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A Call for Papers

Gianna Zuccotti, MD, MPH; Jeanette M. Smith, MD

JAMA. 2007;298(21):2545.

Time provides a metric for judging the long-term success of battles fought and won. More than a decade ago, the advent of protease inhibitors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease was hailed as having great promise,¹ which has been borne out by experience. Hope for medications that inhibit HIV entry was realized with the recent approval of a drug that blocks the CCR5 coreceptor² and a fusion inhibitor in 2003.³ An integrase inhibitor affecting an enzyme needed for HIV replication has now been approved.⁴ Each represents the first agent in new classes of HIV drugs.

These notable advances in treatment options are occurring in parallel with efforts to improve access to treatment⁵ and strengthen prevention initiatives.^6-7 However, the summary statistics of the AIDS epidemic remain sobering: there were an estimated 39.5 million individuals living with HIV worldwide in 2006.⁸ Despite immense effort, the promise of an HIV vaccine is yet to be fulfilled; for example, a large study of an investigational HIV vaccine was recently discontinued because the vaccine was not effective.⁹

In August 2008, JAMA will publish a theme issue devoted to HIV/AIDS to coincide with the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.¹⁰ As with the last HIV/AIDS theme issue in 2006, JAMA welcomes submission of evidence-based papers on HIV prevention and treatment for consideration. We are particularly interested in submission of reports of original research, especially randomized controlled trials of HIV therapies. Other topics of interest include HIV-related basic science and its clinical application, epidemiology, and behavioral and preventive interventions. Submissions with relevance to international settings would also be welcome, as well as systematic reviews, special communications, commentaries, and economic analyses.

All submissions will undergo rigorous editorial review and, if considered of interest, will be sent for peer review with no advance guarantee of publication. The JAMA Instructions for Authors¹¹ should be consulted when preparing and submitting manuscripts. Papers received by March 3, 2008, will have the best chance for consideration for the 2008 HIV/AIDS theme issue.

Despite the ground that has been gained against the ravages of HIV, formidable battles remain. As was true in 1996, "We have accomplished much, but there is still much to do. . . . "¹

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Financial Disclosures: None reported.

Editorials represent the opinions of the authors and JAMA and not those of the American Medical Association.

Author Affiliations: Dr Zuccotti (gianna.zuccotti{at}jama-archives.org) and Dr Smith (jeanette.smith{at}jama-archives.org) are Contributing Editors, JAMA, Chicago, Illinois.

REFERENCES
1. Fauci AS. AIDS in 1996: much accomplished, much to do. JAMA. 1996;276(2):155-156. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED 2. FDA approves novel antiretroviral drug [press release]. FDA Web site. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01677.html. Posted August 6, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2007.3. FDA approves first drug in new class of HIV treatments for HIV infected adults and children with advanced disease [press release]. FDA Web site. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00879.html. Posted March 13, 2003. Accessed November 11, 2007.4. FDA approves new HIV drug: raltegravir tablets used in combination with other antiretroviral agents [press release]. FDA Web site. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01726.html. Posted October 16, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2007.5. Bolton-Moore C, Mubiana-Mbewe M, Cantrell RA; et al. Clinical outcomes and CD4 cell response in children receiving antiretroviral therapy at primary health care facilities in Zambia. JAMA. 2007;298(16):1888-1899. FREE FULL TEXT 6. Bringing HIV prevention to scale: an urgent global priority. Global HIV Prevention Working Group. June 2007. http://www.iasociety.org/web/webcontent/file/pwg-hiv_prevention_report_final.pdf. Posted June 2007. Accessed November 11, 2007.7. Advancing HIV prevention: new strategies for a changing epidemic. CDC Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/prev_prog/AHP/default.htm. Updated March 2007. Accessed November 11, 2007.8. Global summary of the AIDS epidemic. December 2006. http://data.unaids.org/pub/epireport/2006/02-global_summary_2006_epiupdate_eng.pdf. Accessed November 11, 2007.9. Vaccination and enrollment are discontinued in phase II trials of Merck's investigational HIV vaccine candidate. Merck Web site. http://www.merck.com/newsroom/press_releases/research_and_development/2007_0921.html. Posted September 21, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2007.10. International AIDS Society Web site. http://www.aids2008.org/. Accessed November 11, 2007.11. JAMA Instructions for Authors. http://jama.ama-assn.org/misc/ifora.dtl. Accessed November 11, 2007.