Advancing equity through inclusive HIV research

At Queen Mary, researchers in the SHARE Collaborative continue to demonstrate how an inclusive, community-centred approach can help drive that transformation. They are making HIV research and treatment more inclusive, focusing on the persistent inequities experienced by people living with HIV.  

A central barrier across HIV research is the long-standing lack of representation in clinical trials, which can result in treatment that do not fully reflect the need of diverse populations. Our researchers are addressing the issue directly with the development of the clinical trial design and protocol for the first long-acting injectable treatment for HIV. 

Determined to ensure that this life-changing treatment would be implemented equitably, the team designed ILANA (Implementing Long-Acting Novel Antiretrovirals) study to be antiracist and antiageist. The results demonstrate what is possible when equity is built into research from the start:  

• 53% female participants 

• 70% racially minoritised participants 

• 40% participants aged 50 or older 

These figures not only exceeded the trial’s mandatory recruitment targets but have positioned ILANA as a model for inclusive practice. The World Health Organisation has recognised the trial as a good practice case study, emphasising that equitable recruitment is both achievable and essential in HIV research. 

The team are bringing this same inclusive research approach to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by designing inclusive trials and studies to improve equitable access to PrEP. 

This World AIDS Day, the SHARE team reaffirm their commitment to advancing research that actively counters the disruptions and inequities that shape the lives of people living with HIV. By embedding inclusion in study design, amplifying community voices and challenging structural barriers, the AIDS response for people who need it can be transformed. 

SHARE have also created resources to help other researchers adopt their inclusive research approach, freely available on their website. 

Find out more about how the SHARE Collaborative are improving clinical trials here.