Report Warns Flat Funding for HIV Prevention Research May Limit Ability of Researchers to Move Promising Approaches Forward
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
VIENNA (21 July, 2010) – Following
significant advances in vaccine and microbicide
research, importantly including results
presented today of 39% efficacy in the CAPRISA
004 microbicide gel trial among women in South
Africa, a new report released today warns that
flat funding for HIV prevention research may
limit researchers’ ability to quickly move
promising approaches forward.
The
report examines investment in HIV prevention
research in 2009 and finds that the onset of a
global recession did not immediately impact
funding levels for biomedical HIV prevention
research. Total funding remained stable
at approximately US$1.165 billion for
preventive vaccines, microbicides, pre-exposure
prophylaxis (PrEP) and operations research
related to male circumcision.
In the
face of an economic crisis that has deeply
affected the economies and public-sector
budgets of HIV prevention research funders,
level funding for HIV prevention is cause for
cautious optimism. Yet much of the 2009 funding
was likely reflective of resources committed
when the global economy was far healthier. As
current funding commitments come to an end, the
concern will be whether funders will be able to
renew commitments at existing funding levels.
Furthermore, the report authors argue that flat
funding of HIV prevention research could have
serious consequences for the field as results
from critical prevention trials move the
research agenda forward. They warn that
researchers could have insufficient resources
to advance important opportunities to prevent
HIV.
Advancing the Science in a Time of
Fiscal Constraint: Funding for HIV Prevention
Technologies in 2009, the sixth annual report
from the HIV Vaccines and Microbicides Resource
Tracking Working Group, was released today at
the XVIII International AIDS Conference in
Vienna, Austria. It documents investments
in biomedical HIV prevention research from
public, philanthropic and commercial sectors in
2009. HIV vaccines continued to receive the
majority of funding, with a total of US$868
million, which was equal to 2008 funding
levels. Investment in microbicides was US$236
million, a decline of 3 percent from 2008
levels. Funding for oral pre-exposure
prophylaxis (PrEP) increased by 18 percent over
2008 levels to US$52 million.
The
stability in funding is encouraging, given a 10
percent decrease in funding for AIDS vaccine
research seen in 2008, but the Working Group
identified several areas of concern if funding
remains flat, including escalating costs of
late-stage clinical research, dependency on a
small group of funders and a lack of diversity
in funders. In addition, the Working Group
stresses that the CAPRISA 004 results, while
tremendously exciting, are by no means the
definitive answer about antiretroviral-based
microbicides and appropriately resourced
confirmatory and exploratory research will be
needed.
The Working Group has documented
an overall trend since 2000 toward increased
funding of new funders joining in the effort to
support HIV prevention research. Yet in 2009,
this funding stability was largely the result
of increased or sustained funding by the U.S.
National Institutes of Health and the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation, which together
accounted for 79 percent of vaccine funding, 59
percent of microbicide funding and 70 percent
of PrEP funding.
“With five new
infections, for every two people newly on
treatment we cannot give up our quest for new
HIV prevention tools,” said Michel Sidibé,
Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Investments
for HIV prevention must be enhanced and
sustained.”
“As we push for
expanded funding and political commitments for
HIV prevention research and the overall AIDS
response, we must also work to find smart and
innovative ways to make the best use of
available funding to continue to scale up
delivery of existing interventions and to look
for new ones,” said Mitchell Warren executive
director of AVAC. “HIV prevention
researchers, advocates and donors must all
commit to working together to ensure that we
make the best and smartest use of limited
resources, while also ensuring that the most
promising interventions continue to move
forward.”
Recent and upcoming results
from several major studies could radically
change the trajectory of HIV prevention
research and increase the need for funding.
These include the results of the RV144 Thai
AIDS vaccine trial, which showed modest
protection against HIV and scientifically
demonstrated for the first time that an AIDS
vaccine was possible, results from an important
proof of concept microbicide trial CAPRISA 004,
released yesterday at the Vienna AIDS
conference, and anticipated results from two
PrEP trials in the coming year.
“This
is a very exciting time in HIV prevention
research,” said Seth Berkley, President and
CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine
Initiative. “As the prevention research field
is primed to exploit scientific advances
availability and flexibility of funding will be
critically important. Our ability to move
discoveries into and to undertake even the most
critical of these large-scale trials is at risk
in the current funding
environment.”
“We must work to
continuously ensure resources are available to
fulfill the promise of new scientific advances
that could save millions of lives,” said Dr.
Zeda Rosenberg, CEO of the International
Partnership for Microbicides.
“Microbicides, PrEP, vaccines and
treatment-as-prevention are just beginning to
show great promise for HIV prevention in
large-scale trials. As we work together
to develop these tools and transform our global
health goals into reality, our success depends
on having sufficient resources to keep pace
with research developments in the
field.”
Since 2004, the HIV Vaccines and Microbicides Resource Tracking Working Group has generated estimates of research and development investment that can be compared year to year, from one HIV prevention technology to another, and across funding sources. This effort supports the 2001 United Nations General Assembly Special Session Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, which called for the development of sustainable and affordable prevention technologies, such as HIV vaccines and microbicides. Information collected in previous years has also been used by the Working Group and others to monitor levels of effort, to analyze the significance of investment trends, and to assess the impact of public policies aimed at accelerating scientific progress.
The Working Group is composed of AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention (AVAC), the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
More information is available online at www.hivresourcetracking.org.
About AVAC: AVAC is an international, non-profit organization that uses education, policy analysis, advocacy and community mobilization to accelerate the ethical development and eventual global delivery of AIDS vaccines and other new HIV prevention options as part of a comprehensive response to the pandemic. Please visit www.avac.org.
About IAVI: IAVI's mission is to ensure the development of safe, effective, accessible, preventive HIV vaccines for use throughout the world. Please visit www.iavi.org.
About IPM: IPM is a nonprofit product development partnership dedicated to developing new HIV prevention technologies and making them available to women in developing countries. IPM has offices in the United States, South Africa and Belgium. Please visit www.IPMglobal.org.
About UNAIDS: UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Please visit www.unaids.org.