On May 18 every year, HIV prevention advocates around the world raise their voices about the urgent need to continue the search for a safe and effective AIDS vaccine, and especially to recognize the enormous contribution of the thousands of volunteers who have participated in vaccine trials, without which this research would not be possible.
Here is a partial list of events that happened all around the world.
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
What: Lunchtime Briefing at Mahidol University
Details: “What’s new in HIV Vaccine?” with presentations by Dr Nakorn Premsri, Dr Supachai Rerks-ngarm, Dr Soachai Nitayaphan and Dr Robert O-Connell, moderated by Professor Punnee Pitisuttithum and introduced by Dean Professor Yaowalak Sukthana.
If you want to attend: 11.30am-1.00pm, Mahidol University, School of Tropical Medicine, 5th Floor, Chalermprakiat 50 years building
Where: New York City
What: Vaccine-o-licious: Free night of entertainment and education
Details: Vaccine-o-licious is an annual event designed to spread the word about HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. The event brings together a variety of performers uniting through dance and song. Peppermint, the NYC Queen of Vaccine, will host this exciting evening of entertainment, with a little education too!
If you want to attend: 6.30-10.30pm, Santos Party House, 96 Lafayette St. Click here to reserve your free tickets.
Where: Uganda
What: National print and radio features
Details:
- Q&A supplements will run this weekend (May 16-17) in the New Vision and the Daily Monitor.
- English radio talk show on Radio One FM 90
- Luganda radio talk show on CBS Radio Buganda
Where: Kenya and Uganda
What: Media, civil society and community events
Details:
Kenya
- May 14 – Media Breakfast Roundtable
- May 15 – A Civil Society Leaders’ forum on advances in HIV Vaccine R&D
- May 18 – A Community Event with fanfare and speeches in one research community in Kenya
Uganda
- May 14 – Community medical outreach with Family Planning (FP), HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) and general treatment
- May 15 – Community Event, including community service (cleaning), sporting activities and speeches
Where: South Africa – clinical trial site communities of Nyanga and Masiphumelele
What: Community events
Details: From 18-22 May a series of events at and around research clinical trial sites will bring community stakeholders together to 1) commemorate people who have passed due to HIV related illnesses, and 2) present updates on HIV prevention research. The events will feature:
- The progress with regards to HIV vaccines
- The promise of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has as a prevention tool
- Results of clinical studies that have both excited and disappointed the field:
- FACTS – showed that experimental vaginal gel was not effective in preventing HIV among young women, and that
- ADAPT – showed that when South African women take PrEP daily, they will be much less likely to acquire HIV from HIV-positive sex partners
Communities will be challenged to support through participation or encourage families, neighbors and all people in society to seek to understand and rally behind clinical research.
