AIDS has not only become the most important public health challenge of our time, but has sweeping social, economic and cultural consequences, especially in the developing world where infection rates are increasing markedly. This publication contains papers selected from the 7th International Conference on AIDS. It opens with presentations on three main areas of concern - the impact of biomedical research on the AIDS epidemic, progress and challenges in therapy, and the implications of AIDS in developing countries. Keynote lectures follow, reviewing recent progress in the battle against AIDS in the areas of basic research, clinical research and trials, epidemiology and prevention as well as social and behavioural science. Summary reports conclude the volume.