The Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy (RAV)
RAV is an independent expert group whose members are appointed by the Swedish Society of Medicine (Svenska Läkaresällskapet). RAV was founded in September 1997. The Swedish Medical Products Agency and the Public Health Agency of Sweden have adjunct members, but RAV and the opinions of RAV remain independent of these agencies.
The current chairman is Prof. Anders Sönnerborg, Div. of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Virology, Huddinge University Hospital and the current secretary is Dr Mia Brytting, the Public Health Agency of Sweden.
The main aim for RAV is to promote rational use of antiviral drugs in Sweden. The group meets four to five times per year.
One important task for RAV has been to initiate the production of guidelines about treatment and management of viral infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and C infection, influenza, CMV and RSV. Several of these guidelines have been produced in collaboration with Swedish Medical Products Agency and the Public Health Agency of Sweden.