8:04 PM |
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gina409
TWINS!
Member since 12/09 27635 total posts
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g
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
So heartbreaking
All of it
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| Posted 7/18/14 8:43 PM |
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Rosie0613
LIF Adolescent
Member since 8/10 875 total posts
Name:
Rosie
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
Its absolutely insane. I was watching Ch 2 news at 6:30 and the journalist said the cure for AIDS could have been on that flight. Ugh so tragic
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| Posted 7/18/14 8:53 PM |
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Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
Gut wrenching, indeed.
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| Posted 7/19/14 8:04 AM |
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
I totally understand why some people choose to have their head in the sand and not watch the news anymore.
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| Posted 7/19/14 8:08 AM |
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My2Girlz11
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/11 785 total posts
Name:
Corrie
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Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
It is a bit odd that his plane had HIV researchers on it and I believe the Malaysian plane that went missing had a large group of scientists on it.
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| Posted 7/19/14 10:25 AM |
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2BadSoSad
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6791 total posts
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
Posted by PearlJamChick
The three children and their grandpa, returning to Australia in time for school while their parents stayed back in Amsterdam.
Heartbreaking.
Not that I dont feel for all of the families, but these parents, just lost ALL of their small children and they are just laying in a field decomposing, no one is getting in, no one is attempting to collect the bodies, the personal effects. I cannot imagine the heartbreak to lose all of your children, no on trying to return them to you and not giving them a proper goodbye.
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| Posted 7/19/14 10:34 AM |
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sultana
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 1455 total posts
Name:
Bridget
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Re: Over 100 HIV Experts And Advocates May Have Been On Board Crashed Malaysian Plane
Posted by 2BadSoSad
Posted by PearlJamChick
The three children and their grandpa, returning to Australia in time for school while their parents stayed back in Amsterdam.
Heartbreaking.
Not that I dont feel for all of the families, but these parents, just lost ALL of their small children and they are just laying in a field decomposing, no one is getting in, no one is attempting to collect the bodies, the personal effects. I cannot imagine the heartbreak to lose all of your children, no on trying to return them to you and not giving them a proper goodbye.
Exactly. It is in humane that these victims who were murdered are not even receiving any dignity in death and the pain the loved ones are enduring is magnified by this. There's a descriptive ( many say too) article in the daily mail about this.
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| Posted 7/20/14 12:51 PM |
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