Welcoming Amb. John Nkengasong to PEPFAR, and 3 Priorities

Yesterday, Dr. John Nkengasong was sworn-in as the US Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy overseeing PEPFAR, the largest funder of HIV/AIDS programming in the world. We are confident that with Ambassador Nkengasong’s ambitious leadership, vision and experience, PEPFAR and the global community can maintain the urgency and impact in ending the AIDS pandemic, continue responding to COVID, and build the sustainable health infrastructure that we so desperately need.

We also want to thank Angeli Achrekar for her steadfast commitment to end the AIDS pandemic and her terrific leadership over the past two years.

At AVAC, our eyes are on three major actions to help us get there these next few months – and urge Ambassador Nkengasong’s and PEPFAR to take immediate and bold actions to:

  1. Leverage new biomedical prevention options to re-boot primary prevention – and make sure these new options become viable choices for all people who can benefit from them. Accelerating access and introduction of injectable CAB for PrEP and ensuring political and financial support to also introduce the dapivirine vaginal ring provide an opportunity to build comprehensive, sustainable and integrated prevention programmatic platforms to deliver choice today and build for a future of even more options.

  2. Center communities in the prevention response. Generating deeper, more consistent community engagement in prevention requires restructuring community engagement. Community input must move beyond “consultation” on specific questions or challenges to a deeper, more meaningful, sustained, strategic engagement that supports the full navigation of challenges from research to rollout, in all their complexity.

  3. Imbed the AIDS response into the future of global health security and pandemic preparedness and response (PPR). The certainty of more complex and challenging health crises on the horizon demands rights-based public health approaches that focus on health systems strengthening, comprehensive integration of key health priorities including HIV, TB, malaria, sexual and reproductive health and non-communicable diseases and lay effective groundwork for addressing emerging health priorities in the future. And efforts to build a global pandemic response capacity must leverage the organizational capacities, investments, and reach of PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

There remain enormous challenges and opportunities ahead. We are very excited to welcome Ambassador Nkengasong back to PEPFAR and for his leadership in the global AIDS response. We look very forward to working with him toward our shared goals of ending the AIDS epidemic and ensuring global health equity.

Accelerating Access and Introduction of Injectable CAB for PrEP

Late last month, ViiV Healthcare, the maker of injectable cabotegravir (CAB) announced that it is “actively negotiating voluntary licensing terms” of CAB for PrEP to the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and is “committed to supplying” the product at a non-profit price for public programs in low-income and all sub-Saharan African countries until a generic is available. This announcement comes after months-long pressure from advocates and others, demanding that ViiV does its part to make good on the promise of injectable CAB for PrEP to advance HIV prevention and global health equity – see a number of important statements from advocates emerging from these discussions.

While this is an important step forward, and an example of advocacy at its best, this is only one piece of the puzzle that will make CAB for PrEP available to all who need and want it. Advocates have much more work ahead to ensure swift and equitable access to CAB.

And AVAC has a plan.

AVAC’s Plan for Accelerating Access and Introduction of Injectable CAB for PrEP provides a comprehensive view of all the moving parts involved in delivering this new PrEP option and identifies priorities for ensuring time is not wasted and opportunity is not squandered. The plan focuses on learning the lessons from the first ten years of delivering oral PrEP and how to move faster, more strategically, and with greater coordination to maximize the impact of injectable CAB for PrEP.

AVAC’s plan calls on ViiV, policy makers, normative agencies, donors, program implementers, researchers, civil society, advocates and communities to act on a range of key activities, which include:

  • A transparent commitment from ViiV, and a negotiated guarantee from donors, to a cost-effective and affordable price and volume of CAB for PrEP to support early launch, introduction and rollout.
  • Inclusion of injectable CAB for PrEP in WHO guidelines, which are expected ahead of AIDS 2022.
  • National programs in priority countries complete CAB for PrEP registration or secure relevant waivers.
  • Voluntary licensing from ViiV to select generic manufacturers, including technology transfer as required.
  • Donor investments in generic manufacturing capacity.
  • Market assessments and demand forecasts are updated with data from initial projects, to inform programming, manufacturing and cost.
  • Operational research and implementation science studies identify successful, scalable delivery channels; a testing algorithm that balances resistance risk with the needs of users and providers; ongoing engagement with communities and civil society; and a mechanism for independent coordination.

