Px Pulse explores vital topics confronting the field of HIV prevention research. Our monthly podcast will deepen your knowledge and help you “check the pulse” of this fast-paced field and the urgent challenges still ahead. Tune in for interviews, first-person accounts and robust discussion from advocates, researchers, policy-makers and community stakeholders as they take on critical issues facing HIV prevention research today.
The drug maker Merck recently announced (https://www.merck.com/news/merck-to-initiate-phase-3-trials-for-investigational-once-monthly-hiv-prevention-pill/) its plans to start two new trials, known as the EXPrESSIVE program, testing a monthly pill for PrEP. A once-a-month PrEP pill holds great potential for the field. Even with daily pills, a monthly ring, or long acting injectables such as cabotegravir (https://www.prepwatch.org/products/injectable-cab-for-prep/) and recently FDA-approved lenacapavir, there’ll be people who can’t find what they really need for prevention.
For advocates who follow prevention, there’s a lot to know about these trials, and powerful lessons to learn about Good Participatory Practice (GPP) (https://www.avac.org/gpp) and impactful involvement of stakeholders—especially community—in research. GPP has been a cornerstone of the process of design and protocol development for the EXPrESSIVE trials, and it doesn’t stop there.
This episode features Merck Senior Principal Scientist Rebeca Plank (https://www.merck.com/stories/meet-two-scientists-at-the-forefront-of-our-hiv-research/) and AVAC’s Regional Manager for Research Engagement Grace Kumwenda. They explain why a monthly pill could be so important to HIV prevention and how GPP is shaping the design and rollout of the trials.
13 May 2025
S5 Ep18: Critical Advocacy: How Civil Society is defending the HIV Response and Global Health
The upending of US policy by the new presidential administration has collapsed the foundation for global health and the HIV response at every level, from research to program delivery. It’s been a desperate scramble for everyone who cares the lives and wellbeing of those impacted by HIV. Wading into the chaos, all over the world are advocates who began organizing within days, even minutes—as soon as the US government federal executive orders started coming down.
Positive change depends on fierce and effective community leadership, and pressuring powerbrokers to do the right thing.)
Two veteran global health leaders from civil society talk about how civil society is responding. Amanda Banda is Strategic Advisor to the COMPASS Coalition (https://avac.org/project/compass/) and Asia Russell is Executive Director of Health Gap (https://healthgap.org/author/asia/), and both are members of CHANGE, a coalition with more than 1,500 people, from organizations in nearly every continent, working in coordination to defend global health and the HIV response.
https://avac.org/resource/critical-advocacy/ (https://avac.org/resource/critical-advocacy/)
Key Resources
Join weekly CHANGE calls, every Thursday 9 AM Washington DC | 4 PM Nairobi to get involved, send us an email for the link to join: contact.change.2025@gmail.com (mailto:contact.change.2025@gmail.com)
CHANGE resources to fight back against US government HIV and global health cuts and funding freezes, visit pepfarwatch.org/pepfar-funding-freeze (https://pepfarwatch.org/pepfar-funding-freeze)
Research Matters – Resources to Protect Research Funding (https://avac.org/search/?_search=Research+matter)
PxWire: May 2025 (https://avac.org/resource/report/pxwire-volume15-issue2/)
Despite USG Global Health Collapse, Here Are Several Data Trackers To Support Your Advocacy (https://avac.org/blog/data-trackers/)
7 Apr 2025
S5 Ep17: Lawsuit Wins and What’s at Stake
On February 10, AVAC and the Journalism Development Network came forward with Public Citizen (https://www.citizen.org/) to sue the new US presidential administration, seeking emergency relief from the funding freeze on all foreign assistance. We know the impact of the withdrawal of funds has been devastating. AVAC’s lawsuit is one of several efforts to fight back in the courts.
AVAC’s Executive Director, Mitchell Warren (https://avac.org/mitchell-warren) and Public Citizen Litigator, Lauren Bateman (https://www.citizen.org/about/person/lauren-bateman/) explain these lawsuits and why they matter. For resources and other background go to https://avac.org/resource/lawsuit-wins-and-whats-at-stake/ (https://avac.org/resource/lawsuit-wins-and-whats-at-stake/)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
127,617
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 44 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
22
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
77
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