How do People Who Use/Inject Drugs Intersect with PrEP Research and Service Delivery?

On Wednesday, September 6, The Choice Agenda (TCA), the International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD) and our wonderful expert speakers discussed the health and wellness priorities of people who use/inject drugs, and how these communities (“key populations”) intersect across PrEP research, development, and implementation activities. They highlighted critical gaps in the PrEP agenda, underscore opportunities for improvement, and share strategies for better inclusion, representation and meaningful engagement.

Speakers: John Kimani, Kenya Network of People Who Use Drugs (KeNPUD) Dr. Sunil Solomon, Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Tetiana Kaleeva

** With special thanks to WHO, this webinar will offer simultaneous Ukrainian translation.**

Recording / Slides / Resources

Tales from Two Cities: HIV and STI research highlights from Brisbane and Chicago

August 3, 2023 at 9am ET

TCA’s invited experts will share their highlights and reflections on the HIV and STI-related science presented at two major global health conferences. These conferences include IAS 2023, taking place in Brisbane, Australia July 23 – 26 and the 2023 STI and HIV World Congress happening in Chicago (United States) from July 24 – July 27.

Speakers include:
Dr. Aniruddha Hazra – University of Chicago
Nyaradzo M Mgodi – University of Zimbabwe
Roger Pebody – NAM, Aidsmap.com
Charlie Peterson – University of Illinois – Chicago

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Advancing HIV Cure to Africa: What is needed?

The HIV epidemic continues to have a tremendous impact on global health. While we have made enormous progress in making antiretroviral therapy available to many people living with HIV, we are still not capable of eliminating infection. Consequently, people with HIV must commit to expensive, lifelong therapies; continuous monitoring; and they face drug toxicities and chronic immune activation. There is thus an urgent need to develop safe, affordable, and globally accessible curative strategies. While HIV cure research slowly becomes more mainstream in high income countries, Africa runs the risk of being left behind.

During two exciting 60-minutes panel-discussions panelists discussed how researchers, communities and other stakeholders from high income countries could work equitably with low- and middle-income countries in the interests of an HIV cure for all. This webinar was one session of the NL4Cure Spring symposium in Rotterdam on May 25 and 26.

Panel discussion 1 – Scientific priorities for HIV cure in Africa

Watch the recording

Facilitated by Cynthia Lungu, Erasmus University Medical Center.
Panelists included Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, Africa Health Research Institute Programme, Krista Dong, MD, of FRESH- Females Rising through Education, Professor Zaza Ndhlovu, Africa Health Research Institute, Catherine Slack, MA Clin Psych, PhD, HIV AIDS Vaccines Ethics Group

Panel discussion 2 – Advocacy and community involvement priorities for HIV cure in Africa

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Facilitated by Jessica Salzwedel, AVAC.
Panelists included Philister Adhiambo, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Charles Brown, Preventive Care International, Mandisa Dukashe, Wits RHI, Elina Mwasinga, National Association for Young People Living with HIV

Aidsfonds: Soa Aids Nederland is a Dutch non-profit organization that also works internationally. Working with communities as equals is at the heart of all our work. We conduct research and ensure that HIV, AIDS and STIs remain high on the agenda worldwide. Together we are working to find a cure for HIV.

NL4Cure: Aidsfonds has initiated a unique partnership to bring together the best HIV researchers, people living with HIV, data experts, HIV clinicians and nurses. Through NL4Cure, we generate new insights that bring us one step closer to finding a cure.

ClusterF*#k: Molecular HIV Surveillance, Criminalization, and The Real Risks to PLHIV

Tuesday, July 18 at 11:00 AM–12:30PM ET

Advocates Brian Minalga (Deputy Director of the Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination), Amir Sadeghi (Policy and Advocacy Manager at the The Center for HIV Law and Policy), and Andy Spieldenner (Executive Director of MPact Global Action) will explore the intersection of surveillance, bodily autonomy and criminalization.

This webinar is co-sponsored by The Center for HIV Law and Policy, MPact Global Action, and the Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination.

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PrEP That Booty: The latest on rectal microbicide research for the back door

Thursday, June 29 at 9:00 AM–10:30AM ET

Most of what we hear about regarding the HIV prevention pipeline is about long-acting, longer-acting, and even longer-acting products that deliver drug throughout the body and require a trained clinician to deliver. However, these attributes are not desirable to many folks, and communities want a range of choices. Researchers and advocates for years have been working on HIV prevention products specifically for the back door (rectum) to provide protection during anal intercourse. These products are user-controlled, non-systemic (the drug stays in the booty and only the booty), and are short-acting, so you don’t have to commit to having a prevention drug in your body for a year or longer. Join us for a dynamic discussion regarding the latest research on Booty PrEP – aka rectal microbicides – with our multi-talented panel.

