select one of the following sections:

COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS (CAB)

Each AIDS Clinical Trials Unit maintains a local Community Advisory Board (CAB).

MISSION

The mission of the Community Advisory Boards of the ACTG is to integrate community involvement in the AIDS Clinical Trials Units (ACTUs) in order to advance HIV/AIDS research. CAB's provide an opportunity for affected communities, especially clinical trials participants to:

• understand the clinical research process;
• voice concerns regarding specific clinical studies, their development, implementation and outcomes;
• give assistance concerning issues related to the accrual and retention of trial participants;
• give clinical trial participants necessary advocacy;
• forge a viable partnership that will lead to improved knowledge of HIV/AIDS disease;
• give a means to address grievance issues; and
• promote ethical research purposes and practices.

CAB GUIDELINES

The CAB Guidelines are a joint recommendation of the ACTG Executive Committee, the CCG, and CAB members for the effective operation of CABs. The following is a summary of the guidelines.

1. Each ACTU shall maintain a Community Advisory Board (CAB). In general, CABs, Principal Investigators (PIs), and other ACTU staff shall:

   Encourage active discussion and participation of the CAB in all phases of protocol development, implementation, accrual and outcomes; and

   Maintain periodic reports at each site on the progress of trials, and work toward solving any problems of accrual and retention in those trials.

2. Each CAB shall be organized jointly by community representatives and Principal Investigators. Community representatives on the CABs shall include people infected with HIV and trial participants; others may include, patient advocates, parents, community based health care providers, religious leaders, and representatives of under served communities.

3. The organizational structure of the CAB shall be determined by its community members, and as such, it is assumed that the structure of each Board will vary.

   Some sessions shall be educational in nature to develop an educated constituency. This process shall address basic science, protocol development and evaluation, the ACTG structure, the CCG, and local Institutional Review Board (IRB) process.

   ACTUs shall provide administrative support. The Principal Investigator shall be supportive of participation of local CAB members in national ACTG activities.

4. The CAB and local ACTU staff shall design and efficiently implement outreach programs to bring persons of all socioeconomic statuses into trials and to increase the participation and retention of women, intravenous drug users, adolescents, people of color, and under served populations.
5. The PI or his/her delegate(s) shall consult with the CAB on all matters effecting the conduct of clinical trials in each community.

CAB HANDBOOK

Each CAB must maintain a CAB Handbook that consists of the CAB Guidelines, ACTG organizational structure, CCG and CAB rosters, application forms, and weblinks to HIV/AIDS resources, reading lists, information about patient's rights, and treatment guidelines.

Core CAB Handbook Materials that should be updated and made available to all CAB members annually

Additional CAB Handbook Materials

COMMUNITY (CAB) LIAISONS

Each ACTU has a CAB Liaison who is responsible for communicating and providing information between the local CAB and the CCG.

To contact your local CAB Liaison find the Contact Number of the ACTU in your area.