Science Speaks: HIV & TB News

Breaking News: House committee approves 2013 funding for PEPFAR, Global Fund, global TB

The House Appropriations Committee voted on its fiscal year (FY) 2013 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill Wednesday and released a report that clarifies its funding intentions for key global health programs.  The bill includes $5.542 billion for global AIDS funding through the State Department, and the report specifies $4.243 billion to support the U.S. [...]

Why the world needs Robin: Advocates launch Robin Hood Tax Global Week of Action

A hodgepodge group of charities, green groups, trade unions, community organizations, celebrities, religious leaders and politicians are rallying this week to  bring global attention to a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) meant to “reform Main Street” with a small tax on bank profits. The idea is to implement a tax of less than half of one [...]

Global Fund announces additional $1.6 billion at its disposal through 2014

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria estimates an additional $1.6 billion in funding will be available in the 2012-2014 period, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the organization. “The new forecast is a result of strategic decisions made by the Board, freeing up funds that can be invested in countries [...]

U.S. is world’s largest funder of global health research and development

Report shows investments save lives and dollars

The U.S. government invested $12.7 billion over the past decade in the creation of new vaccines, drugs, diagnostics and other products for neglected diseases in the developing world. That’s according to a new report released by the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) and Policy Cures on Friday.

Of the 45 new products registered in that time to address these neglected diseases that affect more than 1 billion people around the world, the U.S. was involved in the development of 24 of them (or 52 percent).

Every child deserves a fifth birthday

On a new webpage developed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), there are some cute pictures of five-year-old faces that might look familiar. Visitors can see a five-year-old version of actress Mandy Moore sporting a tutu, a teeny Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) on a toboggan in the snow, and even a wee USAID Administrator [...]

Maryland physicians and health care workers urge Sens. Cardin and Mikulski to support AIDS programs

Forty-nine clinicians, scientists and educators in Maryland joined to send sign-on letters Thursday to Sens. Benjamin Cardin (D) and Barbara Mikulski (D) asking them to stand up in support of adequate funding for the programs that are critical to the U.S. response to AIDS, including the Ryan White Program, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for [...]

Evidence grows: Global Fund financial slack and proposed cuts to PEPFAR are hurting progress against AIDS

Report: Without continued support for PEPFAR, HIV’s long-term human and economic burdens will be substantially greater

The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) released a memorandum Friday that makes the case for continued funding for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program at least at fiscal year (FY) 2012 funding levels…

Student groups push Sen. Brown to be a superhero for global AIDS

The following is a guest blog post by Marguerite Thorp, a class of 2011 graduate of Harvard College, now working as a national organizer for the Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC). Below she reports on an SGAC demonstration in front of the Boston office of Sen. Scott Brown (D-MA) pushing for him to be a [...]

Rep. Lowey stands up for global health R&D; highlights economic boost to NY

New York global health researchers and industry leaders gathered Monday in Manhattan to discuss how global health research and development is fueling innovation and saving lives, not to mention funding jobs and companies in the state. Advocates are concerned about the future of U.S. global health investments given President Obama’s fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget [...]

Global Fund overhaul is well underway

Dr. Christoph Benn, director of Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, updated global health community advocates Wednesday on the recent tumult at the multilateral organization. Since Columbian banker Gabriel Jaramillo was appointed to head up the Fund in January, the Secretariat has been consumed with “internal [...]