Book 5: Capacity building

Strategies should be implemented to build the capacity of South African institutions and communities to make meaningful decisions about HIV vaccine development, in full and collaborative partnership with sponsors and others, and to ensure the scientific and ethical conduct of HIV vaccine development activities.

3.1 South African communities have the right and the responsibility to take decisions regarding the nature of their participation in HIV vaccine research (see Point 5.2).

3.2 Because of potential disparities in economic wealth, scientific experience and technical capacity between investigators and communities, there is the potential for undue influence over and possible exploitation of South African communities.

3.3 The many factors that may increase vulnerability to exploitation of communities in South Africa are outlined in Book 1, 7.1.3.8. Factors specific to groups from which potential HIV vaccine participants are likely to be drawn are outlined in Point 7 and Point 13. Additional vulnerability factors include limited community experience with scientific research and limited political awareness of the importance and process of HIV vaccine research.

3.3.1 Those who plan and conduct HIV vaccine research should identify relevant factors that increase potential harm to communities (see Point 7).

3.3.2 Strategies must be undertaken by investigators and sponsors to offset such vulnerabilities and to promote a relationship of equality. These include:

1. Support to communities regarding information dissemination and capacity building programmes in the science and ethics of vaccine development (see Point 6), and consensus building on vaccine development;
2. Early and sustained community involvement in the research process (see Point 5); and
3. Transfer of knowledge and skills.

3.4 The development of HIV vaccines for South Africa will require international collaborative research.

3.4.1 There may be disparities between sponsors and South African institutions in terms of infrastructure, personnel and technical capacity for conducting the proposed research or for conducting scientific and ethical review.

3.4.2 International research collaboration should transcend real or perceived disparities in a way that ensures equality in decisionmaking and action, and a relationship of collaboration among equals.

3.4.3 All the principles governing international collaborative research identified in Book 1, 11.1-4 apply to HIV vaccine development activities in South Africa.

3.4.4 Strategies to promote a relationship of equality between South African and sponsor country institutions include:

1. Development of infrastructure and research capacity in South Africa (see Book 1, 11.4.4. i);
2. Transfer of scientific knowledge and skills between sponsor countries and South Africa; and
3. Support of the development of scientific and ethical review capacity (see Point 6).