The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, an alliance of more than 130 international businesses in 138 countries, on Friday published a full-page advertisement in the Washington Times calling on companies to join the coalition. The ad lists the current members of the coalition -- including the Times -- and says that the "member companies stand for the corporate commitment to fight AIDS." The ad says, "Make AIDS your business ... your company can make a difference." According to the ad, which includes a photo of five young boys, there are 40 million people currently living with HIV worldwide, there will be 25 million AIDS orphans by 2010 and 25 million people worldwide have died of AIDS-related illnesses. The ad also says that 95% of HIV-positive people are unaware of their HIV status. The photo's caption says, "Educate your workers. Provide access to testing and treatment. Support local community initiatives. Help break the silence. Speak out. Destigmatize the disease. Use your products and innovation." The coalition is scheduled to hold its annual awards dinner in Berlin on April 21, with speakers to include German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder; World Bank President James Wolfensohn; Ambassador Randall Tobias, head of the new State Department Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator; and Bono, founder of the debt, AIDS and trade advocacy group DATA (Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS ad, Washington Times, 3/12).

The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and the Department of Commerce on Friday are sponsoring a conference, titled "Leveraging the Power of Industry: Strategies to Fight HIV/AIDS," to discuss the role of businesses in the fight against the epidemic. Scheduled speakers include GBC President and CEO Richard Holbrooke, Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson and Tobias. A webcast of the conference will be available online from kaisernetwork.org at 12 p.m. ET Monday.

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