Future research critical to ending AIDS epidemic

Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention and a founding member of the Global Health Technologies Coalition, writing in The Hill's "Congress Blog," welcomes Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's November 8 announcement of "an additional $60 million for implementation of a combination of prevention strategies in four sub-Saharan African countries and evaluation of their impact," adding that "this funding can only be viewed as a down payment on the work that needs to be done." He says the Obama administration and the governments of other countries "need to add specific commitments, milestones, and strategies to the vision," as well as "commit to the long haul."

Warren outlines three areas he says are research priorities -- including research into new prevention innovations, vaccines and a functional cure for HIV -- and writes, "This is when we should double down on some of the amazing successes we've seen in the past few years. As Secretary Clinton said in her speech, it is possible to create an AIDS-free generation. Research has made this goal possible, and we must stay focused on the future" (11/15).