Welcome to PHPT

IRD-PHPT (UMI 174) is a collaborative program between the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences at Chiang Mai University, and the Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD, France), involving a large network of scientists, academics, public health policy makers and clinicians affiliated with governmental and academic institutions in Thailand and around the world. Initiated in 1996 in Chiang Mai, the epicenter of the HIV epidemic in Thailand at that time, its overall goal was to help improve HIV prevention and care at the family level through clinical research focusing primarily on prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Recognizing the improvement in the HIV/AIDS situation in Thailand and the relative importance of other health issues, PHPT is building upon its experience to expand its research activities to other infectious diseases of major public health concern in South East Asia, in particular hepatitis B and human Papilloma virus infection, both associated with cancers.

Our main current research objectives are to:

• Improve the efficacy, safety and tolerance of antiretroviral regimens used for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and the health of the mothers.
• Optimize antiretroviral regimens in HIV infected adults and children.
• Test antiviral treatment to prevent Hepatitis B virus (HBV) perinatal transmission from mothers with high HBV viral loads and normal liver function.
• Identify papillomavirus genotypes in HIV infected women on antiretroviral treatment.
• Identify factors limiting access to health services in some marginal populations.

The PHPT clinical research group in Thailand includes a network of over 50 public hospitals. Its coordination center in Chiang Mai is responsible for protocol development, training, monitoring of onsite activities, data processing and analysis, logistics, drug distribution and administration. A central Virology and Pharmacology Laboratory, linked to the Faculty of Associated Medial Sciences at Chiang Mai University, is supporting clinical research activities and conducting laboratory based research.

PHPT also provides trainings, mentoring and support for health professionals and advanced students in health sciences and health social science.