HIV Causes AIDS. to Argue Otherwise Costs Lives

HIV causes AIDS. To argue otherwise costs lives.

As scientists and clinicians concerned about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, we have purchased this advertising space to counter the fallacious arguments of a few colleagues who claim that the cause of AIDS is in doubt.

There is no such scientific controversy. The cause of AIDS is as well established as the causes of polio, measles, influenza, or any other viral disease.

HIV infection correlates with AIDS. More than 95% of people infected with HIV die of AIDS within 15 years after infection, unless they are treated. The AIDS epidemic in people — men, women, children — is associated only with HIV infection. AIDS is not uniformly associated with membership in any particular “risk” group. Early in the epidemic, recipients of blood products, especially people with hemophilia, were at high risk of AIDS. Where HIV has been eliminated from the blood supply, new cases of transfusion-associated AIDS have not occurred. Furthermore, in countries where rates of HIV infection have increased, AIDS deaths have risen along with cases of AIDS.

Similar viruses cause AIDS in animals. A virus very similar to HIV, SIV, causes AIDS in rhesus monkeys. Pure SIV DNA can initiate infection leading to AIDS, excluding any other possible causes for the disease in monkeys.

Treatment of HIV infection treats AIDS. If patients sick with AIDS are treated with drugs that greatly reduce the amount of HIV in their blood, their health can improve dramatically, and they often return to normal, productive lives. Such drugs also prevent or delay the onset of AIDS. If the drug treatment is stopped or fails, the virus returns, as does the disease. Unfortunately, we do not yet know how to suppress the vi rus completely or permanently nor how to make the drug therapies accessible enough and inexpensive enough for wide distribution in developing countries where AIDS is most prevalent.

This message is appearing on the occasion of the 13th International AIDS Conference, which opens today in Durban, South Africa. A few days ago, a statement known as the Durban Declaration was released. The Declaration calls on scientists, health care workers, and political leaders worldwide to do all they can to stop the spread of this deadly virus. We fully support the principles presented in the Declaration, and we applaud the scientific leaders of South Africa and other countries who have recorded their support. As noted in the Declaration, over 2.8 million people worldwide died of AIDS last year, and about 34.3 million people are currently infected with HIV. Without dramatic progress in HIV research, nearly all of those 34 million will die of AIDS within the next 15 years.

Today, the only certain way to avoid AIDS is not to become infected with HIV. The continuing global fight against AIDS must be founded on the knowledge we now have about its cause; on the tools now available to prevent and treat infections; and on research to develop vaccines and improved drugs to prevent and treat future HIV infections.

Those who exploit their reputations as scientists to propagate unfounded alternative claims regarding the cause of AIDS are contributing to the growth of the epidemic and to the death of human beings. Such claims must be exposed and contradicted at every opportunity, and we offer this statement in that spirit.

Signed,

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Bruce Alberts, Ph.D., Art Ammann, M.D., David Baltimore, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Paul Berg, Stanford University School of Medicine, J. Michael Bishop, University of California, San Fransisco, Janet S. Butel, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Charles Carpenter, M.D., Irvin S.Y. Chen, M.D., UCLA AIDS Institute, John Coffin, Ph.D., Tufts University, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Louis S. Diamond, Ph.D., Scientist Emeritus, NIH, Anthony Fauci, M.D., Gerald R. Fink, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research/MIT, Robert C. Gallo, Institute of Human Virology(Baltimore), Stephen P. Goff, Ph.D., Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Huldrych Gunthard, M.D., University Hospital Zurich, David D. Ho, MD, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, King K. Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., University of Washington, Peter M. Howley, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Steve Hughes, Eric Hunter, Ph.D., Center for AIDS Research/University of Alabama, Birmingham, Clyde A. Hutchinson III, University of North Carolina, Thomas J. Kelly, Johns Hopkins University, Peter Kim, Ph.D., Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research/MIT, Mathilde Krim, Ph.D., Columbia University School of Public Health and amfAR, Jeffrey Laurence, M.D., New York Weill Cornel Medical Center and amfAR, Michael Lederman, M.D., AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, Cleveland, OH, Arnold J. Levine Ph.D., The Rockefeller University, Jay A. Levy, M.D., University of California, San Fransisco, Kenneth H. Mayer, M.D., Memorial Hospital and Brown University, John W. Mellors, M.D., University of Pittsburgh, Jayashree Seems Nandi, National Institute of Virology (Baltimore), Neal Nathanson, M.D., Arthur Nienhuis, Douglas Richman, M.D., University of California, San Diego and San Diego VA Medical Center, Robert T. Schooley, M.D., University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Thomas Shenk, Princeton University, Joseph G. Sodroski, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Bruce Stillman, Jonathan Stoye, National Institute for Medical Research (UK), Ron Swanstrom, George Vande Woude, Van Andel Research Institute, Harold Varmus, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mark A. Wainberg, International AIDS Society /McGill University AIDS Center (Canada), Robin Weiss, University College, London (UK), Don C. Wiley, Harvard University, Steven M. Wolinsky, M.D., Northwestern University Medical School, Flossie Wong-Staal, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, John Young, University of Wisconsin.

