USA Forms Coalition In The Rush To Fight AIDS

Representatives of 40 public and private organizations have joined forces with the US government to form a coalition entitled the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, to speed research on finding the best ways to treat AIDS.

Several White House and government health agency officials are part of the coalition, which includes representatives from 40 drug companies, medical research centers, private and government health insurers and patient-advocacy groups. The group was formed earlier this year after US vice president Al Gore held an initial meeting with many of the organizations and companies.

This fall, the group will discuss existing AIDS treatment studies using the new drug cocktails, and will design ways to fill the leftover gaps, it was noted. It recommended that the partnership should determine which research is most urgent and how to undertake proceeding with it.