September 9, 2026
Scientific breakthroughs in HIV prevention depend on community engagement that drives successful research, development, acceptance and uptake of new products. In 2007, emerging from controversies that halted the first ever PrEP efficacy trials, AVAC and UNAIDS led a global partnership to develop the Good Participatory Practice (GPP) Guidelines, offering systematic guidance on how to engage stakeholders throughout HIV prevention trials. Almost twenty years later, GPP is the gold standard for engagement in HIV prevention research and beyond. This edition of the Impact Report celebrates two decades of GPP, and shares how AVAC and our research and civil society partners have effectively integrated GPP into HIV prevention research by:
- Clinical Trial Design Academy: Equipping Advocates to Shape HIV Prevention Research Decisions and Move the Research Agenda Forward
- Using a Transformative Human-Centered Design Approach to Co-Create Communication Materials for the Alimatravir Efficacy Trial, EXPrESSIVE-11
- Embedding Good Participatory Practice in PURPOSE 1
These stories illustrate how meaningful engagement – driven by good participatory practices – strengthens both the research process and the global impact of HIV prevention innovations.
Clinical Trial Design Academy: Equipping Advocates to Shape HIV Prevention Research Decisions and Move the Research Agenda Forward
As clinical trial research becomes increasingly complex, and as innovative HIV prevention products advance through the pipeline, advocates with dual skillsets – deep contextual knowledge of their community’s needs and scientific and technical knowledge – are increasingly sought after to provide critical community input in research that aligns with GPP and holds researchers accountable.
AVAC’s Clinical Trial Design Academy (CTDA), established in 2019, equips advocates with the scientific knowledge and skillset to influence research – from priority setting to trial design and conduct, to results dissemination. Today, the Academy’s 27 members are highly sought after experts who are directly influencing HIV prevention research.
Using a Transformative Human-Centered Design Approach to Co-Create Communication Materials for the Alimatravir Efficacy Trial, EXPrESSIVE-11
Merck’s EXPrESSIVE program is investigating the efficacy of alimatravir (AMI) for monthly oral PrEP. With support from the Gates Foundation, AVAC works to ensure there is strong, consistent engagement with community representatives to influence the design and implementation of the trials, with an eye toward future rollout and access planning for AMI.
Leveraging expertise in community engagement and human-centered design (HCD), AVAC worked in partnership with community-based organizations on three continents to co-create communications materials for the EXPrESSIVE-11 trial – conducted among men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender, and non-binary people – that are driven by community perspectives and lived realities. The result is a series of tailored, localized materials designed to foster community interest, awareness, and engagement in the trials and in the novel concept of a monthly oral formulation. This work represents a transformative approach to community engagement in materials development for clinical trials.
Embedding Good Participatory Practice in PURPOSE 1
AVAC collaborates with partners around the world to embed GPP principles in advocacy strategies and partnerships and cultivates a diverse network of advocates, civil society organizations, journalists, researchers, and implementers who champion GPP and are equipped to engage with and influence HIV clinical trial research.
Gilead’s PURPOSE program investigates the efficacy of long-acting injectable lenacapavir (LEN) for PrEP among diverse populations. For PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2, embedding GPP principles promoted accountability, transparency, and meaningful community engagement throughout trial design and conduct. AVAC staff and network of experienced advocacy partners participated as members of the Global Community Accountability Group (GCAG) helping to shape trial design and implementation, participant recruitment and retention, and discussions about product access.