The Forum for Collaborative HIV Research
Research Areas
At a Glance
- Status: Active Consortium
- Year Launched: 1997
- Initiating Organization: UC Berkeley School of Public Health
- Initiator Type: Industry
- Disease focus:
Hiv, Hepatitis C, Viral Hepatitis, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Liver Fibrosis/Cirrhosis - Location: International
Abstract
The Forum for Collaborative HIV Research was founded to provide a platform for collaboration of industry stakeholders surrounding antiretrovirals and their movement along the drug pipeline. The consortium has grown to include work on other diseases and the role drugs play in combatting them. As the focus has expanded beyond HIV, the consortium has broadened its scope to address issues surrounding clinical trials and access to pharmaceuticals.
Mission
The Forum’s contribution to drug development – facilitated through informal yet structured interactions between US and European regulatory agencies, academic experts, patient community, and the pharmaceutical/biotech industry results in reduced uncertainty regarding the regulatory pathway for new therapeutic strategies and new disease areas. The independent and neutral space created by these interactions allows for the co-evolution of science and regulatory guidance, providing an opportunity to effect directional change.
Since its inception, the scope of the Forum’s work increased to include viral hepatitis in the landmark National Summit on testing and linkage to care series, and development of drugs for hepatitis C (HCV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. The Forum process has changed the way clinical trials are conducted; facilitated broader and fairer access to trials and expanded access programs; accelerated the delivery of new drugs for HIV and HCV; and established the framework for regulatory discussions in HIV cure research.
Consortium History
The Forum, founded in 1997, is a public/private partnership addressing cutting edge science and policy issues through a process of stakeholder engagement and deliberation. Its impetus was a request from Vice President Al Gore to convene all stakeholder groups to discuss and discover opportunities for cross-sector dialogue and collaboration at a time when newly approved antiretrovirals -- and a healthy new drug pipeline -- allowed the transition of HIV-infection from a death-and-dying to a chronic disease model.
Structure & Governance
The hallmark of the Forum is its unique structure – stakeholder partners (patients/patient advocates, academia, governmental agencies, industry, insurers, professional societies, and other relevant entities) co-own the Forum collectively, creating a neutral and independent space for ongoing, issue-specific deliberation in which all stakeholders have an equal voice.
Financing
The Forum is a public/private partnership. Their core funding comes from the US federal government and from the pharmaceutical industry. The Forum also receives grants for some projects from foundations.
Patient Engagement
The Forum has a number of sub-forums, each of which have different disease focuses. These forums engage patients through clinical trials, education, case studies, and many more outreach initiatives.
Impact/Accomplishment
To view consortium publications and reports, click here
Links/Social Media Feed
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Homepage |
http://www.hivforum.org/ |
Points of Contact
Forum for Collaborative Research
1608 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Suite 212
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202.833.4617
Fax: 202.872.4316
Email: info@forumresearch.org
Sponsors & Partners
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Abbott |
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Abbvie |
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Bristol-Myers Squibb |
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Gilead |
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Janssen |
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Merck |
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Monogram |
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Mylan |
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Quest Diagnostics |
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Roche |
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ViiV Healthcare |
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Achillion Pharmaceuticals |
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Boehringer Ingelheim |
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Cenetron Central Laboratories |
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DDL Diagnostic Laboratory |
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Genentech |
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Idenix Pharmaceuticals |
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Illumina |
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Novartis |
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Pacific Biosciences |
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PPD |
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Quest Diagnostics |
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Raymond F. Schinazi and Family Foundatoin |
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Tobira Therapeutics |
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Quintiles |
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals |