[Memorandum to Presidential Advisory Council on AIDS Research Committee Members from Margaret I. Johnston]

Under the direction of its scientific director, Margaret (Peggy) Johnston, Ph.D., formerly
deputy director of the Division of AIDS of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID), [AVI will chart and follow a scientific applied research and
development agenda designed to complement and stimulate on-going HIV scientific
work across the globe. IAVI will support unfunded and underfunded research, especially
that work which targets candidate vaccines for HIV subtypes found in areas of the world
where the HIV epidemic is spreading most rapidly (subtypes A, C, D, E and F).
Among IAVI's initial priorities are establishing a scientific advisory committee that will
evaluate funding possibilities and initiate a scientific program that will help promote and
develop HIV vaccines that are safe, inexpensive and easy to use in developing
countries. IAVI will also work with the public and private sectors to help:
reduce obstacles tc vaccine R&D among drug and biotech companies;
reduce marketplace barriers in developing countries where HIV vaccines are
most needed;
reduce the potential cost of liability exposure; and,
improve the legal and regulatory environments worldwide in order to facilitate HIV
vaccine development.
Why is a Vaccine Needed?
While the AIDS epidemic is spreading at an alarming rate in many nations of Africa and
Asia, little of the world's attention is focused on HIV vaccine development. To date, up
to 18 million people have been infected with HIV, with devastating consequences for
their families, and for the economies and public health systems of their countries. The
total global cost of AIDS (since 1981) is estimated to have exceeded U.S. 5100 billion.
Despite aggressive prevention and education efforts, on average, 5,000 - 10,000 new
people are infected with HIV each day - 90 percent of whom live in developing nations,
most of which are ill-equipped to handle the economic and social consequences of
AIDS.
Vaccines have historically been extremely effective in eliminating and controlling other
serious diseases, such as smallpox, measles, polio and yellow fever. Scientific
advances in the past few years indicate that an HIV vaccine, or vaccines, is indeed
possible. IAVI believes that with an accelerated global effort that focuses the world's
attention on the need for an HIV vaccine, we can develop one, and ultimately begin the
critical process of halting the AIDS pandemic.

March 1996