In the Fall of 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP), began the External Peer Review (EPR) of DHAP’s HIV Prevention Activities. This review consisted of convening a group of seventy-three (73) experts from state and local government, national partner organizations, academia, community-based organizations and risk population stakeholders from various parts of the country with experience in HIV prevention and familiarity with DHAP’s intramural and extramural activities to examine DHAP’s HIV prevention activities. This Peer Review would provide input to CDC on the scientific validity and quality of its activities and the appropriateness of activities to the identified need in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention.

To help guide the review process, DHAP developed a series of questions seeking input that would prove useful to CDC in determining the scientific validity of its activities and in planning for the future. Jesse Milan, JD, and Edward Hook, M.D., led the External Peer Reviewers and chaired a Steering Committee composed of the Co-Chairs of five panels who developed a series of overarching findings and recommendations. Each of the panels reviewed information provided by CDC and developed findings and recommendations in each of their areas. The panels focused upon the following:

• Planning, Prioritizing, and Monitoring
• Surveillance
• Biomedical Interventions, Diagnostics, Laboratory, and Health Services Research
• Behavioral, Social, and Structural Interventions Research
• Prevention Programs, Capacity Building, and Program Evaluation A meeting of the EPR Reviewers and the various Panels and Steering Committee was held at the W Hotel Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia on April 13–15, 2009. The meeting consisted of plenary presentations, panel discussions, Steering Committee discussions and a report-back session, where the Co-Chairs of the various panels reported to the entire group of EPR Reviewers and to CDC the most salient points of the discussion in their Panel.

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A. About this Report

This report contains a summary of the findings and recommendations of the EPR Process, which is described in the Methods section. The Summary contains the most salient points from the Steering Committee and individual panels, which are followed by a description of the methods used to carry out this process, and greater detail on the findings and recommendations of the various panels. The findings and recommendations included here are those of the EPR members and Steering Committee without input from CDC staff. DHAP has been presented this report and has had an opportunity to draft a detailed response.

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Go to Section II