AIDS Vaccine Panel Discussion [Minutes]

7-APR-97 PACHA AIDS VACCINE PANEL DISCUSSION - p. 63

it's a little difficult to flesh out all the details.
That's the only thing I was referring to. But preliminary work to get the
concept going is very crucial.
MR. GOLD: You are correct. It was, I think, number two of the impediments. It was a
rather distant two, after scientific feasibility, but nonetheless a very important issue.
AVAC's next report, our research report, will be focusing on liability. We may
take off a piece first -- that is, "do liability issues prevent or limit industry investing in
trials, clinical trials, with a fear of side effects?", and then go from there in terms of
ultimate fears in terms of marketability.
But not only did we see a difference in concern about liability in terms of
approaches, but also a difference in terms of the companies that are developing. There
was a definite difference in terms of pharmaceutical companies viewing liability as an
issue and biotech companies looking at liability as a non-issue. So we are starting to
look into this issue, but, obviously, bigger organizations and well-funded groups can do
more than we can.
DR. LEVINE: Okay. We are out of time, and on behalf of the entire Presidential Council, we
thank you more than I can say. This was an outstanding session. Thank you very, very
much.
(Applause.)
DR. HITT: And I'd also just remind the panelists and the Council, obviously, this is a work in
motion. Whatever recommendations we make now, we clearly feel there may be some
follow-up recommendations, as it becomes clear that there might be a vaccine
coordinator, what that would look like, what the consortium should be doing, et cetera,
and we'll be following up with that.
Logistics here. It is critical that we are out of this room in the next about 7
minutes, because once the Prime Minister [Netanyahu] comes through, you're locked in
here for at least half an hour. So we'll meet in the front in about 10 minutes, and then
we're on our way. Thanks.
(Whereupon, at 12:14 p.m., the meeting was recessed, to reconvene at 9:00 a.m. on
Tuesday, April 8, 1997.)