IAVI’s core mission is to develop safe and effective vaccines against HIV for use throughout the world.  However, we believe that the AIDS pandemic requires a comprehensive response that includes both immediate remedies, such as the expansion of existing prevention methods and treatment and care programs, as well as long-term solutions, like the development of preventive vaccines. A comprehensive response requires, at a minimum, the following measures: 

• Expanding HIV education programs and promoting behavior change, including the use of male and female condoms
• Addressing underlying social and cultural issues, such as gender inequalities and poverty, as well as economic, legal and policy structures that sustain conditions for the spread of HIV, and so fuel the epidemic
• Expanding safe and voluntary male circumcision to reduce the risk of HIV infection
• Reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV by preventing unintended pregnancies among HIV-infected women, and providing antiretroviral drugs to reduce transmission of the virus in pregnancy, during childbirth and following delivery 
• Supporting HIV-related health services, especially voluntary counseling and testing for the virus
• Providing care and support for those living with HIV. This includes the provision of antiretroviral drugs and medicines for opportunistic infections (such as tuberculosis) that accompany HIV progression
• Developing new HIV prevention methods, especially tools such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), microbicides and vaccines, which will be a powerful tool that women can use without having to negotiate their use with a partner 

Because existing interventions have had only a limited impact on the spread of HIV, a comprehensive response requires the development and deployment of new preventive tools.

Still, traditional approaches to HIV prevention and AIDS treatment are essential to respond to global epidemic. This will remain true even after new prevention technologies are developed. Further, when new tools to prevent HIV do become available, they are likely to be only partially effective. This means that the continued use of risk reduction measures will remain necessary, even for those with access to new technologies. Finally, people will always need access to the full spectrum of prevention options to meet their different needs and circumstances.

A comprehensive response to the AIDS pandemic is not just advisable. It is the only way forward to halting the spread of HIV.