The 13th annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) took place in Denver, Colorado, from February 5 to 8. The major breaking news from this conference was the premature cancellation of the SMART study, but as usual, this important conference produced a great deal more than a single story.

Kirsty Machon questions the misinformation, controversy and conspiracy theories which put an end to the proposed PREP trials among sex workers in Cambodia and Cameroon.

A summary of current research into CD4 cell loss in early infection and its implications for HIV prevention, by NAPWA policy analyst Kirsty Machon.

A controversial Cambodian trial of tenofovir for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) is unlikely to proceed after sex workers and the Cambodian government claimed the trial did not include adequate safeguards for the health and human rights of the participants.

Australian researchers have teamed up with the US and Cambodia to conduct a study of the potential of the HIV antiviral tenofovir, taken daily, to prevent HIV infection in women at high risk.

Female sex workers, who in Cambodia currently stand up to a 26 percent chance of becoming HIV-infected within their first year working in the sex industry, will be invited to participate in a ground-breaking study which researchers acknowledge is challenging, but necessary.