Appendix
B: Research
National Institutes of Health (HHS)
Goal #1 | To conduct and support natural history and epidemiological research to improve the understanding of the risk factors and mechanisms of HIV transmission and disease progression and to develop prevention strategies to reduce or prevent HIV transmission. | ||
Objective #1 |
Develop and assess intervention strategies to reduce or prevent HIV transmission in both domestic and international settings. |
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Action
Steps
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Descriptions
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The development of biologically based interventions to interrupt transmission is an essential component of a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that also includes behavioral intervention strategies as well as efforts to develop a vaccine(s). International studies should be supported with the goal of developing prevention strategies that can be used to reduce HIV transmission in the United States. Research is ongoing in these areas. Epidemiologic studies, including vaccine preparedness research, provide opportunities for intervention research in defined cohorts of well-characterized populations. Strategies that employ therapies, devices, and other approaches, such as needle/syringe exchange programs using HIV seroconversion end points, are useful approaches for providing epidemiologic causation and evaluating effectiveness in preventing or reducing HIV transmission. In addition, despite the fact that the blood supply in the United States is safer than it has ever been, it is important to develop even better methods for maintaining and improving its safety. |
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Objective #2 |
Characterize the risk factors and mechanisms of HIV transmission in both domestic and international populations, with the goal of preventing transmission. |
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Action
Steps
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Descriptions
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Understanding the role of risk factors and mechanisms of HIV transmission is critical to the development of biologically and behaviorally based strategies to interrupt transmission of HIV. Epidemiologic studies provide important biological and behavioral information including the role of co-factors that may reduce or enhance transmissibility. |
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Objective #3 |
Elucidate the progression of HIV infection, from its earliest stages through long-term sequelae, with the goal of understanding, preventing, and treating those factors. |
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Action
Steps
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Descriptions
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Epidemiologic studies provide a critical knowledge and resource base for more basic investigations of HIV pathogenesis. A better understanding of the diversity of HIV-related disease outcomes, co-factors for progression, and predictors of disease progression will be important in furthering attempts to develop HIV vaccines and more effective therapeutic interventions against HIV and its sequelae. |
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Objective #4 |
Undertake epidemiologic research to reduce or prevent the occurrence of opportunistic illness in HIV-infected persons. |
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Action
Steps
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Descriptions
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Most morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons result from the occurrence of opportunistic illnesses, including both infections and malignancies. Strategies to prevent these illnesses include prevention of exposure to the etiologic agents, prevention of disease in those who are exposed, and prevention of disease recurrence. Additional epidemiologic data are needed to design more effective strategies to prevent the occurrence of these opportunistic illnesses. |
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Objective #5 |
Develop and evaluate new laboratory assays, behavioral methods, and statistical techniques for epidemiologic studies. |
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Action
Steps
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Descriptions
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Epidemiologically defined populations contain well-characterized cohorts that can provide insights into HIV transmission, including resistance and susceptibility to infection and infectiousness, and into progression of HIV-related disease, from early infection through long-term sequelae, including cancer and neurocognitive impairment. The application of innovative biomedical research and behavioral strategies to such populations will greatly increase understanding at the biological level and will help to identify strategies for prevention of transmission and for clinical management of patients. |
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Resources
|
FY95
|
FY96
|
FY96
|
$
192.6 million
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$
205.8 million
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$
203.3 million
|
|
Populations
Served |
All populations. |
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Constituency
Involvement |
Researchers, clinicians, community and patient representatives, and NIH-affiliated advisory councils and committees. |
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