On December 9, 2012, Paul Farmer received a Research in Action Award from the Treatment Action Group, an independent AIDS research and policy think tank which was celebrating its 20th anniversary. The Research in Action Awards honor activists, scientists, philanthropists, and creative artists who have made extraordinary contributions in the fight against AIDS.

Chelsea Clinton presented Dr. Farmer with his award, which recognized his leadership in making AIDS treatments available to those in the developing world.

Also honored at the event were:

Dr. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, the virologist who discovered HIV in 1982 and won the Nobel Prize for it in 2008, now President of the International AIDS Society, who has authored hundreds of scientific publications and is leading the IAS's Global Scientific Strategy: "Towards an HIV Cure”.

Jon Cohen, AIDS journalist for Science magazine and author of Shots in the Dark, an account of the search for an AIDS cure in the earlier days of the epidemic.

Judith Light, Emmy Award–winning and 2012 Tony Award–winning actress renowned for her involvement as an advocate and spokesperson for human rights.