HIV activist honoured for transforming access to treatment and research

Richard Jefferys, a pioneering HIV advocate who helped open access to lifesaving drugs and clinical trials worldwide, will deliver the 29th Jonathan Lax Memorial Lecture at The Wistar Institute on 17 November. The event honours his decades of work advancing HIV research, education, and global treatment equity.

Jefferys, who leads the Basic Science, Vaccines and Cure Project at the Treatment Action Group (TAG), will speak on ‘Community Advocacy and HIV Cure-Directed Research’. The lecture, streamed live to a global audience, continues Wistar’s tradition of celebrating individuals who have changed the trajectory of HIV research and patient care.

This year’s Wistar Legacy Awards will also recognise two Philadelphia community leaders: Dr Jay Kostman, Chief Medical Officer at Philadelphia FIGHT, for over 25 years of collaboration with Wistar’s HIV research programmes, and Robb Reichard, Executive Director of the AIDS Fund, for his enduring leadership supporting those most affected by HIV in the region.

Jefferys has been a central figure in the global HIV movement since the 1990s. His advocacy began with the AIDS Treatment Data Network in New York, where he worked to make information about emerging treatments accessible to patients. He later helped found the Health GAP Coalition, which pushed for affordable medicines and trial access in the global south. Over three decades, Jefferys has championed community involvement in HIV science, improved funding for cure research, and advocated for safer, more affordable therapies.

“The late Jonathan Lax was a pioneering activist in the 1980s, when fear and stigma surrounded HIV/AIDS,” Jefferys said. “Learning about grassroots movements like ACT-UP Philadelphia inspired my path in advocacy. There’s still more to do - more research toward a cure, better access to care, and broader global equity in treatment.”

“Every year, we honour those shaping the science and advocacy that most impact people living with HIV,” said Luis J. Montaner, D.V.M., D.Phil., Executive Vice President and Director of Wistar’s HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center. “Richard Jefferys has changed the script on HIV - making science accessible and directing it toward better therapies and cure-focused research.”

Established by The Wistar Institute and Philadelphia FIGHT to honour activist Jonathan Lax, the lecture series has featured leading figures in HIV research, including Nobel Laureates Drew Weissman and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Mike McCune of the Gates Foundation, and Anthony Fauci.

The 2025 lecture will be live-streamed globally on November 17 at 6:30 pm EST and is free to attend. Registration is open online.

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