AVAC's Playbook 2012 sets out top strategic goals and priorities in HIV prevention for ourselves—and for the world. Here's what we have to say about AIDS vaccine research. For more, visit www.avac.org/playbook.
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
On HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 2012, AIDS vaccine advocates can show the world what it means to be an “Ending AIDS advocates”—and how a single intervention can neither save the day on its own, nor be neglected as we pursue this essential goal.
AVAC, fellow advocates and leaders in the AIDS vaccine field gathered for a special HVAD webinar, HIV Vaccine Awareness Day: Priorities for AIDS vaccine science and advocacy in 2012 and beyond, that included an update on the state of the science as well as time to discuss advocacy priorities for 2012. To listen to the webinar and view slides, click here.
Also, AVAC Executive Director, Mitchell Warren, wrote "The 'best hope' for AIDS vaccine advocacy" appearing in the Huffington Post.
Vaccine Priorities
Here are three priorities to guide our work in 2012—and beyond:
- Continue and broaden AIDS vaccine advocacy. Everyone who is an HIV prevention advocate can, and should, be a vaccine advocate. But this means honest discussions about how AIDS vaccines fit into combination prevention; the necessity for future trials, including large-scale efficacy trials; and the way that these trials will integrate new prevention options into the design and standard of prevention.
- Sustained funding for the science. In 2011, funding for basic science was significantly lower than the recent peak in 2008. Yet the field of neutralizing antibody research has steadily offered up key breakthroughs, and there is every reason to think this will continue into the future. The funding has to remain steady to keep the science on track and build on these recent discoveries.
- Set and communicate
milestones for measuring progress—and adjust
accordingly. There are timeframes for
progress in RV144 follow-on trials, completion
of the ongoing HVTN 505 efficacy trial,
antibody research and development of other
novel candidates. (Click
here for our “AIDS Vaccines for Busy
Advocates” sheets on these topics.) We must
monitor these milestones, add new ones,
maintain a robust pipeline and demonstrate
nimble course correction. Progress to-date has
depended on field-wide collaboration
facilitated by inter-institution data—and
materials transfer agreements. It’s critical
to attend to these enabling factors at every
stage.
New Resources
- “AIDS Vaccine Science for Busy Advocates” – One-page reviews of highlights, next steps and key terms for three pivotal topics:
- HVTN 505 – the ongoing efficacy trial in the United States
- RV144 – the first AIDS vaccine clinical trial to show evidence of protection
- Antibodies – gaining ground on a critical immune response
- AIDS Vaccines: The basics – An introductory PowerPoint slide set that gives an overview of the search for an AIDS vaccine and recent developments
- AIDS Vaccines Then and Now – Graphical comparisons of numbers of AIDS vaccine trial sites, participants and investment over the years
- Table of ongoing and planned AIDS vaccine trials
- AIDS Vaccine Research Timeline – Graphic of current trials grouped by vaccine concept, with timing of results
- AIDS Vaccine Buzz Groups – A participatory training exercise using the “AIDS Vaccines for Busy Advocates” fact sheets to bring the content to life
- AIDS Vaccine Talking Points – A one-page guide to pressing advocacy issues
- Resource tracking slide deck – Key data on spending AIDS vaccine trends by funding source, area of research and other metrics
- IAVI
Interactive Impact Modeling Tool - Explore
the interaction of future potential AIDS
vaccines with existing HIV-prevention
tools
Introductory Information
- About Vaccines
- Introduction to AIDS Vaccines
- “AIDS Vaccine
Science for Busy Advocates” (see links
above)
In-depth Resources
- Tracking the Thai Result - RV144 Page
- Understanding the results of RV144, the Thai prime-boost AIDS vaccine trial
- The Thai Way Forward
More...
Ongoing Research
More...