Grappling with global concerns in the search for an HIV vaccine.

There is a need for increasing international collaboration in the search for a safe and effective HIV vaccine. In addition to the ethical issues that must be considered in conducting any clinical research, unique issues arise in vaccine research and in international research. Careful deliberation and guideline development regarding the ethics of international vaccine research was the focus of a series of recent consultations sponsored by Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) around the world.