The plan also lays out advocacy priorities and calls on advocates to hold decision-makers accountable, for the rollout of CAB for PrEP – and on prevention generally. Is there clarity about next steps? Are there targets and milestones in place? Is there adequate funding to support strategic and accelerated rollout? How might decisions be made about who would get the product first, if it’s licensed and introduced through phased rollout?

In the days, weeks and months to come, advocates will continue to engage with ViiV, WHO, donors and other decision-making bodies focused on the future of CAB for PrEP and HIV prevention at large. Read our full statement here. AVAC hopes this plan will be the guide. As always, we will be tracking the progress, investing support, and keeping you informed.

Press Release

New AVAC Plan Lays Out Priorities for Swift and Equitable Rollout of Injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP

Contact

Kay Marshall, +1 (347) 249-6375, kaymarshall@mac.com

June 9, 2022 — As the HIV prevention field is poised to introduce two promising new options: the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) and injectable cabotegravir (CAB), AVAC lays out a Plan for Accelerating Access and Introduction of Injectable CAB for PrEP. The plan identifies immediate priorities to support the swift rollout of CAB for PrEP and calls on stakeholders to ensure that it’s delivered to programs at scale at the lowest price possible.

In December 2021, the US FDA approved CAB as PrEP, making it the first injectable PrEP option to be added to a growing range of proven prevention methods. Eight additional applications have been filed for regulatory approval in priority countries with decisions expected later this year. In addition, WHO guidelines for injectable PrEP are expected later this year.

“COVID-19 has shown us that the field can compress timelines and new technologies can be developed, tested and distributed quickly and with urgency, at least for wealthier nations,” said Mitchell Warren, AVAC Executive Director. “The challenge now is to learn these lessons from COVID-19. Can the world respond just as urgently for HIV prevention? Can we speed up the process, with delivery happening in parallel to further research that may be needed? Can access be scaled and programs designed so that injectable PrEP truly impacts the HIV epidemic and is delivered with equity, reaching those who need it most? The answer to all these questions must be yes. But will take all of us, doing our part.”

AVAC’s plan comes on the heels of months-long discussions between advocates and other stakeholders who participated in a series of meetings with ViiV Healthcare, the maker of injectable CAB for PrEP, and in the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines Review Group. These discussions prioritized the imperative to make good on the promise of injectable cabotegravir to advance HIV prevention and global health—a number of important statements from advocates emerged from these discussions. In response, ViiV announced last month that it is “actively negotiating voluntary licensing terms” of CAB for PrEP to the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and is “committed to supplying” CAB for PrEP at a non-profit price for public programs in low-income and all sub-Saharan African countries until a generic is available.

“This is an example of advocacy at its best, but while this commitment is hugely important, advocates have much more work ahead to ensure that all stakeholders do their part to support swift and equitable access to injectable CAB for PrEP,” Warren added.

AVAC’s plan provides a comprehensive view of all the moving parts involved in delivering CAB for PrEP and identifies priorities for ensuring time is not wasted and opportunity is not squandered in making CAB for PrEP available to all who need and want it. The plan focuses on learning the lessons from the first ten years of delivering oral PrEP and how to move faster, more strategically, and with greater coordination to maximize the impact of injectable CAB for PrEP.

“Injectable CAB for PrEP gives us an important opportunity to advance HIV prevention for populations most at risk. We are committed to ensuring we get rollout right so that a broad range of options are available to people who want and need them, especially young women,” wrote a group of Southern African Women Advocates in a March 2022 statement. “We… will work with all stakeholders, including ViiV, to make a real impact in HIV prevention.”

