AVAC receives grant to advocate for HIV prevention research

The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) recently received a five-year, US$14 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the organization's international advocacy efforts. This new funding will expand AVAC's focus beyond AIDS vaccines to include the broader field of HIV prevention research. AVAC now plans to step up efforts to advocate for several interventions that are currently being tested in clinical trials, including microbicides and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which involves the use of antiretrovirals to prevent HIV infection.

There are currently several ongoing Phase III efficacy trials that are separately testing both microbicides and PrEP, and AVAC plans to work with the communities that are involved in and affected by this research to help prepare them for the results of these trials. The organization, which is based in New York City, will also work to ensure that any benefits of this research become available globally.

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All articles written by Kristen Jill Kresge