Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council

Figure 1. OAR Acting Director Dr. Bill Kapogiannis presents to the OAR Advisory Council in June 2023.

The Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council (OARAC) is a federal advisory committee that provides advice to the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) Director on the planning, coordination, and evaluation of research and other HIV and AIDS activities conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). OARAC also advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of NIH, and the Director of OAR on HIV research programs and the development of the NIH Strategic Plan for HIV and HIV-Related Research.
Learn more about OARAC in its charter.

OARAC Members

OARAC consists of up to 18 voting members; at least 11 non-voting ex officio members, including the NIH Director and the OAR Director; and an executive secretary. Visit the OARAC Members webpage for the list of current members.

OARAC Meetings

OARAC meetings are held three times per fiscal year. Open meetings are held virtually or in-person. The format for each meeting is listed in the Federal Register. All open meetings are accessible to the public through NIH VideoCast, and public comments are welcome. View videocasts, minutes, and summaries of previous OARAC meetings to learn more.

Public Comments

How: Comments may be submitted for any public meeting. To submit written comments, please email [email protected] and include your name and affiliation with your response. Brief verbal public comments (< 2 minutes) can be made during in-person meetings. 

When: Written public comments to OARAC may be submitted at any time. Written comments will be read in their entirety or summarized at public OARAC meetings. Comments received at least 48 hours before a scheduled meeting will be shared at the meeting. Any comments received within 30 days of a scheduled OARAC meeting will be included in the meeting minutes. Confirmation of receipt for all written comments will be provided.

Upcoming OARAC Meetings

September 18, 2025
Videocast link and Agenda will be posted when available.