In 1925, the launch of our journal—then named The British Journal of Venereal Diseases—marked a turning point in the clinical and scientific approach to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Venereal diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhoea were socially stigmatised to such a degree that they had been largely neglected in mainstream medical discourse. In the inaugural issue of the journal, the introduction1 and the editorial titled ‘Our aims and our ideals’2 reflected the commitment of the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases, which had been founded in the UK in 1922, to promoting coordinated clinical practice and scientific research in venereal diseases. The first issue set forth a powerful mission statement: to mobilise the medical community in fighting the stigma of both the diseases and those afflicted, foster collaboration to advance diagnosis and treatment, build a solid evidence base through rigorous research, and promote education and dissemination of knowledge.

A century later, these aspirations have enduring relevance.

The 1925 acknowledgement of the ‘reprehensible’ neglect of venereal diseases …