Members of this group along with colleagues in East Africa, with support from AVAC, Advocacy for Prevention of HIV and AIDS (APHA) and International Community of Women living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA,) have formed the African Women Community Prevention Accountability Board to serve as an ongoing, independent mechanism for stakeholder engagement to provide input into CAB for PrEP planning and implementation among cisgender women in Africa.

Oral PrEP was first shown to be safe and effective in 2010 and first approved in 2012, but the field moved too slowly—and now 10 years since first approved, fewer than 2 million people have used this option, while an estimated 120 million could benefit from it.

AVAC’s plan calls on ViiV, policy makers, normative agencies, donors, program implementers, researchers, civil society, advocates and communities to act on a range of key activities, which include:

  • A transparent commitment from ViiV, and a negotiated guarantee from donors, on a cost-effective and affordable price and volume for CAB for PrEP to support early launch, introduction and rollout.
  • Inclusion of injectable CAB for PrEP in WHO guidelines, which are expected ahead of AIDS 2022.
  • National Programs in priority countries complete CAB for PrEP registration or secure relevant waivers.
  • Voluntary licensing from ViiV to select generic manufacturer(s), including technology transfer as required.
  • Donor investments in generic manufacturing capacity.
  • National Programs in priority countries complete CAB for PrEP registration or secure relevant waivers.
  • Market assessments and demand forecasts are updated with data from initial projects, to inform programming,manufacturing and cost.
  • Operational research and implementation science studies identify successful, scalable delivery channels; a testing algorithm that balances resistance risk with the needs of users and providers; ongoing engagement with communities and civil society; and an independent coordination mechanism.

The plan also lays out advocacy priorities and calls on advocates to hold decision-makers on CAB for PrEP—and on prevention generally—accountable. Is there clarity about next steps? Are there targets and milestones in place? Is there adequate funding to support rollout? How might decisions be made about who would get the product first, if it’s licensed and introduced through phased rollout?

“We welcome the recent announcement by ViiV to start negotiations with the MPP to potentially open the door for generic injectable CAB- LA. While it’s notable progress, this is NOT a license agreement,” said Kenly Sikwese, Executive Director at the Afrocab Treatment Access Partnership and a member of AVAC’s board of directors. “New HIV prevention options, in particular injectable cabotegravir for PrEP, hold the promise to transform HIV prevention in our communities. For years, communities have advocated for diverse HIV prevention options that respond to the needs, lifestyles, and unique experiences of our community members at greatest risk for HIV infection. Affordable, widespread access to injectable CAB can represent a step change for HIV prevention, if we can collectively move faster and more strategically.”

In the days to come, advocates will continue to engage with ViiV, WHO, donors and other decision-making bodies focused on the future of CAB for PrEP. AVAC will be tracking the progress, investing support, and putting a spotlight on the key priorities as information becomes available.

AVAC has worked on PrEP advocacy and introduction since the design of the earliest studies on the efficacy of oral PrEP beginning in 2004. In 2007, AVAC partnered with UNAIDS to develop the Good Participatory Practice Guidelines, offering a roadmap and principles to effectively engage with all stakeholders in the design and conduct of biomedical HIV prevention trials. Nearly 15 years later, with growing advocacy calling for greater political and financial support to introduce and rollout the dapivirine vaginal ring, or PrEP ring, along with injectable CAB for PrEP, many of the initial principles of GPP—transparency, accountability, community stakeholder autonomy, and mutual understanding—continue to be more important than ever.

###

About AVAC: Founded in 1995, AVAC is a non-profit organization that uses education, policy analysis, advocacy and a network of global collaborations to accelerate the ethical development and global delivery of HIV prevention options as part of a comprehensive response to the pandemic. Follow AVAC on Twitter @HIVpxresearch and find more at www.avac.org and www.prepwatch.org.

