About AVAC
Founded in 1995, AVAC is a non-profit organization that uses education, policy analysis, advocacy and a network of global collaborations to accelerate the ethical development and global delivery of AIDS vaccines, male circumcision, microbicides, PrEP and other emerging HIV prevention options as part of a comprehensive response to the pandemic. AVAC is dedicated to:
- Translating complex scientific ideas to communities and translating community needs and perceptions to the scientific community.
- Managing expectations.
- Holding agencies accountable for accelerating ethical research and development.
- Expanding international partnerships to ensure local relevance and a global movement.
- Ensuring that policy and advocacy are based on thorough research and evidence.
- Building coalitions, working groups, and think tanks for specific issues.
- Developing and widely disseminating high-quality, user-friendly materials.
AVAC
currently focuses on four priority areas:
Build &
Sustain: Build and sustain a global
coalition of civil society and community-based
organizations, research agencies, and networks
that supports and facilitates HIV vaccine and
prevention research.
Policy
& Advocacy: Develop and advocate
for policy approaches to facilitate the
expeditious, ethical development, introduction,
and use of vaccines and other HIV/AIDS
prevention technologies and to ensure that
prevention research and development efforts
strengthen HIV/AIDS programs and general health
care infrastructure.
Monitor
& Mobilize: Monitor the vaccine
and broader prevention research field and
mobilize political, financial, and community
support for prevention research as part of a
comprehensive response to the
epidemic.
Engage &
Communicate: Develop and sustain a
system for global delivery of advocacy
resources and information to the array of
stakeholders who must work together to ensure
that the rights and interests of trial
participants, eventual users, and communities
are fully represented and respected in the
scientific and product development
processes.
AVAC's work to speed
development and increase access to new
prevention options is made possible by the
dedicated work of AVAC advocates and the
continuous support of its donors
and members.
If you are interested in receiving
regular updates on AVAC's work and news in the
field, we invite you to join the Advocates'
Network.
For peer reviewed
publications by AVAC staff and parters, click
here.