Speakers include: Jonathan Baker, PA, Laser Surgery Care, Dr. Craig Hendrix, Johns Hopkins, Juan Michael Porter II, The Body, and Dr. Sharon Riddler, University of Pittsburgh

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The Road to and Beyond High-Level Meetings on UHC and PPR

Thursday, June 22 at 9:00 AM ET

This webinar highlighted key opportunities for community and civil society to engage ahead of and beyond the upcoming high-level meetings on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR). Learning from the high-level meetings on HIV, and reflecting on the recent multi-stakeholders meetings on UHC, TB, and PPR, the webinar highlighted: key moments for civil society and communities to engage, unpack the political declarations’ languages and, holding governments accountable to their commitments.

Watch the recording.

What’s All the Buzz About: mRNA, manufacturing, vaccine access

Exploring the potential role of bNAbs in prevention

AVAC and partners hosted a conversation to explore the potential role of bNAbs in prevention, current status in the field, and key issues to consider in HIV vaccine research.

Panelists included: Slim Karim, CAPRISA, Pervin Anklesaria, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Khadija Richards, Wits RHI, Huub Gelderblom, HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)
Hosted By: Mitchell Warren, AVAC and Stacey Hannah, AVAC

Recording / Slim Karim Slides / Pervin Anklesaria Slides / Khadija Richards Slides / Huub Gelderblom Slides

PrEP (In)equity: Documenting, measuring, and flipping the script towards justice

Tuesday, May 9 at 9:00 AM–10:30AM ET

Disparities in PrEP awareness, access, and uptake are stark in the United States, and play out along lines of race, gender, age, and geography. While we see increases in PrEP uptake overall, these metrics tend to mask the fact that the people who most need PrEP are not to be found in those numbers. As we see new modes of PrEP delivery become available, we are concerned these “shiny new things” will be yet another way to measure disparities and not actually help those who most need it. We must focus on these inequities with laser-like intensity, allocate resources using an equity model, and strive harder for PrEP justice.

Speakers include: Leisha-McKinley Beach, National HIV/AIDS Consultant, Michael Chancley, PrEP4All, and Dr. Patrick Sullivan, Emory

Recording / Slides / Resources

HIV Prevention Plus Plus: Developing Options that Meet the Full Range of our Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs

Tuesday, April 25 at 9:00 AM–10:30AM ET

Despite a dynamic research and development (R&D) pipeline for prevention products, male and female condoms remain the only multi-purpose prevention technologies (MPTs) currently available. Yet MPTs are an integral part of the HIV prevention advocacy agenda. For decades, advocates have pushed for products to be developed that simultaneously prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and/or pregnancy.

With a growing number of PrEP options already, what will it take to bring a new MPT to market? A Dual Prevention Pill (DPP – https://www.prepwatch.org/products/dual-prevention-pill/) that prevents both HIV and pregnancy could be just two years away. Looking further upstream, there are over 25 other MPTs in the pipeline (https://www.prepwatch.org/research-pipeline/), including vaginal rings, which would follow in the footsteps of the dapivirine vaginal ring recommended by WHO and recently approved in several countries.

Within this fast-evolving HIV prevention landscape, work is already underway to build a platform to introduce the DPP, which could speed up the rollout of other MPTs. Join us to hear what we’ve learned so far on R&D, marketing, counseling and delivery for MPTs – and to discuss what we can do now to prepare prevention markets to include new MPT options.

Featured Speakers:
Ruth Akulu, ICWEA, AVAC fellow
Barbara Friedland, Population Council
Gregorio Millet, amfAR
Dr. Thesla Palanee-Phillips, Wits RHI
Danielle Resar, Clinton Health Access Initiative
Co-moderators: Wawira Nyagah, AVAC Kate Segal, AVAC

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How to Communicate about Sexual Health and STIs: Sex positivity vs. risk-based language

Thursday, April 20 at 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM ET

Join The Choice Agenda for a conversation focused on sex positivity and risk-based language when discussing sexual health and STIs.

Speakers include Dr. Keosha T. Bond, CUNY School of Medicine, Dr. Joseph Cherabie, Washington University St. Louis, Mark Kaigwa, Nendo, and moderated Alison Footman, AVAC

Webinar co-sponsored by the American Sexual Health Association.

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