What's New on AVAC.org and PrEPWatch.org

July 15, 2019

Dear Advocates,

Even the close readers among you may have missed some of the fast-moving developments in HIV prevention over the past several weeks. AVAC produced a number of resources, rounded up here, to help you engage with a host of issues all of which will be important in the weeks and months to come.

All Things Dapivirine Ring
Head on over to PrEPWatch for an updated and comprehensive page on the dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention. You’ll find resources on the research to date, the regulatory review process, and planning for introduction. Keep an eye on this space as advocates prepare for the European Medicines Agency opinion on the safety and efficacy of the dapivirine ring, expected this quarter.

ECHO Results and Beyond
The ECHO Study announced its results in June, giving anyone interested in HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health much to think about. The study found no substantial difference in risk of HIV infection among women using one of the three methods in the trial. That’s welcome news, but overall rates of HIV infection were high, at 4 percent. To learn more about the findings and their implications, AVAC has several new resources:

Understanding the Results of the ECHO Study – AVAC’s comprehensive guide to interpreting the results of the trial. You’ll find concise information on the trial’s background, design and results, and a full section on next steps such as the WHO process for updating its guidelines and what you can do to get involved.
The ECHO Trial Results: Time to Act – This episode of AVAC’s podcast, Px Pulse, features two veteran women’s advocates who have tracked the ECHO study closely, and share their views on the findings. You’ll hear two members of the study’s leadership team explore what the results mean and a representative from the WHO explains why WHO guidelines will be important in the months to come.

Find all this and more at www.avac.org/echotrial.

KPIF Planning and More
Want to influence planning for PEPFAR’s Key Population Investment Fund (KPIF)? The time is now as in-country planning is ongoing through September 2019. Lessons learned by advocates in Malawi, Uganda and Zambia are a must-read. In Zambia, KP-led civil society groups came together to demand participation and put forward recommendations. In Malawi, the Diversity Forum, a newly established KP coalition, demanded accountability and transparency in the KPIF process. And in Uganda, a formal advisory group, which includes civil society and key population representatives, was established to oversee implementation of the fund. These experiences, documented on the P-Values blog, highlight tactics and next steps, which other civil society and KP groups can adapt.

Ground what you learn from these stories in AVAC’s Activist's Guide to Influencing and Monitoring KPIF Rollout. This guide details components of the fund, the process for selecting recipients and strategies for engaging with both planning and implementation. If you live in a country eligible for KPIF, AVAC can support KP-led organizations in their effort to engage with the process. Respond to our survey for timely information and more.

Next Steps in HIV Vaccine Research
In May, we provided updated HIV vaccine literacy materials for HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, and the field has taken another important step with the announcement that the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson is launching a major new Phase 3 trial. We’re updating our materials with this new trial, so stay tuned for further updates soon.

And watch for an update later this week on what to expect at next week’s IAS Conference on HIV Science 2019, and how to follow the action in Mexico City.

Best,
AVAC