National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Announces HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Units
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced the 60 institutions selected as HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) as part of a restructuring of its HIV/AIDS clinical research networks. The CTUs are located both in the United States and internationally and are expected to increase to a total of 73 in the next several months. Clinical trials affiliated with the individual CTUs will also be conducted at an additional 145 clinical research sites worldwide.
This announcement is part of a larger restructuring involving the six NIAID HIV/AIDS networks:
- AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG)
- HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN)
- HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)
- International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network (IMPAACT)
- International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT)
- Microbicide Trials Network (MTN)
This restructuring is designed to bring a more integrated approach to performing HIV/AIDS clinical trials.
The CTUs will focus on the most important HIV/AIDS research priorities, such as the development of new vaccines, anti-HIV drugs, microbicides, and preventive methods, as well as improving the clinical management of HIV/AIDS. Funding for research at the CTUs and their affiliated clinical research sites is expected to be $285 million during the first year.
NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., said of the announcement, "These Clinical Trials Units will carry out the next generation of HIV/AIDS vaccine, prevention, and treatment research. They will work with our clinical research networks in a flexible, collaborative, and coordinated way to tackle the critical research questions that can help accelerate progress against the HIV/AIDS pandemic."
National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD) 2007
The first annual National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD) will be observed March 21, 2007. NNHAAD is a day dedicated to increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS in the Native American community. The purpose of NNHAAD is to build capacity and increase awareness, participation, and support for HIV prevention, transmission, testing, care, and treatment among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations.
The Native American Indian population has the third highest rate of AIDS diagnoses per population size, behind African Americans and Hispanics. The goals of NNHAAD are to educate Native Americans about HIV/AIDS and its transmission, to encourage them to get tested, to motivate HIV-infected Native Americans to seek proper treatment, and to inspire people to get involved in their community.
AIDSinfo is pleased to participate in the commemoration of this important day. Check out the new AIDSinfo National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Web page, which includes helpful links to sites providing resources, information on health disparities, ongoing HIV/AIDS research, and HIV/AIDS statistics--all specific to the Native American population.
AIDSinfo encourages you to participate in NNHAAD by sharing this information with others.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Announces Appointment of New Advisory Board Members
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has announced the appointment of five new members to the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council.
The Council is NIAID's principle advisory body and it's members serve for a term of four years.
For a complete list of the appointee's, please read the official NIAID press release.
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