15th International AIDS Conference Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. ThOrC1429)

Lee ES
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, New York, United States

ISSUES: Recently concerns have been raised that public support of HIV vaccine research is lessened by the conduct of large scale trials of products that fail to prevent HIV infection. Yet when examining the impact of the AIDSVAX trials, community involvment and awareness of HIV vaccine research increased. This abstract examines the impact of large scale trials of failed AIDS vaccines on public involvement, support and awareness of HIV vaccine research from a community perspective, the negative and positive impact of the AIDSVAX trials, and offers analysis of community considerations in planning and ending HIV vaccine clinical trials.

DESCRIPTION: As a case study, the AIDSVAX trials may provide useful information for planning future preventative HIV vaccine trials. Questions such as "What impact did the AIDSVAX trials have on community involvment and awareness of HIV vaccine research?", "Did HIV vaccine community educators and trial recruiters experience changes in community awareness or involvement due to the AIDSVAX trials?", and "What can be learned from the AIDSVAX experience for conduct of future trials?" will be examined.

LESSONS LEARNED: Large scale Phase III trials of candidate HIV vaccines if conducted properly, can increase public involvement, support and awareness of HIV vaccine research regardless of the trial results. Community involvement from the very begining of trial design is critical to sucessful trials. Care should be taken in reporting trial results. Controversy from the AIDSVAX trials stemmed from the reporting of the results, not the results themselves. Prematurely ending large scale trials for reasons other than safety can have a negative impact on community involvement and support of HIV vaccine research.

RECOMMENDATIONS: The debate over the ALVAC/AIDSVAX prime boost trial must also consider the impact on public involvement, support and awareness of HIV vaccine research. Community consultation should be solicited in the debate of this trial and in the process to develop future Phase III trials.

040711
ThOrC1429

Copyright © 2004 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.