Statement on the Dapivirine Ring for Women: Call for Accelerated Global Access

This statement, from a coalition of advocates, applauds the WHO for its ongoing support and its 2021 recommendation of the dapivirine vaginal ring as an additional prevention option for women. The advocates call on funders, country governments and community leaders to sustain their support for the ring’s introduction and rollout in African countries where it is needed and for prompt regulatory reviews. And they call on HIV programs to integrate the ring, and collaborate with communities on the design of those programs.

Dual Prevention Pill: Integrating services and expanding choices

Advocates are coming together from several fields to plan for the introduction of the Dual Prevention Pill (DPP). Currently in development, this daily pill would prevent both HIV and pregnancy. Once approved, the DPP would be an important new option in a menu of choices for contraception and HIV prevention, paving the way for additional multi-purpose prevention technologies (MPTs) in the pipeline. Advocacy to ensure these options become real choices will be essential.

In April, AVAC and FP2030 convened a consultation with family planning (FP) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stakeholders to understand their unique perspectives on the DPP. The consultation put a spotlight on key questions and issues that will inform planning for DPP introduction, the development and delivery of future MPTs and, hopefully, accelerate the integration of SRH and HIV prevention programs.

The consultation identified key issues including the need to:

  • Understand the market for the DPP. Demand is expected from a segment of the market of women looking for contraception and HIV prevention.
  • Program health services to allow for method switching. Individual women may change what contraception they prefer at different times in their lives.
  • Educate providers, partners and communities about the DPP in the context of HIV prevention and contraception. Overcoming stigma and community acceptance are fundamental to supporting women to use the DPP and other prevention methods.
  • Expand, integrate and demedicalize health services now, and include access to oral PrEP in particular, which will create a model for increasing access to the DPP and other MPTs.

Learn more with the resources below!

New Resources on the Science from CROI, the Ring, DPP and More!

In this week’s roundup, you’ll find details on an upcoming webinar covering the stand-out science from CROI 2022; an important read on vaccine equity; new resources to support advocacy for the dapivirine vaginal ring; resources for learning about and advocating for the Dual Prevention Pill; and a special tribute to Zena Stein.

Webinar: The most notable science at CROI

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 9:30am ET/15:00 SAST
Join us, the CROI Community Liaison Subcommittee, and European AIDS Treatment Group for a webinar to debrief on this year’s CROI. A fabulous panel will unpack findings from the conference, share perspectives, and offer advocacy suggestions. Topics will span science presented on HIV prevention and treatment, HIV and aging, HIV cure, and COVID-19. Register here. Recorded sessions from CROI 2022 are now available on demand. For context on the sessions, the recordings from the Margarita Breakfast Clubs explore findings from the research of the day at CROI.

Read Vaccine equity: The rollout that needs a booster shot

An opinion piece in The Hill newspaper by AVAC Executive Director Mitchell Warren points out connections in global health that cut across disease and must be addressed for biomedical products to reach those who need them most. “COVID-19 has shown us the fragility of our efforts to end diseases in places where poverty is entrenched…. We invest hundreds of millions in large trials but nothing similar on how to disseminate the results…. This is not unique to any one disease: We have seen it in the lack of global vaccine equity in the COVID-19 response and we’ve seen it in TB and HIV…. We are achieving breakthroughs in developing new medicines and vaccines, but we are failing to deliver them with equity and with impact. It is well past time to do better.”

Important Voices: Ring user speak out

A video series, developed by the USAID-funded MOSAIC Project, features the voices of women from trials in Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe that tested the dapivirine vaginal ring. Trial participants explain why the ring works for them and their need for future access to this HIV prevention method.

Watch This Space: HIV and unintended pregnancy prevention

Last week, AVAC and FP2030 held a consultation on the Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), a daily pill that is currently being developed for the simultaneous prevention of unintended pregnancy and HIV acquisition. The webinar brought in dynamic perspectives from the family planning and sexual & reproductive health communities. Be sure to keep this on your radar, as there will be more opportunities at AIDS2022 to learn more, get your questions answered and develop advocacy priorities for this promising multipurpose technology. Currently, the DPP is moving through the R&D process and could be available as early as 2024. It would be the first MPT available. Get more details on the DPP on PrEPWatch.org.

