HCV CHIM Community Advisory Committee

We are a lay committee composed of people whose various experiences include volunteering in human challenge studies, incarceration, social work, hepatitis C and public health advocacy, and work with vulnerable populations like people who inject drugs. We were convened at the request of scientists to provide structured feedback and advice on the design and implementation of a controlled human infection model (CHIM) for the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

We first convened in February 2023, and in July 2023, adopted the following principles to guide our work. A minor amendment was made in June 2025 concerning committee deadlines (see notes from the relevant meeting here).

Committee Recommendations

The committee will summarize its conclusions on various issues related to HCV CHIMs in the form of written recommendations. The committee’s recommendations will include a result of votes (the number of support, disagree, or abstain votes). In cases where there is not unanimity, the recommendation will explain both the majority opinion and the opinions of the minority. The recommendations will clearly delineate any core consensus reached even if the recommendation was not supported unanimously.

We believe our recommendations should be treated as independent expressions of our collective opinion and that we should be appropriately assertive about these recommendations as the study is designed, discussed, and implemented.

Members will have three business days to look over the proposed recommendation drafts before distribution to relevant interested parties and posting publicly online.

Attendance, quorum, and membership

Six members are required for a meeting to be held. Attendance of at least half of the meetings in the most recent year are required for membership in the following year.

New members recommended by relevant HCV CHIM researchers or current members will join, barring an opposing vote by a majority of sitting members.

Meeting agendas

Issues can be raised for the agenda of a meeting before or during the meeting by any member. A co-chair of the meeting will distribute a draft agenda before the meeting begins.

Meeting transparency

Notes for meetings will be posted online no later than after seven business days have passed to allow members to review their contents, compiled by one or more of the co-chairs. If identification of members is necessary, notes will use pseudonyms for members to encourage free discussion.

Except for any sensitive information as designated by the research team, we will default to assume transparency and publication of information discussed in the meeting.

The dates of future meetings will be posted in advance on the committee website. Interested parties can observe at the committee’s discretion.

The committee website will be established and maintained by the committee co-chairs.