UK Community Advisory Board (UK-CAB)
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    • Membership terms

    Email and discussion forums

    Guidelines for posting to the UK-CAB forum

    The UK-CAB is a community group that focusses on HIV, treatment and related issues.
    It is an open membership organisation, run by an elected volunteer steering group.

    The discussion forum connects over 700 members. Posts can cover any aspect of HIV care, and related experiences, services, policies and guidelines. It is easy to publicise projects you are involved in or even to ask about your own care.

    The forum is not moderated.

    This depends on a the few simple guidelines below.

    1. Please keep posts relevant to HIV treatment or related issues.
    1. A clear subject line will help people reading your post.
    1. Please be kind and considerate when you post or reply.
    1. If you disagree with a post, please focus on the issue and not on the person posting.
    1. This includes respect over gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, HIV status and political views, etc.
    1. All posts are confidential to UK-CAB members.
    1. Posts should not be for personal profit.
    1. Although now rarely an issue, joining the CAB involves agreeing that HIV is the cause of AIDS

      2. Thank you for interest in this project.

      The CAB is broadly inclusive. Participation is open to people living with HIV and community advocates and supporters.

      • Approximately 70% of members are HIV positive.
      • Other members have a research, advocacy, health or social care role in HIV.
      • More than half of UK CAB members are women.
      • Membership broadly reflects the demographics of the UK epidemic.

      Membership terms

      • Membership of the UK-CAB is free.
      • Individuals join as members in their own right.
      • Many members of the UK-CAB are linked to organisations in the UK. Members also include HIV positive people, people affected by HIV and advocates that are not linked to organisations.
      • Membership is not transferable.
      • Members are welcome to attend all UK-CAB meetings.
      • Membership is open to everyone except employees of pharmaceutical companies or related agencies (see note below).

      UK-CAB meetings

      Members attending UK-CAB meetings are encouraged to share their input and learning with others wherever possible.

      This includes, for example, by holding a local feedback session, or writing about the meeting in a newsletter.

      Sharing the outcome of CAB meetings is particularly if the member is associated with another HIV organisation.

      Meeting announcements and administration is by email.

      For more details see the meetings page.

      Involvement in steering group and other activities

      • Any member can volunteer to join the UK-CAB steering group. Membership of the steering group is usually decided by an election of the larger UK-CAB membership.
      • Any members may also serve as community representatives for UK-CAB. This includes, among others, BHIVA guideline writing groups and MRC trial steering committees.
      • All members can be involved in the range of UK-CAB projects.
      • Members may propose and volunteer to lead UK-CAB projects.
      • Members are expected to declare any potential conflicts of interest.
      • Members may volunteer to organise or present at UK-CAB meetings.
      • Members may resign by informing the steering group or secretariat.
      • Membership is formally approved by the steering group.

      Other criteria

      The current best scientific understanding is that HIV is a virus, and HIV infection can lead to serious illness and death if untreated.

      If you disagree with this position you are strongly discouraged from joining the UK-CAB.

      Members who maliciously or mischievously question or deny the pathogenesis of HIV may find their views unwelcome, and may have their membership suspended or revoked.

      Links to commercial drug manufacturers

      Membership of the UK-CAB is not open to people who are directly or indirectly employed by pharmaceutical companies involved in research into HIV treatment and diagnostics. For example, it is also not open to employees of agencies providing PR, marketing and other professional services for these companies.

      The UK-CAB work closely with industry, and appreciates the history of collaboration and support from many companies. However, as a community-based network, the UK-CAB recognises that certain professional boundaries are important.