Research spending remains flat for HIV Prevention R&D

Funds for HIV prevention research and development remained essentially flat in 2011, dropping just 2%, or US$30 million, to $1.2 billion for the year, according to the HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Resource Tracking Working Group. As the Working Group noted, however, investments could have been much worse given the persistence of the global economic downturn.

Its report, released July 23 at the 19th International AIDS Conference in Washington D.C., also tracks investments in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), adult male circumcision, treatment as prevention and cure research. AIDS vaccine development, which collects the lion’s share of research dollars in HIV prevention, received $845 million in 2011, a $14 million or 2% drop from 2010. 

Investment in microbicides declined 25% over the same time period—from $247 million to $186 million—though the authors attributed some of that drop-off to the cyclical nature of clinical trials. Several large-scale microbicide trials wrapped up prior to 2011, while others are set to begin this year, the report noted. Though total expenditures are much lower, investments in research grew 7% for PrEP, and more than three-fold for treatment as prevention. 

“In an age of economic challenges,” wrote the report’s authors, “continued investment without significant cuts can be considered a sign that the top funders understand the importance of continuing to invest in HIV prevention R&D.” The resource tracking working group comprises representatives from AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention, the International Partnership for Microbicides, IAVI, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). 

For a copy of the report, visit www.hivresourcetracking.org.