Q-Seattle Events: Tacky Tourist Clubs

Seattles' HIV Vaccine Trials Unit (HVTU) is about to set off on a new campaign to introduce itself to folks in town. A date -- no matter how arbitrary -- is one way to do that and, therefore, HTVU has declared May 18 as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. Now you know. That date is the 10th anniversary of President Clinton's challenge to develop an HIV vaccine.

HTVU is doing that probably because most folks haven't heard of the organization. HVTU is the local clinic funded by the National Institutes of Health and associated with the HIV Vaccine Network (HVTN) -- an international effort to test and find an HIV vaccine that will work safely in diverse populations worldwide. Seattle HVTU is a program of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington. They explain their programs:

Currently we have a variety (vaccine and non-vaccine) of studies that support HIV vaccine research. Our HIV Vaccine studies, including the Step Study, are for HIV negative volunteers who are 18-50 years old. They usually are 1-2 years long and may require 2-3 injections with the study vaccine or a placebo. The vaccines being tested do not contain the HIV virus. Therefore, the vaccines cannot cause HIV infection. For more details, visit the HIV Vaccine Studies page on this site.

Our Non-HIV Vaccine Studies (also known as our ancillary studies), are for HIV negative and positive volunteers. Some of our ancillary studies take volunteers who are 18-60 years old. In these studies, there are no medications or vaccines given and they usually are 2 or more years long. To learn more about these studies, visit the HIV Vaccine Studies page on this site.

Lifelong AIDS Alliance and GayCity Health Project have each received grants from from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases to help HTVU spread the word about the local research projects. Although neither of GayCity or Lifelong is saying anything about it yet on their websites, according to HTVU's press release, both local groups will sponsor a drag show and dance contest at R-Place [see bar map] beginning at 7:30 p.m. on May 18 to help introduce the vaccine trials unit. Representatives of HTVU will be there to answer questions.

GayCity will also host a session about the vaccine trials at Gay City University which starts May 19. Registration for that popular GayCity event is now open. The entertaining classes take place this year at Northwest School on First Hill, just a block from GayCity's offices.

HTVU dedicates May 18, HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, to Rev. Reginald Diggs, co-founder of the African Americans Reach and Teach Health (AARTH) Ministry in Seattle. Diggs, a vibrant minister, advocate, educator and leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, died suddenly in March at the age of 42. AARTH tells his story here [pdf format].

Labels: gay organization, health, HIV, Seattle