Join AVAC, COMPASS and other partners to update CCMs on the PEPFAR freeze.

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Join AVAC, COMPASS and other partners to update CCMs on the PEPFAR freeze.
The sustained attacks on global health and the dismantling of critical infrastructure by the US government continued this week. Here is an overview of developments in US policies and their implications for the HIV response and global health equity.
Leading groups in Washington, DC are urgently trying to collect videos and photos of what’s happening “on the ground” because of the freeze, such as clinic closures despite the waiver. Non-professional phone videos and photos are welcome. Contact or send to [email protected] for more details.
In other news, there was progress in HIV prevention: Gilead Sciences submitted lenacapavir for PrEP to the European Medicines Agencies (EMA) for review, both to market in Europe as well as for an EU-Medicines for All (EU-M4all) application that would facilitate availability of LEN for PrEP in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This marks a big step toward ensuring injectable PrEP reaches those who need it most, which was also highlighted in this week’s Lancet HIV editorial: Steps toward quick and equitable roll-out of lenacapavir. This makes fighting to restart PEPFAR-supported PrEP programs all the more important, so the world can prepare for LEN introduction. If we can’t drive down new infections with all options, we can’t imagine a sustainable HIV response.
The last week has brought an alarming series of developments affecting global health and human rights. Here’s a brief overview of critical changes and their implications:
AVAC and PrEP4All urged donors at last week’s FCAA Summit to mobilize emergency funding and unite against these threats.Together, we can protect global health and human rights.
The last week has been intense and sobering. As strategic and dedicated advocates, we already know the profound impact elections have on our work and our world. Recent developments in the United States underscore the challenges ahead, especially with the new administration’s alignment with the Project 2025 agenda—a playbook designed to reshape US federal agencies and policies drastically.
There are already Executive Orders—which are directives issued by the President of the United States—that have significant implications for our collective work, in the US and around the world. This is, we fear, just the beginning. Administrative actions, such as pausing foreign assistance, including the lifesaving PEPFAR program; halting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; curtailing public communications; and “scrubbing” agency websites represent a systematic effort to control narratives and stifle dissent. And many of the Executive Orders from this past week are aimed at changing who is in control of information.
Some of the new political and policy shifts that we are tracking and what they mean for the programs and systems that matter most to HIV prevention efforts, include:
AVAC will continue to track these developments, analyze their implications, and convene and coordinate with partners to strategize responses. Beginning this week, we will share a weekly synthesis and insights report, Global Health Watch to help navigate this challenging terrain and ensure our advocacy for an evidence- and rights-based, equitable response to the HIV epidemic continues.
In addition, AVAC and PrEP4All published a new commentary in POZ magazine asking philanthropic funders gathered at this week’s Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) Summit to adapt to these urgent threats. AVAC urges donor partners and advocates to support one another, and join together in an emergency effort, with immediate funding. As a united front, we can and must defend global health and human rights at this crucial time when collective action by donors, multilaterals, advocates and impacted communities is imperative.
Stay strong, stay safe, and stay sane. It’s a long road ahead, but with our partnerships, we must persevere.
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This webinar has been cancelled because funding was pulled by the new US administration. Follow critical developments in US policies and their impact on global health via our new newsletter. Learn more here.
Join the IMPT and guest speakers from AVAC and Population Council for a discussion on the dual prevention pill (DPP)—a single pill that combines oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and oral contraception (OC) to prevent HIV and pregnancy. If approved, the DPP will be the first multi-purpose prevention technology (MPT) to be marketed since condoms.
The discussion will include real-time learnings to inform the broader MPT field on the DPP’s regulatory approval process, acceptability study results in South Africa and Zimbabwe, implementation updates, and lessons learned.
There will be a Q&A session following the presentations.
From the implementation of DoxyPEP to the game-changing trial results of lenacapavir for PrEP, 2024 has been a landmark year for advancements in HIV and STI prevention. AVAC’s most downloaded resources capture these pivotal milestones, offering essential insights and tools to power your advocacy. Dive into the highlights and stay informed about the strategies shaping the future of HIV prevention.
