HIV/AIDS vaccine trials and informed consent

HIVAN?s Sectoral Networker and researcher Nicci Stanley, who also serves as Treasurer of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) Vaccine Research Unit?s Community Advisory Board (CAB), went to Seattle in the United States of America in March this year to attend a meeting of scientists working on the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine.

These HVTN (the HIV Vaccine Trial Network) researchers rely heavily on the assistance of the representatives of communities serving on the CAB to ensure that all the vaccine trial-studies are protective of the rights of the participants, and that those who sign up for the trials fully understand the processes and their role in the studies. The CAB members also help in making sure that clear information is provided to community participants and the progress of the research and its effects on outreach efforts are monitored.

?My particular focus during the meeting in Seattle was on the issue of informed consent on the part of community members,? explains Nicci. ?It was a gathering of scientists working on HIV vaccine trials and the HVTN team was very welcoming. They wanted to know what impacts these trials would have on communities in South Africa. I felt that there should be stronger emphasis on the commitment of the HVTN to enable access to treatment if participants were to become HIV-positive during the trials as a result of their own behaviour. The group agreed and the consent form is being drawn up to explain this commitment.?

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