Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - October 17, 2008
Claire Keeton
Alan Bernstein, executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, described Hogan's clear political support for Aids science - delivered at the opening plenary on Monday night - as a "sea change" that would allow world-class South African researchers to pursue their work unimpeded.
The Global Vaccine Enterprise is the lead sponsor of the conference that ended yesterday.
Seth Berkley, chief executive of the International Aids Vaccine Initiative, said: "South Africa has extraordinary capacity, and what has happened in the last five to 10 years is that good scientists have been trying to function and buck the system.
"The freeing of the political system for evidence-based science, and (recognition) that HIV is a national priority for the scientific community ... allows it to focus on vital research."
Berkley said South Africa had the advantages of world-class scientists, excellent infrastructure - and its high rate of new infections made it an important region for clinical research.
The four women South African professors who chaired the conference - Lynn Morris, Koleka Mlisana, Glenda Gray and Carolyn Williamson - are all internationally recognised in their field.
Anthony Fauci, one of the world's most experienced HIV scientists, said: "South Africa has very impressive scientists. To continue as important players ... they need to conduct vaccine trials."
South Africa is developing its own Aids vaccine candidates, but is best known in recent years for setting up successful clinical trial sites to test vaccines for Aids.
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