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The new grant broadens AVAC's advocacy focus beyond AIDS vaccines, toinclude other new HIV prevention interventions such as microbicides and oralprevention drugs.
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"We are entering a new era in HIV prevention research, with more productsbeing tested in efficacy trials than ever before," said Mitchell Warren,Executive Director of AVAC. "A coordinated global effort is urgently neededto support the wide range of prevention research, to ensure that the voices ofcivil society and communities are heard, and to prepare for results from thesetrials."
"It is essential to build support for and understanding of how new HIVprevention tools will help accelerate efforts to slow this epidemic," said JoeCerrell, Director of Global Health Advocacy for the Gates Foundation. "AVAChas been an important voice in AIDS vaccine advocacy for the last decade, andwe are extremely pleased to support this broadening of its work."
"This generous grant from the Gates Foundation will allow AVAC to expandour advocacy efforts and build a global network of advocates who will work topromote HIV prevention research and help communities prepare for the use ofnew HIV prevention options," said Mike Powell, President of the AVAC Board ofDirectors.
AVAC remains committed to advocacy for effective AIDS vaccines, and willnow be able to expand its work. The new international HIV Prevention ResearchAdvocacy Network will:
"With so many clinical trials of HIV prevention interventions underway orplanned in the next few years, there is an urgent need for a global advocacynetwork that will expand and support partnerships among the different groupsworking in the field," said Lori Heise, Director of the Global Campaign forMicrobicides.
Developing and maintaining strong support for clinical research of new HIVprevention interventions can be difficult in many communities and countries,but is necessary if ethical research is to take place in these communities.The Advocacy Network will link advocates, researchers, and policymakers fromaround the world and will share information and identify and promote "goodpractices" for advocacy and clinical research.
"This network will provide an important coordination mechanism foradvocates and groups working on the ground in support of HIV preventionresearch," said Manju Chatani, Coordinator of the African MicrobicidesAdvocacy Group. "We look forward to working with AVAC and other partners tostrengthen HIV prevention research advocacy here in Africa and in communitiesaround the world."
Resetting the Clock -- New AVAC Report Examines State of the AIDS VaccineField and Calls for New, Ambitious Deadlines for Vaccine Development
AVAC also released its annual report examining the state of the AIDSvaccine field today at the AIDS Vaccine 2007 Conference. The new report,entitled Resetting the Clock, outlines the specific deadlines and challengesfacing the field in the arenas of AIDS vaccine scientific strategy, clinicaltrials, and the broader prevention field and provides recommendations foraction by researchers, policymakers, industry, funders, civil society, andadvocates, including AVAC.
The report also discusses progress and challenges of the Global HIVVaccine Enterprise, an alliance of independent partner
