December 1, 2025, marks the 38th World AIDS Day. This year’s campaign theme, "Societal Co-governance, Integrity and Innovation, End AIDS," aims to deepen the understanding of the importance and long-term nature of AIDS prevention and control work. Building on the review and continuation of past effective prevention and treatment experiences and exemplary practices, the theme further calls on all sectors of society to jointly shoulder the responsibility of AIDS prevention and control, strengthen exploration and innovation in HIV/AIDS intervention measures, and promote the high-quality development of AIDS prevention and control efforts.

Viral testing is a critical component of AIDS prevention and control. As a leading global healthcare company, Abbott has been committed to continuously advancing and innovating in cutting-edge HIV testing technologies for the past four decades since launching the world's first HIV antibody test kit in 1985, using accurate diagnosis to combat the threat of the disease.

In 1985, Abbott’s HIV test received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As the world's first test for screening HIV antibodies in blood donors, this kit was quickly adopted by blood centers and other institutions. Due to the significant genetic diversity and ongoing mutation of the HIV virus, Abbott launched the "Global Viral Surveillance Program" in 1994. To date, the program has amassed over 170,000 HIV and hepatitis virus samples, forming one of the world's largest viral repositories. It is used to monitor newly identified strains of HIV and hepatitis viruses across the globe, employing deep sequencing and ultra-rapid pathogen identification technologies for detection and typing. Once new viral strains are identified, scientists immediately conduct cross-referencing with the viral sample repository in an attempt to detect these novel viruses.

Over the more than 30 years since the launch of Abbott's "Global Viral Surveillance Program," the research team has achieved a series of milestones: not only did it identify a new strain of HIV in 2019—the first such discovery in nearly two decades—but it also reported in 2021 the first high proportion of "HIV elite controllers" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These are individuals infected with HIV who maintain extremely low or undetectable viral loads over the long term without antiretroviral therapy. This rare group, typically accounting for less than 1% of all people living with HIV, offers new hope for breakthroughs in HIV cure research and the development of effective vaccines.

Supported by its vast viral sample repository, Abbott has quietly deployed a "comprehensive detection network" through innovative technology, ensuring the ability to keep pace with the latest viral mutations worldwide, leaving "cunning and ever‑changing" viruses nowhere to hide and safeguarding human health.

Accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of effective treatment and public health control. Abbott is committed to providing end‑to‑end integrated solutions for disease prevention and control, covering every stage from screening and diagnosis to treatment monitoring. This helps healthcare institutions achieve rapid, precise, and reliable testing, enabling timely and appropriate medical decisions, improving patient management efficiency, and contributing to public health protection and human well‑being.

Moving forward, Abbott will continue to advance alongside global partners to jointly confront disease threats, working toward the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2030 goals of ending AIDS, hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted infections.

Reference: https://finance.eastmoney.com/a/202512013579012625.html