The Community Breakfast Club is a joint initiative made possible through collaboration among AVAC, the European AIDS Treatment Group, the Treatment Action Group, Fiocruz, and other partners. They feature researchers and advocates discussing some of the most consequential science being presented at CROI.
Dapivirine Ring: Giving Women Hope and Choice in HIV Prevention
The monthly Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (DVR) is a critical option in the HIV prevention tool kit, being entirely woman controlled, discrete, and very safe and simple to implement.
This webinar will highlight ongoing market access activities to ensure women have access to the monthly DVR; key learnings from community and government engagement activities; the perspective of local advocates in the HIV prevention space; and updates on development of the 3-month DVR, which promises to be a more convenient and cost-effective product. Join The Choice Agenda to learn more.
Speakers (in formation):
Diantha Pillay, IPM South Africa
Leonard Solai, IPM South Africa
Emily Dorman, Population Council
Yvette Raphael, Advocacy for Prevention of HIV and AIDS (APHA)
Avac Event
IAS 2027, the 14th IAS Conference on HIV Science
IAS 2027, the 14th IAS Conference on HIV Science, will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, and virtually from 11 to 15 July 2027. Around 5,000 people from more than 130 countries are expected to attend.
The IAS Conference on HIV Science is the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and its applications. Through its open and inclusive programme, the meeting sets the gold standard of HIV science, featuring latest HIV research and innovations that move science into policy and practice.
Avac Event
AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference
AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference, taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and virtually on 26-31 July 2026, comes at a crucial time for the HIV response.
In the face of an unprecedented funding crisis and major cutbacks to HIV programmes, the world’s largest conference on HIV and AIDS will unite people living with HIV, researchers, policy makers, healthcare professionals, funders, media and communities.
Avac Event
The Injectors of Tomorrow are Here Today
An important part of expanding PrEP access includes increasing the number of individuals who can deliver PrEP, particularly injectable PrEP, and the locations where PrEP can be administered and obtained. Join The Choice Agenda to hear from community health workers and pharmacists who are taking actions outside the box such as learning to inject, and moving PrEP out of clinics into homes, the street, and other places our communities want to engage.
Moderators:
Dr. Leandro Mena, Emory University
Parrish Brown, Whitman-Walker Health
Speakers:
Seth Gomez, Wellness Equity Alliance
April Henson, Legacy Community Health
Francois Venter, University of the Witwatersrand
Avac Event
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026)
For those presenting at CROI (as well as anyone interested in tracking the field), AVAC’s latest infographics on HIV R&D and the delivery pipeline, the current landscape of prevention options, and the impact of US funding cuts are available here in an easy-to-use slide format. We hope these visuals are useful for presentations and discussions at the conference and beyond.
Each day during CROI, AVAC, EATG, Fiocruz, TAG, and other partners will host virtual webinars called Community Breakfast Clubs featuring researchers and advocates breaking down important prevention, treatment and cure science presented at CROI and the implications for the field. Registration is open to all.
AVAC will be tracking news and developments from the conference. Be part of the conversation by following AVAC on BlueSky at @hivpxresearch.bsky.social, and sign up for our Advocates Network newsletters if you were forwarded this email. And be sure to follow our partner, Aidsmap, as they report from the conference.
Check out the CROI program for sessions of interest. Some of the things we’re watching include:
Sunday, February 22
Scott Hammer Workshop for New Researchers
Clinical Trial Design and Analysis Workshop
Opening Session with Named Lectures by Sharon Lewin, Peter Staley and Linda-Gail Bekker
Monday, February 23
Plenaries on Meeting the Moment: HIV Treatment and Prevention and Structure, Function, and Inhibition of the HIV Capsid
Sleepless in Denver: Impact of Funding Changes on HIV Care
Strategic and Resilient Responses to the Funding Crisis Across Africa
Tuesday, February 24
Plenary on Cutting-Edge Issues in Sexually Transmitted Infections
HIV Reservoirs and Cure Strategies
Counting and Caring for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals
Wednesday, February 25
Manipulating the HIV Immune Response for Prevention and Treatment
From Good to Great: Advancing Treatment and Prevention
Test and Tell
Harnessing B-Cells and Antibodies for HIV Control
Some Assembly Required: Self-Blood Collection and Testing
Avac Event
The Future of HIV Prevention: A People’s Research Agenda for Speed, Scale and Equity
First developed in 2024 in partnership with global advocates and communities, the People’s Research Agenda sets out a people-centered framework for equitable and accelerated R&D and product introduction. The PRA tracks the science, shows where investments align—or fail to align—with community-defined priorities, and spotlights critical gaps in the pipeline of prevention options needed to meet the diverse realities of all populations.
Featured speaker Jeanne Marrazzo, CEO of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and AVAC board member.
We covered what the People’s Research Agenda tracks, why it matters, and the advocacy priorities that will shape the future of prevention R&D.
The Science of HIV Cure: What communities need to know
Speakers shared the latest on research toward an HIV cure and how lessons from progress in pediatric cure research can inform the path forward.
Avac Event
The Quest For An HIV Cure — Will It Be Discovered in Africa?
We explored what has been happening in terms of HIV cure research in Africa, and discussed opportunities to support more Africa-focused HIV cure research.
Moderator: Anna Miti, The Choice Agenda
Speakers:
Dr. Thumbi Ndung’u, Africa Health Research Institute
Dr. Gabriela Cromhout, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Adaobi Lisa Olisa, Root to Rise, IAS HIV Vaccine & Cure Advocacy Fellow
Following up on a recent webinar, this will be a space to share real-time experiences, strategize, and define collective asks before Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are finalized on December 12.
