HIV is a global pandemic that has claimed the lives of “30 million” (CDC – Statistics Overview – Statistics Center – HIV/AIDS, CDC) innocent lives. HIV is a devastating virus that destroys people's immune systems and makes them vulnerable to other diseases. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which means the virus is only found in humans and targets the immune system. The virus kills CD4 cells, cells of the immune system that fight infections and diseases. HIV has been around since the 1950s. (AIDS, 6) Approximately “34.2 million” (CDC – Statistics Overview – Statistics Center – HIV/AIDS, CDC) people are living with HIV today. There is currently no way to remove HIV from the system, because there is no vaccine released to the public. A vaccine would be crucial to eliminating HIV. After more than “60” years of medical research, HIV/AIDS still infects people today. HIV has been around for a long time. HIV emerged in the 1950s (AIDS, 6) with cases detected in Europe and Africa. The symptoms in these cases were strange infections that should not have been fatal but turned out to be life-threatening. More and more unexpected cases of this kind kept reappearing around the world. In “1982” (AIDS, 6), this mysterious disease was called AIDS. Many people in the 1980s (AIDS, 6) ignored the disease and even protested government funding for a cure. Since the first victims were mainly homosexual men and drug addicts, many people thought that these people were "deviants" and did not want people to treat. An example of this hatred comes from a pastor named Jerry Falwell. Jerry Falwell said, “AIDS is God's lethal judgment on America for approving this vulgar, perverted, reprobate lifestyle.” (AIDS, 6) Many people who...... middle of paper ......2014.Signs and symptoms. Department of Health and Human Services. December 19, 2013. January 24, 2014. Vaccines. Department of Health and Human Services. February 9, 2012. January 28, 2014. Nordqvist, Christian. What is AIDS? What is HIV? – Medical news today. Medilexicon International Ltd. September 27, 2013. January 23, 2014. What is HIV/AIDS? Department of Health and Human Services, June 6, 2012, January 23, 2014.