Chinese, American AIDS Researchers Sign Pact

Today in Baltimore, China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Maryland's Institute of Human Virology (IHV) plan to announce an AIDS cooperation partnership. The agreement will include collaboration on clinical trials, technical assistance, and the development of tests and vaccines.

Dr. Robert Gallo, the institute's founder and director, said IHV can help get medical advances to the neediest patients, assist China in developing anti-AIDS strategies, educate physicians, and study the history of the disease in China and the impact of traditional medicines. The agreement is expected to allow U.S. researchers to benefit from China's centuries-old medical experience as well as to boost bilateral cooperation. China's CDC already sends researchers to the institute for training.

The signing ceremony, scheduled on the first day of the institute's international AIDS conference, is expected to include Gallo, Chinese CDC Director Wang Yu, and Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.

Shao Yiming of China's CDC said IHV can help with the organization of a nationwide HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment program. While the Chinese government has increased funding to about $100 million, implementing the program across the nation of 1.3 billion remains a challenge, Shao said.

Gallo said that later this year IHV hopes to expand the partnership into a three-way collaboration by bringing in CK Life Sciences, a Hong Kong-based pharmaceutical company.

"In the mid-90s to late-90s, we know that the government recognized [HIV/AIDS] as a problem, but they did not put enough priority on it. There was talking, but not real action," Shao said.

Back to other news for August 29, 2005