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) and the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (Smittskyddsinstitutet). RAV was founded in September 1997.

The current chairman is Prof. Anders Sönnerborg, Div. of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Virology, Huddinge University Hospital and the current secretary is Dr Maria Brytting, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control.

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 consensus documents about treatment and management of viral infections such as hepatitis B and C infection, influensa, CMV and HIV. Most of these documents have been produced during one or two day expert meetings that have been arranged jointly by RAV and the Swedish Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket).