Shifting the Narrative: Equity, Evidence, Effectiveness, and Innovation in the Era of Ending the HIV Epidemic

Authored by members of NASTAD's Health Equity team, this paper explores the manifestation of systematic bias and research inequity in the process of identifying and assessing EB/EI HIV care interventions through the lens of a HRSA-funded initiative, coined the Center for Innovation and Engagement (CIE), which supports people living with HIV in the United States. An overview of the initiative is provided, along with examples of how promising interventions with positive outcomes for members of marginalized communities are excluded in place of interventions that meet traditional standards of scientific rigor but are not novel or particularly innovative. Themes around academic imperialism and power hierarchies are considered, along with key barriers, lessons learned, and recommendations for promoting more equitable EB/EI research practice.