The National Institutes of Health has agreed to a temporary cash infusion for the Hawaii AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, which had faced closure at year's end. NIH's $640,000 "bridge" funding, combined with other monies, should allow HACTU to operate for another six months, said Dr. Cecilia Shikuma, the unit's program director.

In November, HACTU was notified by NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) that its $1.6 million grant would not come through, as several dozen clinical trial units involving HIV drugs were being shut down.

Operating within the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine, HACTU is the state's only research program dedicated exclusively to HIV/AIDS. But the university's 2007-08 budget had already been decided by November, said Shikuma, who is seeking legislative support to route additional funds to the unit through allocations the state makes to the university.

State Sen. David Ige (D-16th), the Senate Health Committee's chairperson, said he is talking with university officials to determine where the unit "stacks up as a priority." Ige said he is encouraging his colleagues to support "this important program."

In addition to support from the Legislature, which begins its session next month, Shikuma said she has the support of Gov. Linda Lingle and Hawaii's congressional delegation in lobbying NIAID not to cut HACTU's grant. NIAID officials said no grant cuts have been finalized.

HACTU has participated in 275 clinical drug trials involving 1,000 patients. Its Clint Spencer Clinic at Le'ahi Hospital treats 300-350 patients, and physicians travel to the Big Island to see patients who lack access to medical care.

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