The 2026 STI Prevention Conference arrives as the field must sustain progress, address new challenges, and chart a path forward in an increasingly complex environment. Under the theme Forward Together: Uniting Science, Community, and Care for STI Prevention, the conference combines urgency with optimism, emphasizing collective action. Recent declines in chlamydia and gonorrhea show progress is possible, while rising congenital syphilis and persistent barriers to sexual health services reveal gaps in prevention, testing, and treatment that disproportionately affect certain communities.

Unlike prior meetings, the 2026 conference responds to a dramatically shifting landscape: shrinking federal and state funding, terminated research grants, workforce shortages, and policies that limit access to sexual healthcare. It prioritizes prevention strategies, service delivery models, research, and policy approaches that stay responsive to community needs as resources tighten.

Centered on collaboration among research, public health practice, community leadership, and clinical care, the conference aims to protect hard-won gains and do more with limited resources. With a smaller, action-focused format designed to foster meaningful engagement, it serves as both a call to unity and a platform for collective leadership, reaffirming that progress depends on aligning science, community, and care—moving forward together.

More information about the conference, including details for registration, can be found here.