HPTN 096: Building Equity Through Advocacy – An Integrated, Status-Neutral Approach for Ending the Epidemic Among Black Gay Men in the South

November 15, 10:00 to 11:30 AM ET

The Choice Agenda and partners hosted a fascinating discussion about a novel, much-needed HIV prevention research study – HPTN 096 on November 15. Currently in the field, the study addresses social, structural, institutional, and behavioral barriers to HIV prevention and care. Visit the study website here.

Speakers (list in formation):

Prof. LaRon E. Nelson. Yale School of Nursing; HPTN 096 Protocol Co-Chair
Christopher Hucks-Ortiz, HPTN Black Caucus Chair
Dr. Cedric Pulliam, HPTN 096 Community Strategy Group
Abraham Johnson, HPTN 096 Research Advisor

Moderators:
Riko Boone, Treatment Action Group
John Meade, AVAC

Co-sponsored by PrEP in Black America and Federal AIDS Policy Partnership Research Working Group

Recording / Slides / Resources

Inclusion of Pregnant and Lactating People in HIV Research

What you need to know 

Produced and hosted by Jeanne Baron

People who are pregnant or lactating (PLP) have historically been excluded from research because of concerns for the developing fetus. But this has led to a dearth of data on new interventions against health threats for this population. In the case of HIV, pregnancy raises the risk of acquiring HIV by up to three times, but providers often do not have the data to know whether a new intervention is safe or how it will work for pregnant patients. As a result, PLP and their physicians are left to make difficult decisions around the use of proven HIV prevention products as they await more data specific to pregnancy and lactation. 

But change is in the air. Champions for the inclusion of PLP in research are paving the way for a paradigm shift—one that will redefine this population from needing protection from research to being better protected through research. In this episode of Px Pulse, AVAC’s Manju Chatani-Gada takes us through conversations with a trial participant who became pregnant, researchers, policymakers and donors to understand why this population gets excluded, the impact it has and what to do about it.   

Tune it to hear:

  • Dr. Anne Drapkin Lyerly, Principal Investigator of the PHASES Project to advance equitable inclusion of pregnant women in HIV research and its follow-on project, PREPARE, focused on ethical HIV research in adolescents who are pregnant. 
  • Elisia Madende, trial participant in the HPTN 084 trial in Zimbabwe 
  • Dr. Ashley Lima, Health Science Specialist and Lead Technical Advisor for Socio-behavioral Research — USAID Office of HIV/AIDS Research Division 
  • Dr. Takunda Sola, HIV Prevention and Key Populations Medical Officer — Zimbabwe MoH AIDS/TB Unit 

Links:

Advocacy Resources:

Frontiers in Reproductive Health: How might we motivate uptake of the Dual Prevention Pill?

Findings from human-centered design research with potential end users, male partners and healthcare providers

AVAC’s Wawira Nyagah and Kate Segal co-authored a comprehensive manuscript on a demand generation approach for the DPP (Dual Prevention Pill) including findings from research with potential users, male partners, and healthcare providers.

Read the abstract below and the full published research article here.

Multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) combining contraception with HIV prevention offer a promising solution to uptake and adherence challenges faced with oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), which combines oral PrEP with an oral contraceptive pill (OCP), could address unmet need for family planning (FP) and HIV prevention. This study aimed to identify barriers and motivators for DPP uptake to inform the development of a DPP demand generation strategy and broader introduction efforts for MPTs.

Community Manifesto for HIV Long-Acting Injectable PrEP in Europe

This document stems from a March 2023 consensus meeting in Paris involving regional and international HIV prevention organizations and activists. Four main pillars were identified to promote new PrEP technologies and expand access to long-Acting injectable PrEP in Europe. These pillars should be implemented simultaneously and also aim to broaden PrEP accessibility beyond LA-CAB.

Coalition to Accelerate & Support Prevention Research (CASPR)

Project Brief

The Coalition to Accelerate & Support Prevention Research (CASPR) project focuses on developing and sustaining an Africa-centered network dedicated to accelerating biomedical HIV prevention research, and advancing equitable access to proven HIV prevention products.

Phase 1 mRNA HIV Vaccine Trials

A breakdown of current HIV mRNA trials and a primer on the basics of mRNA technology.

DPP Audience & Provider Insights for the DPP Research and Marketing Plan: Phase 1 Research Findings

This report, by M&C Saatchi World Services, AVAC, and partners, highlights learnings from Human-Centered Design Research undertaken in 2022 to understand the values and motivations of potential users and influencers of the Dual Prevention Pill (DPP) in Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Dual Prevention Pill (DPP)

This factsheet provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), including what it is, who might use it, and how it can be rolled out.

Dual Prevention Pill: Market Preparation and Introduction Strategy

This strategy, updated in August 2023, is intended for donors, governments, implementing partners and civil society to inform priorities and planning for DPP rollout. The strategy describes activities required to build a cohesive body of evidence and recommends an approach to DPP introduction to focus efforts. Where possible, activities will be embedded into existing programs to consolidate and leverage resources.

Executive Summary also available.

HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto

The HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto emphasizes community-led leadership and the importance of choice in HIV prevention for African women and girls. The manifesto advocates for universal access to a broad range of biomedical tools for HIV prevention and underscores the transformative potential when African women and girls lead advocacy and response efforts in HIV healthcare.

More information and background on the manifesto is available on our blog.