Advocates’ Guide: The risks and benefits of expedited COVID-19 vaccine research

This guide highlights the strategies being implemented to shorten the COVID-19 vaccine development timeline and the benefits, risks and key takeaways for each.

Designing a New Generation of HIV Prevention Efficacy Trials

Designing trials to test new HIV prevention modalities remains crucial; high rates of new infections persist in communities all over the world. Even with effective tools becoming more accessible, it’s clear no single option fits every need. But those same options make the design of future trials increasingly complex. Bill Snow, AVAC co-founder and senior advisor, explores this issue in Designing a New Generation of Prevention Efficacy Trials. The report lays out basic concepts in innovations in trial design and an analysis of the implications for advocacy.

A Statement on the Future of HIV Prevention Trials

AVAC’s inaugural Trial Design Academy convened in September 2019. At that meeting, a group of around 20 HIV prevention advocates from across the globe explored technical issues related to trial designs, and engaged with researchers, statisticians and regulators to understand the decisions—which must incorporate input from advocates. As an outcome of this workshop, the group developed a statement of its viewpoints and stances on this new, complex generation of HIV prevention trials—this work was presented at AIDS 2020 Virtual: Advocates’ Perspectives on Next-Generation HIV Prevention Trial Design. Read the consensus statement.

Integration of HIV prevention and SRH services in Zimbabwe

Findings from an assessment of HIV prevention and SRH integration in Zimbabwe, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, comprised of site visits to health facilities, key informant interviews, civil society dialogues and a policy review.

Advocates’ Primer on Injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP: Trials, Approvals, Rollout and More

Results from two large-scale efficacy trials found that injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA), given every two months, was effective as a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV in gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender women who have sex with men, and cisgender women. CAB-LA was developed by ViiV Healthcare and is currently used in HIV treatment. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first form of injectable PrEP in December 2021. This document focuses on CAB-LA for prevention, outlining what’s known and what’s next for this emerging biomedical HIV prevention strategy.

COMPASS

Since 2017, the Coalition to Build Momentum, Power, Strategy and Solidarity has broken new ground in transnational HIV activism that’s grounded in rigorous analysis, fearless tactics and collaboration across geographies. We’re winning commitments and changes that will drive epidemic control. Read on to see what the future of AIDS activism looks like.

Five “P”s to Watch

HIV vaccine research is making the search for a COVID-19 vaccine faster, safer and more inclusive. The global COVID-19 response evolves by the day—seemingly, even, by the minute—as the world has watched the tally of experimental diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines tick up into the hundreds. If researchers achieve their goal of making the search for a COVID-19 vaccine the fastest vaccine development effort in history, much of that success will be due to the research knowledge, vaccine platforms, trial networks and community engagement models created through HIV vaccine research.

Understanding COVID-19 Mathematical Models

This brief provides information on mathematical modeling for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advocates Call for Ethical Research for COVID-19 Solutions

More than 260 organizations and individuals have joined an Advocates Call for Ethical Research for COVID-19 Solutions. Read the letter reiterating the essential role of ethical research, and the need to move forward based on facts and evidence, and help us carry this message forward!

Applying Lessons from Family Planning to HIV Prevention Product Introduction

An analysis of lessons and data from family planning in sub-Saharan Africa to better inform introduction of HIV prevention products and integration of HIV prevention into family planning settings.