Listen: Life and legacy of Zena Stein

To reflect on the legacy of Zena Stein, a public health, human rights and HIV prevention champion who influenced so many working in HIV prevention, the editor of the American Journal of Public Health produced a video-podcast conversation with CAPRISA’s Quarraisha Abdool Karim and AVAC’s Mitchell Warren.

Join Us This Week for Important Conversations

Three important conversations are happening this week: in HIV cure research, in COVID vaccines and in Good Participatory Practice (GPP). These discussions help set agendas and direct resources, so please consider joining one or all of them. We’ve also included links to important news and publications.

Breaking Down the Latest in HIV Cure Research
Tuesday, 5 April at 11am ET/5pm SAST
At CROI 2022, a number of exciting updates on HIV cure research were announced, including the most recent case of HIV remission after a stem cell transplant. Join a conversation with researchers as they break down the recent case of HIV cure, which is the first such cure in a woman. Speakers will also provide updates from an ongoing trial studying pediatric remission. Join to learn what these advances mean for science and for people living with HIV. Register here.

COVID-19 GPP Resources
Wednesday, 6 April at 9am ET/3pm SAST
While there are some resources that address stakeholder engagement in COVID-19 research, they may not adequately reflect the needs of advocates. Join AVAC and partners for a conversation to discuss advocates’ needs and shape the development of future resources. Register here.

New COVID-19 Vaccines Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa
Wednesday, 6 April at 10am ET/4pm SAST
Join us for a special webinar on the Ubuntu trial, hosted by the COVID Advocates Advisory Board (CAAB) and our Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research (CASPR). Led by the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), Ubuntu is a new, landmark COVID-19 vaccine trial in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the efficacy of mRNA vaccines in people living with HIV against the omicron variant. Register here.

Must Reads

Now Open Access: Stakeholder Engagement Must Overcome Tokenism and More
The ethics review process is a crucial opportunity for stakeholder engagement. A new article by AVACer Jessica Salzwedel, CASPR partner Cathy Slack and other co-authors appears in the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics and explores three themes that can make or break effective engagement: “It’s Almost as if Stakeholder Engagement is the Annoying ‘Have-to-do’…”: Can Ethics Review Help Address the “3 Ts” of Tokenism, Toxicity, and Tailoring in Stakeholder Engagement?

Possibility of Voluntary Licensing for Injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP
Over the past month AVAC has worked with a wide range of advocates calling for faster and more strategic introduction of injectable PrEP, and several public statements were released. Read statements from a leading group of Southern African Women Advocates and two from AfroCAB: Communities demand ViiV/GSK accelerate access to CAB-LA in LMICs and ViiV continues to not meet our demands to ensure CAB-LA is accessible for our communities. Then today, Viiv Healthcare, the maker of injectable cabotegravir, announced that it is working with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to outline a path forward for voluntary licensing of their product. ViiV said this path will include “an assessment of future demand and necessary manufacturing capacity and capability as well as upstream requirements for potential generic manufacturing partners.” Stay tuned for our updated call to action and roadmap to ensure injectable PrEP and the dapivirine vaginal ring get introduced faster and more strategically.

New Episode of Px Pulse: Getting Rollout Right for Ring and Injectable PrEP

At AVAC, we’ve been calling for coordinated planning to introduce and rollout new prevention products, while expanding access to existing options. We’ve said that these efforts must move much faster than they have in the past, and learn from the lessons of rolling out oral PrEP. So what matters right now for rolling out the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and injectable cabotegravir as additional PrEP options? Find out in our latest episode of Px Pulse!

Until now, daily oral PrEP, first approved in 2012, has been the only drug-based strategy for HIV prevention. So now it’s time to take the next steps to deliver these new options.

