Research Sub-committee Minutes

MINUTES: RESEARCH COMMITTEE
CONFERENCE CALL
2/29/96
I. OAR AND CONSOLIDATED AIDS BUDGET
FY 96 money has been distributed, and William Paul will not make changes now.
Congresswoman Pilosi will add language which will put budget authority at the OAR. This will
not change how the money will be spent, but it sets the situation up properly for legislation for
next year. There is support from every level of the government. Varmus agrees. More
difficult challenge will be in area of re-authorizaton. Not clear what will happen. Some
opposition from Repulbications to some of these provisions. Varmus/Paul met with
constituency groups 2/28. Administration will pursue this as a high priority. ULTIMATE
GOAL: needs to be one place at NIH where all of this "Institute Without Walls" can be managed.
Must have budget authority.
COMMENT FROM RESEARCH COMMITTEE: Should be representation from the
Council at all such meetings, in which the Office for AIDS Policy (OAP) has organized
constituency group participation. Keep us informed, so that we can participate, if possible.
2. MEETING WITH GORE, PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, AND OFFICE AIDS
POLICY
Good meeting, with better outcome than expected. If and WHEN there are additional
meetings, will be different groups of industry reps--ie a more focused group or groups will be
participating. GenenTech did not wish to be included in the meeting. The issue of pre and post
publicity was raised. Issue was also raised that the Council was not informed or involved in
this. Jeff stating that the comapnies would be more intimated, and less likely to speak freely if
the meeting were open and more public.
COMMENT FROM RESEARCH COMMITTEE: Council should be INFORMED when
these meetings occur, to help make the President "look good", and to help in re: appropriate
dissemination of information. If we are not informed, we cannot answer the questions which are
posed to us: bad situation for everyone.
3. FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL ACTION
A. PEDIATRIC ACCESS TO HIV TRIALS AND THERAPIES: Plan: Levine will organize a
conference call (3/15/96 at 9am EST) to discuss pediatric issues again, prior to making final
recommendations. AML will call Art Ammann, Tim Westmoreland, and the head of pediatric
ACTG to discuss issues with us.
B. VACCINE: Bruce Weniger will get a panel together to discuss vaccine issues,
seeking a balanced group of individuals to lead the discussion. We will concern ourselves with
fundamental vaccine policy issues, not the specific scientific research issues.
C. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE; Debra Frazer-Howse and Phyllis Greenberger will take
the lead on this one, and will invite Mindy Fullilove, reps from women's community, from drug
dependency community, from communities of color to meet with us, by conference call, to
clarify the issues prior to our writing the specific language of our recommendation.