UK Calls For New Drive On HIV Research

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 05 Nov 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The HIV epidemic is set to spiral out of control unless new ways to prevent infection are discovered, Development Minister, Gareth Thomas, warned today.

The Minister met with leading scientists, businesses and experts in HIV in London to agree what new action is needed to fight the spread of the infection.

He announced a new £220m fund for research which will be used to fund projects that are developing new prevention technologies for diseases such as HIV. But he also demanded that scientists stop working in isolation and unite in the search for fresh and more effective prevention tools.

6800 people are infected every day - around five people every minute - whilst five people are infected for every two that are put on life-saving drugs. 33 million people are currently living with HIV and around 15 million children have already been orphaned.

Due to HIVs genetic mutability and social factors which prevent some people from using prevention methods, such as condoms, it has proven difficult to control the deadly virus.

The new research is likely to include:

- New products such as gels, films or sponges that women can use to protect themselves from infection. Microbicides could be designed for vaginal or rectal use and could make a big difference in highly endemic countries.

- Development of a HIV vaccine. To date, there is still no vaccine but the development of one could be the key to reversing the spread of HIV.

- New state-of-the-art drugs based on existing antiretroviral treatment, designed to protect people judged as high risk, such as those in a relationship where one partner is infected with HIV.

Currently the most effective biomedical intervention available is male circumcision, which is 60% effective in preventing new infections in men.

The new funding makes the UK a world leader on HIV research and the Minister will take his conclusions to the World Health Organisation, as it forms are new taskforce on HIV.

International Development Minister, Gareth Thomas, said

"The reality is that the spread of HIV is set to spiral out of control unless we act now. Five people are infected with HIV every minute and so we must increase our efforts and increase them now.

The UK Government is committed to fighting the spread of HIV and that is why we are announcing £200m for new research. Only through research will we find new ways to halt this epidemic and I hope this funding will help discover new life-saving technology."

DFID, the Department for International Development: leading the British Government's fight against world poverty. Find out more about the major global poverty challenges and get the facts on what DFID is doing to fight them: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/howwefightpoverty.asp.

DFID, the Department for International Development