Foundation For Integrative Aids Research Fiar

Causes: AIDS, AIDS Research, Health

Mission: FIAR will evaluate, in clinical trial settings, the "dietary supplements" many people living with HIV/AIDS and/or chronic viral hepatitis are using to help delay progression, offset antiretroviral side effects or extend structured treatment interruptions in order to evaluate their benefits, risks, limitations and costs to enable better-informed treatment decisions. To accomplish this, FIAR will: * periodically assemble community members, clinicians and others to develop concept sheets for clinical studies; * identify promising, non-patentable interventions (dietary supplements) for which preliminary evidence exists to support their use for a particular indication; * design, fund and coordinate clinical studies to evaluate their use in delaying HIV disease, managing antiretroviral side effects and HIV symptoms, or extending the time of a treatment interruption, nationally and internationally; * address the needs of people with HIV in wealthy and resource-poor areas; * evaluate products and obtain independent laboratory analysis of supplements/interventions to be evaluated in a clinical study; * disseminate information and clinical findings in peer-reviewed journals, newsletters and on the FIAR website; * develop pilot projects for HIV prevention and/or treatment projects in resource poor nations.