The AIDS Research Consortium (ARCA), founded in 1988, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) center for treatment and prevention research, education, and free HIV/STD testing services. ARCA works in collaboration with over 50 physicians and 5 public health clinics to conduct clinical drug trials. Atlanta residents have access to the latest HIV/AIDS investigational treatments through ARCA's clinical drug trials, at no cost to participants. In addition, trial volunteers receive free laboratory work and usually one or more free drugs, along with clinical monitoring and education. ARCA has emerged as one of the most respected & successful HIV/AIDS research facilities in the country. ARCA has enrolled thousands of Atlantans in over 275 clinical trials. Our trials have contributed to the licensing by the FDA of 25 HIV/AIDS therapies that have been responsible for a dramatic increase in the length and quality of life for persons with HIV.
ARCA also is a dynamic emerging center for HIV prevention research. ARCA was honored to be the only research center in Georgia participating in the first ever, large scale HIV vaccine effectiveness trial, sponsored by VaxGen. We are now honored to be one of only three sites in the country participating in the CDC-sponsored US study testing a promising new approach to HIV prevention using an anti-HIV drug, tenofovir, in HIV-negative men. Our work in the last few years has included the enrollment of over 500 persons in two federally funded "Prevention with Positives" studies, in collaboration with the DeKalb County Department of Health and the Cobb-Douglas Department of Health.
ARCA offers free anonymous HIV rapid testing & free confidential STD testing. We created the Metro Atlanta Women of Color Initiative (MAWOCI) in 2002 to take HIV testing, prevention education, and linkage to care directly into the communities of women at risk for HIV and who face multiple barriers to traditional health care services. However MAWOCI offers testing to anyone, regardless of gender or race/ethnicity. We have tested over 4000 persons and could have tested more with appropriate resources. MAWOCI receives NO GOVERNMENT FUNDING and no ongoing sustainable funding! (PS - YOU can help!) In 2005 we created Synergy Atlanta, our free STD (syphilis, Chlamydia, and gonorrhea) testing program for men, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Human Resources. Our goal is to raise funds through donations to offer these same free services to women.
ARCA was honored by the Human Rights Campaign with the Dan Bradley Award for outstanding humanitarian efforts and its work to reach out to all communities. ARCA's founder & principal investigator, Dr. Melanie Thompson, serves on the International AIDS Society-USA Antiretroviral Guidelines Panel and the National Institutes of Health Office of AIDS Research Therapeutics Research Working Group.
Government agencies, corporations, foundations & personal donations support our $1,800,000 annual budget, although our HIV testing program is supported only by donations. We are proud that 82 cents of every dollar goes directly to programs.