In this episode of Px Pulse, Linda-Gail Bekker from South Africa’s Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and Lillian Mworeko from the International Community of Women Living with HIV East Africa (ICWEA) join host Jeanne Baron and AVAC’s Executive Director Mitchell Warren to discuss innovative models for scale-up and delivery. Taking the right steps now could mean HIV prevention options fulfill their life-saving, epidemic-ending potential, and to do so requires working faster and more efficiently than ever before. We dive into what lessons the field has learned, what’s still off-track, and the steps advocates, policy makers, drug makers and funders should each take right now to turn efficacious options into effective choices.

For the full podcast episode, highlights, and the archive of previous episodes, visit avac.org/px-pulse. And subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

Reading, Resources and Webinars

At AVAC, we are seeing remarkable new developments and opportunities to engage in HIV and COVID research, development and advocacy. Here is a round-up of what’s been happening, essential reading and resources to help in your advocacy efforts, and some upcoming webinars to join.

In PrEP

Dapivirine Vaginal Ring Approved in South Africa

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) approved the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring for use by women to reduce their HIV risk. South Africa joins Zimbabwe as the first countries to announce approval of the ring, which is already recommended by the World Health Organization as an additional prevention option. The ring’s developer, the International Partnership for Microbicides, has also submitted additional applications for review by several other Eastern and Southern African countries, and advocates are actively engaged in making the ring accessible, including the fabulous new EmpoweRing campaign from our colleagues at ICWEA. AVAC’s Nandi Luthuli told Herald Live, “we know that the most effective intervention is the one someone picks for themselves among an array of effective choices.”

Updates on Injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP

Following US FDA approval of injectable cabotegravir for PrEP in December, there has been a cascade of activities—and a huge need for advocacy! Multiple additional regulatory agencies are reviewing the application; WHO convened their Guidelines Review Group meeting earlier this month, and guidelines are expected mid-year; and Unitaid announced funding for the first two implementation science projects to introduce injectable PrEP, in Brazil and South Africa. A key lesson from oral PrEP over the past decade has been the essential role of civil society; and advocates released a number of important statements—AfroCAB released two sign-on statements: Communities demand ViiV/GSK accelerate access to CAB-LA in LMICs and ViiV continues to not meet our demands to ensure CAB-LA is accessible for our communities, and a leading group Southern African women’s health advocates released a statement by Southern African Women Advocates in Advance of ViiV Convening. Stay tuned for our updated call to action and roadmap to ensure injectable PrEP and the ring get introduced faster and more strategically.

In Vaccines

New HIV Vaccine Study Using mRNA Platform Launched

The NIH also announced a new study to test three mRNA-based HIV vaccine candidates. This study follows an announcement in January from IAVI about another mRNA-based HIV vaccine study. AVAC is preparing a suite of materials on the latest in HIV vaccine research, development and advocacy for HIV Vaccine Awareness Day in May, so stay tuned. In the meantime, check out this snapshot that compares the two studies.

In COVID

New Resources for Journalists

The COVID-19 pandemic spawned an infodemic inside the onslaught of COVID-related information. Journalists struggle to identify reliable information in the everchanging pandemic landscape. With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, AVAC is expanding our partnership with Internews and our Media Cafe program conveners to support journalists covering HIV prevention science to include reporting on COVID. Check out the curated resources to help journalists find high-quality, understandable information.

WEBINAR: COVID-19 GPP Resources, 6 April at 9am ET/3pm SAST

While there are some resources that address stakeholder engagement in COVID-19 research, they may not adequately reflect the needs of advocates. Join AVAC and partners for a conversation to discuss advocates’ needs and shape the development of future resources. Register here.

WEBINAR: New COVID-19 Vaccines Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa, 6 April at 1oam ET/4pm SAST

Join us for a special webinar on the Ubuntu trial, hosted by the COVID Advocates Advisory Board (CAAB) and our Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research (CASPR). Led by the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), Ubuntu is a new, landmark COVID-19 vaccine trial in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the efficacy of mRNA vaccines in people living with HIV against the omicron variant. Register here.

