Research Roundup: What We’re Reading This Week

Yesterday, the International AIDS Society (IAS) and the University of California-San Francisco released the Washington, DC Declaration ahead of this month’s XIX International AIDS Conference. The declaration aims to build support for efforts to end the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and lists nine priorities that are needed to achieve this goal. Accelerated research for new HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment tools is included among the priorities listed in the declaration as necessary to finally end the pandemic. Recent years have seen game-changing research results for new treatment and prevention products—from microbicides to vaccines to using treatment as prevention—that are leading many to believe that research is contributing to a watershed moment in HIV and AIDS. "We want to make sure we don't overpromise," Anthony Fauci—head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases—said in a recent Associated Press article. But, he added, "I think we are at a turning point." It seems that the conference organizers couldn’t agree more about the role of science and research in this metamorphosis in the pandemic. “In a scenario unthinkable just a few years ago, we now have the knowledge to begin to end AIDS in our lifetimes,” said Elly Katabira, president of IAS and international chair of AIDS 2012, when releasing the declaration. And as we recently noted, research is shaping up to be a central theme of the conference overall. Accelerated research for new HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment tools is included among the priorities listed in the Washington, DC Declaration as necessary to finally end the pandemic. Photo credit: PATH/Evelyn Hockstein At the same time that science is leading to hope that the end of HIV and AIDS is within reach, countries around the world are dealing with budget constraints and the effect of a global economic crisis. “Yet, at this moment of extraordinary scientific progress and potential, the global response to AIDS faces crippling financial challenges that threaten past success and future progress,” Katabira said. “Through this declaration, we stand together to call on world leaders across all sectors to provide increased resources, visionary leadership, and a full-fledged commitment to seize the opportunity before us.” It’s heartening that this year’s International AIDS Conference will be held in the United States for the first time in more than 20 years. When the conference last took place in the United States (in San Francisco in 1990), an HIV diagnosis was still equitable with a death sentence. But research soon led to life-saving antiretroviral drugs that, for many, have made HIV and AIDS a chronic and manageable condition. It’s almost overwhelming to think about what the next generation of HIV tools will bring. As Congress and other US policymakers continue the federal appropriations process and the country heads into a presidential election, we hope that US leaders listen to the 25,000 researchers, advocates, people living with HIV, and others attending the conference and calling for much-needed new ways to prevent and treat the disease.

In this guest post, Stewart Parker, CEO of the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), discusses working in Washington State’s global health community. IDRI, a GHTC member, conducts research and development for products to prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases of poverty. This post originally appeared on the Washington Global Health Alliance’s Voices of Global Health blog to mark Global Health Month. Stewart Parker is CEO of the Infectious Disease Research Institute What sparked your interest in global health? I’ve always loved being in biotech for the opportunity to both do good and do well. Global health is the ultimate step for me; I get to spend every day of the week helping to solve seemingly intractable disease problems! What could be better than that? What three words would you use to describe Washington State’s global health community? COLLABORATIVE. VIBRANT. FUN What do you think is the best way for individuals to contribute to Washington’s global health work? First, educate yourself. Global health problems affect all of us, so don’t be an ostrich! Second, do a little research and find an organization that you like…and support it. There are lots of volunteer opportunities, in addition to donating money. Third, spread the word. If you learn about a project or an organization that you like, help be an ambassador for that effort. What is the greatest joy in your work? The people. Working with smart people, meeting our partners in countries affected by neglected disease, and meeting people who are benefiting from our products. What is the greatest challenge in your work? I always want progress to occur faster than it does! Developing vaccines is a difficult challenge, and it takes time to do studies that are rigorous and support the movement of the vaccine product through the clinical trial process. I always want to do things with the highest standards, and we always will. But the timelines are sometimes frustrating.