This issue brief on the vaccine research and development (R&D) process is one of a series of four briefs, which provide a roadmap for advocacy to advance the development of essential vaccines for HIV, COVID-19, tuberculosis, and other global public health threats, and approaches to ensure equitable access to these life-saving vaccines. Additional topics cover the role of mRNA technology, the need for local vaccine production, and issues around global access.
Vaccine Research and Development: Key Lessons and Ways Forward
From Lab to Jab
Vaccine Access: What’s Working and What’s Next
From Lab to Jab
This issue brief covers the web of issues that influence access to vaccines. It is one of a series of four issue briefs, which provide a roadmap for advocacy to advance the development of essential vaccines for HIV, COVID-19, tuberculosis, and other global public health threats, and approaches to ensure equitable access to these life-saving vaccines. Additional topics cover the research and development (R&D) process, the role of mRNA technology; and the need for local vaccine production.
Vaccine Development History
A graphic showing the duration between discovery of the microbiologic cause of selected infectious diseases and the development of a vaccine.
Excerpted From the Lab to Jab.
mRNA Technology: What It Might Mean for Future Vaccines
From Lab to the Jab
This issue brief on mRNA technology covers what it is, how it works, current knowledge gaps and ideas for advocacy to harness its potential. It is one of a series of four issue briefs, which provide a roadmap for advocacy to advance the development of essential vaccines for HIV, COVID-19, tuberculosis, and other global public health threats, and approaches to ensure equitable access to these life-saving vaccines. Additional topics cover the research and development (R&D) process, the need for local vaccine production, and issues around global access.
Local Vaccine Production: Harnessing Its Potential for Equity
From the Lab to the Jab
This issue brief on local vaccine production covers the current state of local production, what is needed to facilitate it, and ideas for advocacy to harness its potential. It is one of four briefs in a series providing a roadmap for advocacy to advance the development of essential vaccines for HIV, COVID-19, TB and
other global public health threats, including approaches to ensure equitable access to these life-saving vaccines once developed. Additional topics cover the research and development (R & D) process, issues around global access; and the advent of the mRNA platform for vaccines.
From the Lab to the Jab
A series of advocate guides to the latest in vaccine R&D
From the Lab to Jab are a series of briefs to learn the latest in vaccine R&D for HIV, COVID-19, TB and other global public health threats. Access them all here and stay tuned for a related webinar in early 2024. Watch this space or sign up for our email newsletter.
The HIV Prevention Pipeline
This graphic shows currently available options for HIV prevention, newly approved and recommended treatment, and those in development.
Advancing Choice in HIV Prevention
In recent weeks, important new resources for advancing choice in HIV prevention have been announced. Don’t miss these highlights from the field. They point to an HIV response in transition, and help to define the role advocacy must play. As policy, practice and budgets strive to keep up with advances in research, advocacy around choice becomes a cross-cutting priority—so that the promise of new options in HIV prevention won’t be squandered in siloed programs, or by poorly-planned supply chains, or because of disconnected policy decisions. People have diverse needs and face complex challenges; ending HIV depends on finding the option that works best for each individual.
The Choice Manifesto 
The African Women’s HIV Prevention Community Accounability Board (AWPCAB) launched the HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto, calling for increased political and financial support to ensure every proven method of HIV prevention is integrated into the HIV response, so that all women who need prevention will have access to the options that will make prevention possible for them. At the launch event in Kampala, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima gave a keynote address in support of the Manifesto’s call for all stakeholders to commit to the budgets and strategies that will make choice possible.
“I congratulate you for the HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto. It’s about pushing everyone towards people-centered, women-centered and women-led approaches to HIV prevention. You have fought with your lives to get here. You are fearless feminists. Women must lead for themselves.” – Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director
Learn more about the HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto and other advocacy resources for choice in our latest AVAC blog, Reclaiming Choice: The launch of the HIV Prevention Choice Manifesto and what that means.
The Dual Prevention Pill (DPP)
The DPP Consortium created a multiyear strategy to frame priorities and next steps in the development and delivery of the dual prevention pill (DPP), which is being developed to prevent HIV and unintended pregnancy. This multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) combines oral PrEP with an oral contraceptive. The updated strategy consolidates two years of progress toward preparing the field for new MPTs. The strategy addresses additions to the MPT pipeline, the potential role of the private sector in delivering a future DPP, recommendations for provider counseling on the use of the DPP, market research on potential DPP users, the latest analysis on cost, and more.
Stay tuned for more resources and updates to come on the DPP, the Choice Manifesto, and tools for connecting choice to HIV prevention, ending the epidemic and the role of choice in global health equity in HIV, and beyond.
Experimental Medicine Vaccine Trials (EMVTs): Opportunities and Challenges
In 2023, AVAC and CASPR partners cast a spotlight on many issues and opportunities for HIV vaccine science. This one-pager highlights key conversations.
Avac Event
SCOPE Community E-meeting: Developments in the HIV and STIs biomedical prevention pipeline
The European AIDS Treatment Group, along with European and local organizations are coming together for a virtual meeting via Zoom e-meeting on Wednesday, May 24 at 6:00 to 7:30 AM ET (12:00 – 13:30 PM CET).
This interactive e-meeting for community educators and advocates will provide an update on the latest developments in biomedical HIV and STIs prevention research and implementation, new approaches and future challenges. Participants will learn from each other and discuss community preferences, uptake and access issues, as well as advocacy efforts to overcome policy and financial barriers at local, regional and European level. Live interpretation in English and Russian will be provided. This meeting is part of the SCOPE Project.