The Ragon Institute is a medical research facility and does not provide treatment for those with HIV/AIDS. For those interested in testing and treatment, we suggest that you contact the Massachusetts General Hospital Infectious Disease Unit.
The mission of the Ragon Institute is to develop a vaccine for HIV/AIDS, therefore we encourage you to consider participating in one of our research studies.
Why Is a Vaccine Needed?
In the developed world, the amount of HIV virus in the body can be controlled by a drug "cocktail" which those infected need to take for the rest of their lives but no one has ever been cured of AIDS. In countries where drug treatments and testing are not as readily available, the epidemic runs unchecked.
The Ragon Institute believes that the best hope for eliminating the AIDS epidemic is the development of a safe, effective and affordable vaccine which would help the body's immune system recognize and eliminate HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
If you would like to support our research by being involved in a study, we are looking for volunteers, either HIV-positive or negative. Contact our Clinical Department and they will discuss your eligibility with you. All personal information about research participants is kept strictly confidential.
Additionally, we encourage you to register with RSVP for Health, a service which provides study participants with a comprehensive list of studies for which they are eligible.