IAVI works to increase awareness about AIDS vaccine development among a broad range of audiences—potential trial participants, advocates, medical professionals and journalists—to name but a few.

In support of such work, we conduct a "VaxLit" initiative to build basic knowledge about AIDS vaccine development among various constituencies in the countries in which  AIDS vaccine research is underway.

This initiative relies on comprehensive educational materials and training resources that are easy to understand and do not require a high level of scientific education. To systematize the effort, we have developed the VaxLit Toolkit that can be used by trial sponsors, research center staff, civil society organizations or others involved in HIV and AIDS education and outreach.

 We use the VaxLit Toolkit to:

• Educate civil society groups about AIDS vaccine research and development 
   
• Train trainers to multiply the impact of our educational efforts by, for example, incorporating AIDS vaccine literacy within other AIDS training programs 
   
• Train CAB members, counselors, medical professionals and the general staff at collaborating research centers 
   
• Help professionals in the AIDS vaccine field, advocates and others prepare presentations, educational materials and promotional materials on AIDS vaccine development

Vaccine literacy efforts can have many positive effects. They include:

• Generating an atmosphere supportive of AIDS vaccine development 
   
• Preparing the ground for future access to an AIDS vaccine by bolstering awareness 
   
• Increasing country-level support for AIDS vaccine research and development 
   
• Helping potential trial volunteers make informed, independent decisions to participate 
   
• Improving education about HIV and its prevention in communities involved in trials

The components of the VaxLit Toolkit—a reference manual, a participatory training guide, fact sheets and a user guide—can be adapted for use in various cultural and linguistic contexts. The toolkit is intended for use by the HIV and AIDS field at large, not exclusively by IAVI and its affiliated research centers.

In addition to the VaxLit Toolkit, which can be used with a wide variety of audiences, IAVI has also published and is in the process of publishing a series of tools to support AIDS vaccine and other HIV prevention clinical research, e.g. a gender training manual. For a complete list and description, click here.