Creating effective partnerships for HIV prevention trials: report of a UNAIDS Consultation, Geneva 20-21 June 2005.

With an estimated 5 million adults and children newly infected worldwide in 2005, research into new HIV prevention technologies and approaches is urgently needed. Prompted by the heated debate in 2004 about trials of tenofovir for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, UNAIDS initiated a year-long process to promote effective partnerships between researchers and civil society in HIV prevention trials, culminating in the 'Creating effective partnerships for HIV prevention trials' consultation in June 2005. Key stakeholders, including researchers, activists, ethicists, government officials, international agencies, civil society, trial participants, sponsors and funders addressed a wide range of issues concerning the rapidly evolving and sometimes tense dynamics of HIV prevention research partnerships. Implementation of the technical and procedural recommendations from this consultation requires collaboration, commitment and a willingness to experiment with new approaches and work with new partners. Researchers, donors, governments, community groups and activists must all be willing to define responsibilities and be held accountable for their contributions to HIV prevention research partnerships, weighing and balancing gains against the costs of time, money, and capacity as the HIV epidemic progresses.