Community Involvement
The DAIDS-funded HIV research Networks believe that well-informed communities contribute to better science. The Networks are committed to engaging community members in all phases of the research process, from research design to dissemination of study results. Such collaboration helps to foster trust and understanding of research issues, and ensures that research strategies respect the values and cultural differences among the diverse communities impacted by the global HIV epidemic.
If you are interested in getting involved in a Community Advisory Board or Community Constituency Group, check out the links below to the community pages of the individual Network websites.
Community Page Links for the Networks
Community Partners
What is Community Partners?
Community Partners (CP) is a cross-Network body charged by the Network Leadership and the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) with promoting effective representation of the many communities within which the NIH/NIAID-sponsored HIV Clinical Trials Networks conduct research. Such effective representation of the network community groups includes articulating the scientific priorities of the community to the leadership of the Networks and DAIDS.
Who are Community Partners?
Community Partners is made up of community representatives from the DAIDS Networks community groups and Network staff, including representatives from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials group (IMPAACT), the International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT), and the Microbicide Trials Network (MTN). NLOG and other external community advisors also constitute Community Partners membership. HANC staff and representatives from DAIDS serve as non-voting members.
How does Community Partners work?
To carry out its mandate, Community Partners focuses on improving intra- and inter-network community input at all levels, identifying and developing programs to meet the training and support requirements of local Community Advisory Boards, increasing the representation and participation of community members from resource-limited settings and vulnerable populations, and identifying and addressing challenges to participation in clinical trials.
An important role of Community Partners is to represent community research needs and priorities to the HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Network Leadership Operations Group (NLOG) and Strategic Working Group (SWG) and other advisory groups or committees as needed/requested. CP provides input to DAIDS research plans as they relate to scientific agendas, ethical conduct of clinical trials, community education and communication/information dissemination in a manner that ensures respect for community priorities and continued community participation.
Where are Community Partners?
Community Partners members are located at many different sites around the world. CP conducts activities regularly through conference calls and online tools such as email and a web portal system that allows for document collaboration and discussion boards. CP convenes at a face to face meeting annually, as possible.
