ABSTRACT
Initial safer sex messages were brought to the UK from the US by gay activists and voluntary groups in the early 1980s. As HIV took hold here, the government launched the ‘Don’t Die of Ignorance’ campaign in 1987, and instigated counselling and testing in sexual health clinics, promoting non-penetrative sex or the use of condoms by all. Specific advice and interventions were then developed to protect the donated blood supply, prevent transmission from mothers to unborn infants and neonates, and support injecting drug users. Not all initiatives proved successful. No vaccine was developed, and the criminalisation of people transmitting HIV disrupted prevention messages. A major breakthrough came with the success of antiretrovirals preventing the spread of infection during sex through treatment, and when taken as prophylaxis (PrEP) by HIV negative people. Major issues remain in the quest to eliminate further transmission of HIV across all communities as funding for sexual health, mental health and drug use services shrink. Activists are once again demanding access to medications and support services for all.