This episode of PxPulse looks at why and how the decisions that shape global health must be made by those facing the greatest risks. As the world evaluates the pandemic response and debates on decolonizing global health gain momentum, equity in global health has never been more urgent.
This graphic shows currently available options for HIV prevention, newly approved and recommended treatment, and those in development.
This plan provides a broad view of all the moving parts and identifies actions and actors responsible for ensuring time is not wasted and opportunity not squandered.
This PxPulse podcast episode goes deep on LEN for PrEP. Recorded just days before Gilead’s announcement that PURPOSE 2 also found very high efficacy, Dr. Flavia Kiweewa, a principal investigator of the first trial to announce efficacy, lays out the research findings and what they mean. And Chilufya Kasanda Hampongo of Zambia’s Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign and Mitchell Warren of AVAC talk about how to change a long history of squandered opportunities to get rollout right.
This report examines disbursements by the U.S. NIH and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is one of few reports to track funding trends in vaccine and diagnostics R&D, and pipeline investments for some of the most common STIs.
Led by AVAC alongside a network of partners, the People’s Research Agenda puts forward recommendations to diversify and strengthen the HIV prevention pipeline, enhance investment and financial support for HIV prevention research and development, and guide an advocacy strategy that truly addresses the needs of communities across the prevention pipeline.
This roadmap aims to build on existing progress while accelerating the pace of HIV prevention. With anticipated regulatory approvals and production scaling, this plan targets over 2.5 million LEN users in low- and middle-income countries by 2027. It focuses on structural barriers and integration of generics into national programs.
Good Participatory Practice Guidelines have been shaping and improving clinical research since 2007. They provide a global reference guide for ethical and effective stakeholder engagement, helping ensure the priorities of trial participants and their communities are centered in clinical trials and broader research agendas.
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The 32nd annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) that took place from March 9–12 in San Francisco, CA convened researchers, advocates and others under drastically altered circumstances, as the new US Administration’s assault on global health and research devastates the HIV response. Foreign aid programs are frozen, US agencies championing science and global health are being dismantled, and US leadership around the world is receding at a critical moment.
The CROI Community Liaisons, AVAC and the European AIDS Treatment Group organized a series of daily Community Breakfast Clubs which were open to all. These live webinars featured researchers and advocates exploring some of the most consequential science and discussions from CROI.
Topics included:
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The inaugural edition of the African Workshop on HIV & Women will take place in hybrid format on 27 – 28 February 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The time zone that will be used for this meeting is East Africa Time (EAT). If you need to convert the times to your timezone, this website might be of interest to you: www.WorldTimeBuddy.com.
This exciting new initiative is a regional workshop paired to the annual “International Workshop on HIV & Women”. It is an outstanding opportunity for both local and international healthcare providers, researchers, government, industry, and community representatives to discuss and further increase their knowledge on the issues related to HIV and women living in Africa.
The primary purpose of this workshop is to support changes that will provide a better quality of life for women living with HIV and reduce HIV transmissions in the region.
The format of the workshop enables attendees to learn from renowned HIV experts, discuss challenges, gaps, and opportunities for further learning and research. The debates and roundtables are an especially important vehicle to discuss issues and challenge dogma.
The workshop also provides a forum for early-career investigators to present their research and to personally meet with experts they view as mentors and inspiration for their work.
The meeting organizers hope this workshop will catalyze forming a community, where attendees continue to participate yearly and form valuable relationships and partnerships that lead to collaborative projects and positive changes.
An introductory slide deck covering the basics of trial design in product development — definitions, phases, randomized control trials, and more.
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HPTN 091, the I Am study, evaluated the impact of a multicomponent HIV prevention strategy to increase the uptake and adherence of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among transgender women. The strategy included HIV prevention services, gender-affirming hormone therapy, and peer health navigation.
This webinar featured Dr. Tonia Poteat, study co-investigator, who will review the study findings and discuss implications.
Speakers:
This webinar featured Portuguese and Spanish translation thanks to HPTN.
Video Recording and English Audio / Spanish Audio / Portuguese Audio / Slides / Resources