According to the 5th Annual Report of the HIV Vaccines and Microbicide Resource Tracking Working Group, investments in biomedical HIV prevention R&D have dropped for the first time since 2000. It is a ‘research field altered by changing scientific priorities and likely influenced by the global financial downturn that began in 2008.’ USA, the largest source of global revenue in this area, has reduced its funds by 6 percent. However, funding for other preventive strategies, including microbicides, grows.
The reasons given for the declining trend in research funding are: changes in priorities in HIV science, the current global recession, and the competition for funds triggered by other health crises interests. Whatever the reasons are behind the dwindling of investments in the field, some authorities are alarmed that ‘HIV prevention received little new funding in 2008.’
However, vaccine trials continue. The latest foray in this effort is the new vaccine candidate that will soon be launched in South Africa. AIDS researchers want to prove that despite the dip in funds, scientific efforts to find an effective prevention have not been stalled.
The global AIDS funds mostly go to expenses for treatments, leaving behind the allocation for vaccine research. It does not mean, however, that AIDS vaccine research has been poorly funded. In spite of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on this type of research, no effective vaccine for AIDS has been discovered to this day.
Via HIV Vaccines and Microbicide Resource Tracking Working Group
