Parliamentary recognition for AVERT

The UK House of Commons Social Service Committee praises medical research funded by AVERT exploring the natural history of HIV infection in women and the effect in pregnancy in Scotland, conducted by Dr Ray Brettle of City Hospital, Edinburgh.

This was one of the first studies in the UK to look at HIV infection among women and had been refused funding by the Medical Research Council. The study goes on to inform clinical research in Edinburgh. A paper giving the initial results, presented at the 1988 International AIDS Conference in Stockholm, creates enormous interest by showing that many HIV positive women are generally remaining well during pregnancy – contrary to previous thinking.