This week, Moderna is starting human trials of an HIV vaccine, which uses the same mRNA technology the company used for its COVID-19 shot. This trial is the first of its kind since the first case of AIDS was recorded in the U.S. exactly 40 years ago, when people so sensitively called HIV “gay cancer.” But while it seems like science has taken a giant leap forward, our culture, somehow, remains several steps behind.
A new survey seeking to find out how much HIV-awareness Americans have yielded some pretty disheartening stats. The research, done by Gilead Science, GLAAD, and the Southern AIDS Coalition, showed a dip in the number of Americans who feel like they’re knowledgeable about HIV — from 51% in 2020 to 48% in 2021.
