Marseille 2007
| Abstract #173 - Ethical and social challenges of HIV prevention trials and how researchers are responding to them | ||||
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Session: 44.1: Ethical and social challenges of HIV prevention trials (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 16.30-18.30 in HC Chaired by Frans vanden Boom, Anna Forbes Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Anna Forbes - Global Campaign for Microbicides, United States |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Frans van den Boom, | ||||
| Aim: Over the coming years, a range of new HIV prevention options are on the horizon which could change the face of global prevention efforts. The efficacy of male circumcision and HSV suppression is already known; that of pre-exposure prophylaxis, diaphragms and first generation microbicides are expected to be clarified within the next two years; and that of prime boost HIV vaccines within the next four years. What are the social and ethical implications of this research and development? Public concern about HIV prevention trial ethics reached a flashpoint in 2005 when clinical trials to test the potential efficacy of Tenofovir as PREP were halted by intense controversy. How are researchers and the community working to overcome the ethical challenges and involve key stakeholders? How will societies and communities respond? How will decisions be made as to the introduction of all these new tools and what will be the cumulative effect of their implementation? This two-hour workshop will explore the social context of HIV prevention research and present a number of key responses underway to address these questions. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Description of the proposed workshop: The workshop will include presentations by a number of key organizations in the field, chaired by Dr Cate Hankins (TBC) and Dr Frans van den Boom. Topics will include: An overview of the HIV prevention research efforts underway presentation by Dr Gita Ramjee, Medical Research Council, South Africa (TBC) The implications of male circumcision for other HIV prevention trials presentation by Dr Bertrand Auvert, National AIDS Research Agency, France (TBC) Building capacity at trial sites presentation by Dr Anjali Nayyar, IAVI, India Conducting research with high-risk populations presentation by Edd Lee, AVAC, USA Civil society and research: Building authentic partnerships on the ground presentation by Rebekah Webb, Global Campaign for Microbicides | ||||
| Results / Comments: Developing a new HIV prevention option will not in itself prevent HIV transmission, no matter how good its efficacy. Strategies must be developed to ensure both full social acceptance and universal access to future products, especially within populations in resource poor and marginalized settings. Optimally, such strategies should be initiated at the beginning of the research and development process. Neither researchers nor sponsors nor activists nor host community members can unilaterally create the mechanisms needed to address the implications of research much less balance the delicate ethical equations involved. The initiatives underway seek to engender the multi-sectoral engagement and strong country-level partnerships required to meet this challenge. | ||||
| Discussion: Recommendations: The HIV prevention research field must mobilize political pressure to raise the resources required to ensure strong social research and analysis of the implications. No one sector can accomplish this unilaterally. A new collective effort, characterized by transparency, is required. | ||||
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