American Foundation for AIDS Research

American organization

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June 18, 2026

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The American Foundation for AIDS Research, or AmFAR, was established in 1985 through the merger of the AIDS Medical Foundation, founded by Mathilde Krim in 1983, and a similar organization. Krim, an American medical researcher and health educator, dedicated her work to combating AIDS and HIV through research and education. AmFAR primarily funded research and was instrumental in developing community-based clinical trials. The organization also engaged in education and lobbying efforts, contributing to healthcare services for AIDS patients and sparking debates on policy issues such as condom distribution in schools and the entry of HIV-infected individuals into the United States.1

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Mathilde Krim
…similar organization to form the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). Most of AmFAR’s funds went to research. The organization was also instrumental in the development of community-based clinical research trials and was active in education and lobbying efforts. AmFAR’s efforts resulted in health care services for AIDS patients and…
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…similar organization to form the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). Most of AmFAR’s funds went to research. The organization was also instrumental in the development of community-based clinical research trials and was active in education and lobbying efforts. AmFAR’s efforts resulted in health care services for AIDS patients and…
Read More

Elizabeth Taylor
Personal life and philanthropy
…Taylor helped to establish the American Foundation for AIDS Research (1985), partly motivated by the death of her friend Rock Hudson from the disease. She traveled the world as spokeswoman for the organization and in 1991 established the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to provide direct services to those suffering from…
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…Taylor helped to establish the American Foundation for AIDS Research (1985), partly motivated by the death of her friend Rock Hudson from the disease. She traveled the world as spokeswoman for the organization and in 1991 established the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to provide direct services to those suffering from…
Read More