May 18, 2010

Dear Advocates,

Today is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD), and, for the first time, we commemorate this day with evidence that an AIDS vaccine is possible.

This Advocates' Network update contains a link to AVAC's special preview of AVAC Report 2010 featuring an excerpt from The Thai Way Forward--a piece that tells the story of the AIDS vaccine trial that provided the evidence and hope we celebrate today. It also includes links to a number of other thought provoking pieces released this week for HVAD.
 
The Thai prime-boost vaccine trial--known as RV144--was history-making both in its results and in its conduct. It was the first vaccine efficacy trial to report evidence of protection against HIV infection. With more than 16,000 participants, it was also the largest HIV vaccine trial ever conducted.

From the outset, this trial generated strong opinions and emotions. We've heard many perspectives and interpretations of the trial--and its results--from the Thai and US teams and from journalists, scientists and advocates all over the world. (For more on the results, visit www.avac.org/thaitrial).

These results, while exciting, only tell part of the story of this trial. RV144 was the largest AIDS vaccine trial to-date and involved tens of thousands of volunteers, advocates, clinicians and researchers. The trial could not have been done without the many Thai people who both supported and participated in this landmark trial.

In an effort to better understand and reflect what the trial and trial results meant for the people who actually made the trial happen in Thailand, AVAC commissioned Tom Paulson, an award-winning journalist, to travel to Thailand and interview many of the key players in the RV144 trial. This report underscores lessons about community engagement and approaches to international collaboration as well as important insights for developing trial protocols and planning for follow-up research once a trial is complete. 
 
The Thai Way Forward is an excerpt from AVAC's annual report on the state of the HIV prevention field, Turning the Page, which will be released in July ahead of the International AIDS Conference.

To download the piece or to order printed copies, visit www.avac.org/avacreport. (A Thai translation of this excerpt will be available at this site shortly.)

As we honor this day with renewed hope and urgency in the search for a vaccine, we are also reminded of the many scientific, political and economic challenges the entire AIDS response faces. As AVAC Executive Director, Mitchell Warren, wrote yesterday in the Huffington Post: "There is no question that more resources are needed for existing AIDS treatment and prevention programs. People living with HIV deserve treatment and care, not waiting lists and death. And people who are at risk of HIV infection also deserve new ways to protect themselves." Click here to read the full article Ending AIDS: Grounds for Despair, Cynicism or Hope?

You can also click to read various HVAD statements from AVAC, IAVI, MHRP, NIAID and UNAIDS. In addition, one of AVAC's Advocacy Fellows in Uganda, Richard Hasunira, wrote HIV vaccine research will benefit communities for the New Vision in Uganda.

As always, we welcome your comments and questions--please email us at avac@avac.org.

Best,
AVAC