In Cure

WEBINAR: Breaking Down the Latest in HIV Cure Research, 5 April at 11am ET/5pm SAST

At CROI 2022, a number of exciting updates on HIV cure research were announced, including the most recent case of HIV remission after a stem cell transplant. Join a conversation with researchers as they break down the recent case of HIV cure, which is the first such cure in a woman. Speakers will also provide updates from an ongoing trial studying pediatric remission. Join to learn what these advances mean for science and for people living with HIV. Register here.

In Integration of Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV

WEBINAR: Consultation on the Dual Prevention Pill, 12 April at 8:30am ET/2:30pm SAST
Join FP2030 and AVAC for a conversation about The Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), a daily oral pill that is currently being developed for the simultaneous prevention of unintended pregnancy and HIV acquisition. This consultative webinar will highlight unique perspectives from stakeholder in the fields of family planning and sexual & reproductive health. Register here.

Just Published: Catalyzing action on HIV/SRH integration: lessons from Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe to spur investment

We’re excited to announce this new publication – Catalyzing action on HIV/SRH integration: lessons from Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe to spur investment – in the Global Health Action journal. This publication builds on the partnership between our HIV Prevention Market Manager project, ministry of health officials in Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe, and Georgetown University’s Center for Innovation in Global Health, and is a call to catalyze actions by development partners in support of national strategies to integrate HIV and SRH information and services.

We hope these resources offer you the context and tools you need to use your passion and add your voice to the work ahead.

Essential Reading and Resources

AVAC and our partners have been busy the first couple of months of 2022. Here is a round-up of essential reading and new and updated resources including HIV treatment studies, PrEP, stakeholder engagement, research fundamentals and more.

Highlights From CROI

Our coverage of week one at CROI featured updates on data related to the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring, injectable cabotegravir (CAB) as PrEP, vaccine science and cure research. And our week two summary looked at symposia that explored how to reach key populations, the critical role of choice in effective HIV prevention, and the status of research on preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

HIV Treatment Studies During COVID-19

A February commentary in JIAS, coauthored by AVACer Maureen Luba with a host of other experts on the topic, offered recommendations for the ethical continuation of treatment research among people living with HIV in the context of COVID-19: Mitigation strategies to safely conduct HIV treatment research in the context of COVID-19.

Transgender Voices: Call to action

The Lancet’s February publication included a public letter from leading voices in the transgender community working in HIV research and public health. Titled, Research on transgender people must benefit transgender people, it called out exploitation in academic research and “called in” researchers to pursue priorities that offer direct benefit to transgender communities and to rely on resources such as No Data No More: Manifesto to Align HIV Prevention Research with Trans and Gender Diverse Realities.

Stakeholder Engagement Must Overcome Tokenism and More

The ethics review process is a critical opportunity for stakeholder engagement. AVACer Jessica Salzwedel, CASPR partner Cathy Slack and other co-authors explore three themes that can make or break effective engagement in a new article in the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics: “It’s Almost as if Stakeholder Engagement is the Annoying ‘Have-to-do’…”: Can Ethics Review Help Address the “3 Ts” of Tokenism, Toxicity, and Tailoring in Stakeholder Engagement?

South Africa Is Talking About Injectable CAB As PrEP and Getting Rollout Right

Leading South African publication on public interest health journalism, Spotlight, reported on the excitement among advocates – and the need to plan now – to add injectable CAB as PrEP to the HIV prevention options currently available. Check out two new stories: Start planning HIV prevention injection rollout, experts say and Prioritise HIV prevention injection, activists say.

Many Angles On PrEP And Resources For Advocacy

For context on injectable CAB as PrEP, resources to support the rollout of the ring, and a look at the research and development pipeline of next generation PrEP, check out PrEP and more PrEP: An update and important resources.

Research Fundamentals

What is an endpoint in clinical research and why does it matter? POZ magazine’s February issue featured a transcript of AVAC’s Px Pulse podcast on this question. Hear the original nine-minute podcast here. And you can find the Px Pulse archive here.

We hope these resources offer you the context and tools you need to use your passion and add your voice to the work ahead.