The Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) network was established in 2005 to address two critical pediatric HIV research questions: the long-term safety of fetal and infant exposure to prophylactic antiretroviral (ART) chemotherapy, and the effects of perinatally acquired HIV infection in adolescents. The goals of this network are to:

• Create a body of data to understand more fully the effect of HIV on sexual maturation, pubertal development, and socialization of perinatally HIV-infected pre-adolescents and adolescents;
• Acquire more definitive information regarding long-term safety of antiretroviral agents when used during pregnancy and in newborns;
• Ensure a mechanism is in place to estimate the upper bounds of risk for children associated with the use of antiretrovirals in their HIV-infected pregnant mothers as recommended in the Public Health Service Guidelines to prevent perinatal HIV transmission; and
• Ensure that the follow-up of these populations continues.