The HIV Vaccines and Microbicides Resource Tracking Working Group was established in 2004 to generate and disseminate high-quality, detailed and comparable data on global investments in preventive HIV vaccine and microbicide research and development (R&D), and policy and advocacy activities. In 2006, the Working Group expanded its tracking efforts to include other experimental HIV prevention options, such as adult male circumcision, HSV-2 vaccines and suppression and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Advocates, researchers, funders, and other decision makers use this information to monitor current levels of effort; identify trends in investment, spending, and research focus; identify areas needing more resources and effort; assess the impact of public policies aimed at increasing investment in new prevention options (NPOs); and provide a fact base for policy advocacy on R&D investments and allocations. The Working Group consists of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The Working Group receives financial support from its members. The Alliance for Microbicide Development was a founding member of the Working Group.
The most recent report of the Working Group, Advancing the Science in a Time of Fiscal Constraint: Funding For HIV Prevention Technologies in 2009, was issued July, 2010 at the 2010 International AIDS Society Conference in Vienna, Austria. This report covers investments through 2009 in HIV therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines, microbicides, adult male circumcision, PrEP, HSV-2 suppression, HSV-2 vaccines, prevention of vertical transmission and treatment as prevention.
The Working Group has published a report on HIV prevention research and development each year since 2004. Each report tracks investments from the previous year as well as the trends back to 2000. By identifying and tracking the resources invested in HIV prevention research and development these reports are intended to serve as a key to understanding and evaluating the global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. An overview on how funds are being spent allows researchers, advocates, and funders to track HIV vaccine and microbicide research and development as well as new emerging prevention options such as PrEP. This effort also supports the 2001 United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, which called for increased investment in research related to HIV and AIDS and, specifically, for the development of sustainable and affordable prevention technologies, such as HIV vaccines and microbicides. Information collected has been used by the Working Group and others to monitor levels of effort and investment trends, and to assess the impact of public policies aimed at accelerating scientific progress.