Our timeline

Find out how THT developed and what has happened in the global AIDS epidemic since Terrence Higgins Trust was established in 1982.

Key points in our timeline include

1980's

• 1982 - Terry Higgins dies at St Thomas' Hospital. The Terry Higgins Trust is set up.
• 1986 - The World Health Organisation (WHO) launches its global AIDS strategy.
• 1987 - UK Government launches the 'Don't Die of Ignorance' campaign and delivers the campaign leaflet to every household.
• 1988 - The first World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December.
• Click here for full details of the 1980s timeline

1990's

• 1990 - the red ribbon is launched as an international symbol of AIDS awareness.
• 1993 - to mark the 10th anniversary of THT, Jonathan Mann gives a lecture on human rights and HIV.
• 1995 - the results of the clinical trial 'Delta' confirm that combining the drug AZT with ddI or ddC is far more effective than AZT on its own.
• 1996 - triple combination therapy using the protease inhibitors becomes standard treatment replacing dual therapy.
• 1999 - THT leads mergers with Bridgeside in Leeds, HIV Network in Coventry, Sussex AIDS Trust in Brighton and OxAIDS in Oxford and, later in the year, with counselling organisation Red Admiral Project in London.
• Click here for full detail of the 1990s timeline

2000's

• 2001 -  THT Direct, a new telephone advice service, launched as a pilot in London
• 2002 - 20th Anniversary of Terry Higgins’ death and the founding of THT.
• 2003 - Mohammed Dica is the first person in England to be prosecuted and convicted for the transmission of HIV.
• 2004 - In partnership with Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust, THT opens the first Fastest HIV testing clinic at Lighthouse West London, offering test results in one hour.
• 2006 - THT Scotland is launched, with offices in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.
• Click here for full details of the timeline since 2000