Q&A with Alison Footman
AVAC’s Senior Program Manager for STIs, Alison Footman, Ph.D., is currently in Reykjavik, Iceland for a Fulbright Specialist Project at the Directorate of Health, working with local leaders to address rising STI rates and strengthen prevention strategies. In this Q&A, Footman shares her perspective on what’s next for STI research and programs.
After the HIV & STI World Congress in July in Montreal, what’s the biggest priority you would give to funders and implementers of STI research and development?
Alison: To have patience. Our society is quickly changing, and people are constantly having to reevaluate their basic needs, including how they are going to pay their bills, provide food for their families, and survive. This means that people don’t always have the capacity to think about how to protect their sexual health and they need tools that are readily available, affordable, and accurate. Until we have the tools to meet the needs of people in this changing environment, we are going to see increases in STI rates. We need to work with communities, build products that they want to use, and implement these products equitably. This all takes a lot of time.
What are the most promising innovations on the horizon?
Alison: STI diagnostics are in an incredibly exciting phase. We are seeing new developments that are leading to an increase in sample self-collection that can be used for self-testing or sent to laboratories for further evaluation. We are seeing diagnostics that can meet patients where they are and provide results within a matter of minutes promoting prompt treatment. With these new testing models, it is imperative that we work together in identifying implementation strategies that ensure people have access to these new tools.
Where should advocacy focus?
Alison: Advocacy should focus on communities, the people who are impacted by rising STI rates and untreated infections. When developing and implementing new tools, we must ensure that these tools—whether a diagnostic, vaccine, or other biomedical intervention—meet the needs of the communities they are serving.
What gives you optimism right now?
Alison: Collaboration. Researchers, developers, implementers, funders, and advocates are sitting at the same table in a way we haven’t seen in years. When we share data, integrate community needs into product development, and co-create implementation plans, we can build stronger STI programs that better address rising STI rates.