International Consultation and workshops on developing ethical frameworks for HIV Prevention Trials Acknowledging the pressing need to update and clarify ethical considerations for the conduct of HIV prevention trials, UNAIDS and other partners are convening a series of consultations. Regional preparatory workshops will take place in Thailand, Nigeria and South Africa, prior to an international consultation in Switzerland during June 2005. The focus of the international consultation will be on defining principles for future HIV prevention trials (including vaccine, microbicide, male circumcision, sexually transmitted disease treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis and behavioral prevention trials). The consultation will build on existing guidelines and experiences in addressing a range of concerns from the perspectives of various stakeholders such as researchers, funders, ethicists, trial participants, people living with HIV, activists and community representatives. In recognition of the imperative to meaningfully involve all sectors in the planning of successful trials, it is intended that civil society representatives constitute half of the consultation participants. The outcome of the consultation will be clear guidance to all stakeholders concerning principles, agreements and procedures for the ethical conduct of HIV prevention trials. A steering committee has been formed to oversee the organization of the international consultation and the three regional workshops. Members of the steering committee include scientists, activists, policy makers and concerned community group representatives. The committee is facilitated by UNAIDS. The regional workshops which precede the international consultation will take place in April 2005. UNAIDS and members of regional planning committees are in the process of planning these workshops, identifying participants and preparing background papers on pertinent issues. The aim of the regional workshops is to prepare for and feed into the international consultation through reflection and discussion on experiences of specific prevention trials and processes utilized to ensure community involvement. A small delegation of representatives from each regional workshop will participate in the international consultation, allowing for regional perspectives and conclusions to be shared and built upon. UNAIDS is grateful to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which will be financially supporting these meetings. A report on the outcomes of the international meeting will be circulated by UNAIDS later this year. For more information on either the regional workshops or the international consultation please contact: Kate Thomson ([log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ) or Anindya Chatterjee ([log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ). David Hock Family Health International e-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe from CANCHID send: unsubscribe CANCHID to: [log in to unmask] - for help see http://listserv.yorku.ca