UCLA to host conference on revolutionary and controversial new strategy to combat HIV

Advisory for Aug. 23, 2009

UCLA to host conference on revolutionary and controversial new strategy to combat HIV

Meeting precedes the National HIV Prevention Conference

WHAT: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a revolutionary-and some would say controversial--new strategy for combating HIV. With PrEP, HIV-negative people take antiretroviral drugs prior to potential exposure to the virus to reduce the risk of infection. Results from PrEP clinical trials are expected within the year.  UCLA's Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services (CHIPTS) will co-host "Preparing for PrEP: A Stakeholder's Dialogue," a one-day conference comprising researchers, policy makers, providers, consumers and community representatives who will explore how PrEP could impact HIV prevention efforts if it proves to be efficacious.  This conference is a satellite meeting of, and precedes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta, being held from August 23 to 26.
 
 Other conference sponsors are the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the UCLA Program in Global Health, the Global Campaign for Microbicides, the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, the Black AIDS Institute, AIDS Project LA (APLA), Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP), Project Inform, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), and the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD)

 For more details about the "Preparing for PrEP" conference, visit http://chipts.ucla.edu/events/conferences/PrEP/index.asp

WHO: 
o Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, director of CHIPTS
o Andrew D. Forsyth, project officer, Prevention and Behavioral Research Branch, NIMH
o Thomas J. Coates, co-director, CHIPTS international core and director, UCLA Program in Global Health.
o Connie Celum, professor of global health and medicine, University of Washington and principal investigator, Partners PrEP Trial
o Kevin Cranston, director, Bureau of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
o Craig Washington, prevention programs director, AID Atlanta
o Kevin Fenton, director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
o Jeffrey Crowley, director, Office of National AIDS Policy
o Julie Davids, senior consultant, CHAMP and co-chair, Federal AIDS Policy Partnership (FAPP)
o Kevin Farrell, executive director, CHIPTS
o Lynwood Miller, study coordinator/research clinician, AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta
o David France, journalist/freelance writer
o Linda Villarosa, author/journalist/freelance writer
o Kenyon Farrow, interim executive director, Queers for Economic Justice and policy institute fellow, National Gay & Lesbian Taskforce
o Dazon Dixon Diallo, president and founder, Sisterlove Inc.
o Stephen Simon, director, LA City AIDS Coordinator's Office
o Camille Abrahams, director, African American Capacity Building Initiative, Harm Reduction Coalition
o Trina Scott, program manager, Young Women of Color Initiative, Advocates for Youth
o Judy Auerbach, vice president, Science & Public Policy, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
o Dawn Smith, associate chief for science, epidemiology branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention-Surveillance and Epidemiology, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
o Kenneth Mayer, professor of medicine and community health and director of the Brown University AIDS Program
o Deirdre Grant, program manager, AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention.

WHEN:   7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23.  

WHERE:  Hyatt Regency Atlanta, 265 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta

BACKGROUND: The Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services (CHIPTS) is a collaboration of researchers from UCLA, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Friends Research Institute, RAND, and the broader Los Angeles community working to enhance our collective understanding of HIV research and to promote early detection, effective prevention, and treatment programs for HIV. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, CHIPTS serves as a bridge among researchers, government, service providers, and people with HIV in responding to the changes in the HIV epidemic and in shaping sound public policy. For more information, visit the Center's Web site at http://chipts.ucla.edu/
 
RESERVATIONS:  Contact Kevin Farrell at (310) 794-6272 through Thursday, Aug. 20. After that date, please use mobile phone (707) 328-2828

MEDIA CONTACT: Enrique Rivero, UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations
    erivero@mednet.ucla.edu, (310) 794-2273.

On-Site: Kevin Farrell, Executive Director, CHIPTS. Mobile phone (707) 328-2828  

--UCLA--