Avac Event

Illinois PrEP Summit 2024: Disrupting Disparities and Advancing Access

The conference focuses on advancing biomedical HIV prevention to help achieve Getting to Zero by 2030. Key summit goals include improving access, addressing disparities, fostering research and promoting community engagement. Join us for in-person sessions covering strategies, policies and implementation research.

This conference is curated by AFC, MATEC, PrEP4Teens and Project VIDA.

Registration closes, June 7, 2024.

Avac Event

Using the COMPASS Campaign Advocacy Assessment Tool (C-CAAT) to assess the effectiveness of advocacy campaigns

This webinar is for all COMPASS coalition members, partners, stakeholders and individuals taking on advocacy in various fields.

By the end of the webinar participants are expected to have an improved capacity on how to reflect on advocacy outcomes (positive and negative) individually and collectively with relevant stakeholders and partners; enhanced ability to identify, describe and document advocacy outcomes in a clear and structured manner; and an improved capacity to identify follow up actions/tactics needed to achieve the advocacy goal or respond in the event of a setback.

Avac Event

From the Lab to the Jab: Lessons learned and what’s next in HIV vaccine research

AVAC’s issue briefs, From the Lab to the Jab, cover the barriers to, and solutions for equitable access to vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. During this webinar, an expert panel discussed lessons learned, an international initiative for vaccine development, and how research and access can be improved.

Moderators:

  • Mitchell Warren, AVAC
  • Tracy Swan, AVAC and Make Medicines Affordable Campaign

Panelists:

  • Dr. Jerome Kim, International Vaccine Institute
  • Dr. Els Torreele, æqua
  • Othoman Mellouk, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition

Recording / Dr. Jerome Kim Slides / Dr. Els Torreele Slides / Othoman Mellouk Slides

Avac Event

HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections: Progress and gaps

13:00 – 14:30 CEST PM

Please join this webinar being held in the run up to the 77th World Health Assembly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will launch a publication, which describes progress and gaps identified during the first two years of implementing the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for 2022-2030.

Moderators will ask key leaders in the responses to HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs how we can increase visibility, political will and community activism to accelerate action.

Panelists include:

  • Jérôme Salomon, WHO, Switzerland
  • Jessica Hicks, World Hepatitis Alliance, United Kingdom
  • Maureen Luba, AVAC, Malawi
  • Meg Doherty, WHO, Switzerland
  • Patty Garcia, Cayetano Heredia University, Peru
  • Philippe Duneton, Unitaid, Switzerland
  • Sabin Nsanzimana, Ministry of Health, Rwanda (TBC)

The conversation will be moderated by Charles Gore from the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Birgit Poniatowski from IAS – the International AIDS Society.

The webinar is organized by IAS – the International AIDS Society – and its partners, WHO, Medicines Patent Pool and Unitaid.

Avac Event

What’s Next for the Pandemic Accord? A civil society and communities perspective

13:30-15:00PM Geneva Time

This side event featured expert panelists discussing what’s promising in the Pandemic Accord, what we expect from governments, and what’s missing for successful implementation. Selected panelists came from different health areas but all have experience in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

This panel also helped civil society prepare for the coming year and gain capacity to meaningfully engage in advocacy around implementation of the Accord. 

This event was co-sponsored with Care and Frontline AIDS. This in-person meeting will be recorded and the recording will be posted on this page following the event.

Avac Event

Analysis & Impact of the Ugandan Constitutional Court Ruling on HIV Services

Please join us for a deep dive into the recent ruling on the Anti-Homosexuality Act by the Ugandan Constitutional Court, with a focus on implications for HIV programs in Uganda and beyond, and connections to the US Supreme Court Dodds decision.

Speakers Include:

  • Andrea Gillespie, Associate Director of Global Advocacy, Human Rights Campaign
  • Maureen Milanga, Director International Policy and Advocacy, Health GAP
  • Ugandan activist TBC

Avac Event

Just What is Discovery Medicine? And What Does it Mean for HIV Vaccine Research?

Participants joined to gain a broad understanding of Discovery Medicine including an overview of the current landscape for HIV vaccines. We also discussed what it means for HIV vaccine research and development moving forward, with a focus on community and advocacy priorities.

Speakers:

  • Dr. Betty Mwesigwa, Makerere University Walter Reed Project
  • Tian Johnson, BRILLIANT HIV Vaccine Discovery Consortium
  • Dr. Cathy Slack, HIV AIDS Vaccines Ethics Group
  • Dr. Sandhya Vasan, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, US Military HIV Research Program

Moderators:

  • Stacey Hannah, AVAC
  • Louis Shackelford, HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) & COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN)

Recording / Full Slides / Resources

Avac Event

PrEP and the Role of HIV Self-Testing

HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a safe, accurate, and effective alternative to provider-administered testing that many users prefer for its convenience and confidentiality. At IAS 2023, WHO issued a new recommendation to offer HIVST for PrEP initiation and continuation as an innovative way to increase PrEP access and coverage and further simplify PrEP delivery. However, many implementers still have questions on how to effectively roll out and scale up this important self-care intervention.

On May 23, AVAC and WHO hosted a webinar to learn more about WHO guidance on use of HIVST and to hear directly from a panel of experts on their experiencing rolling out HIVST for PrEP, guidance on procurement and costing, and more.

Recording / Slides

Avac Event

The Importance of HPV Vaccination Among People Living with HIV

HPV vaccination prevents 6 types of cancer and genital warts, including cervical cancer. Women living with HIV are up to six times more likely to develop invasive cervical cancer than their HIV-negative peers, but HPV immunization rates among this population remain low. During World Immunization Week, AVAC and TogetHER for Health co-hosted a discussion to learn more about the science behind and implementation challenges specific to expanding access to HPV vaccination for people living with HIV.

  • Mandisa Dukashe, HIV Survivors and Partners Network
  • Dr. Betty Njoroge, Kenya Medical Research Institute
  • Dr. Christopher Morgan, Jhpiego

This webinar was co-hosted with TogetHER for Health

Recording / Mandisa Dukashe Slides / Dr. Betty Njoroge Slides / Dr. Christopher Morgan Slides

Avac Event

We Can’t End HIV in the United States Without Equitable PrEP Access: Strategies for success

A collaboration between HIVMAPrEP4All and The Choice Agendathis webinar assessed some of the key challenges to delivering PrEP in the United States equitably, including cost, the complexities of our health care system, and other factors that inhibit uptake amongst the most vulnerable communities. Strategies to address these challenges were offered included a Q&A, discussion and much-needed debate.

Speakers:
• Dr. Lorraine Dean, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Epidemiology 
• Dr. Rupa Patel, Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Dr. Patrick Sullivan, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University 

Moderator:
Dr. Greg Millet, amfAR

Recording / Slides / Resources