Rafi Ahmed, Ph.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Chris Aiken, Vanderbilt University, Anna Aldovini, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Jon Allan, Karla Alwood, CRNP, Johns Hopkins University, Warren A. Andiman, Yale University School of Medicine, Peter Angeletti, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Aftab A. Ansari, Emory University School of Medicine, Peter Anton, M.D., UCLA AIDS Institute, Peter Arno, Montefiore Medical Center (New York), Edward Arnold, Rutgers University, Gail Ferstandig Arnold, Rutgers University, Paul Arons, Florida Department of Health, Larry Arthur, Lisa M. Austin, Ph.D., The Rockefeller University, Scott Austin, Columbia University, Mariano Barbacid, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncologicas Carlos III, Patricia Barditch-Crovo, M.D., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Mary D. Barkley, Case Western Reserve University, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Pasteur Institute (France), Peter A. Barry, Ph.D., University of California, Davis, Michael Barza, M.D., Carney Hospital, Boston, Roger N. Beachy, Karen Beemon, Johns Hopkins University, Marlene Belfort, New York State Department of Health, Baruj Benacerraf, M.D., Shelley L. Berger, Ph.D., The Wistar Institute, Ben Berkhout, University of Amsterdam(The Netherlands), Ernest Beutler, M.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Barbara K. Birshtein, Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY), Robert Blumenthal, Ph.D., Jef D. Boeke, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Elizabeth Bonney, Emory University School of Medicine, Charles Boucher, University of Utrecht (The Netherlands), Mike Bray, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Elizabeth Crabb Breen, Ph.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Christopher C. Broder, Ph.D., Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Amanda M. Brown, Ph.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Don Brown, Carnegie Institution of Washington (D.C.), Robert C. Brunham, University of British Columbia Center For Disease Control (Canada), R. Mark L. Buller, St. Louis University, Paul Thadeus Burak, Harold Burger, Ph.D., M.D., New York State Department of Health, Dennis Burton, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Frederic Bushman, The Salk Institute, Kathryn Calame, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, David Camerini, Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Allan Campbell, Stanford University, Andrew G. Campbell, Brown University, Mario Capecchi, University of Utah, Victoria Cargill, M.D., M.S.C.E., Marian Carlson, Columbia University, Mary Carrington, Ph.D., Carol Carter, Stony Brook, NY, Connie Celum, M.D., M.P.H., Harborview Medical Center University of Washington, Lisa A. Chakrabarti, Ph.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Sarah H. Cheeseman, M.D., University of Massachusetts Health Care, Cecilia Cheng-Mayer, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Frank V. Chisari, M.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Dr. Christina Clarke, Northern California Cancer Center, Janice E. Clements, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University Medical School, David B. Clifford, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, Ann Collier, M.D., AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, University of Washington, Medical School, R. John Collier, Harvard Medical School, Ron Collman, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Kathleen Conklin, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Elizabeth Connick, M.D., University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Larry Corey, University of Washington, Suzanne Cory, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (Australia), Deborah Cotton M.D., M.P.H., Boston University, Donald L. Court, Robert Craigie, Keith A. Crandall, Brigham Young University, Clyde Crumpacker II, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston), Bryan R. Cullen, Ph.D., Duke University Medical Center, Jim Cunningham, Susanna Cunningham-Rundles, New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, Therese Cvetkovich, Richard D’Aquila, Eric Daar, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles), Albert E. Dahlberg, Brown University, James E. Dahlberg, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Satyz Dandekar, Ph.D., University of California, David R. Davies, David A. Davis, Ph.D., Erik De Clercq, Prof., Rega Institute for Medical Research, Michael Dean, Martin Delaney, Project Inform, Eric Delwart, University of California, San Fransisco, and Blood Centers of the Pacific, Thomas N. Denny, Terence S. Dermody, M.D, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Dirk Dittmer, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Robert W. Doms, University of Pennsylvania, Peter D. Drotman, M.D., VA Medical Center (Atlanta), S. Monroe Duboise, University of Southern Maine, Anna Durbin, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Ramani Durnasula, Ph.D., California State University ( Los Angeles), Ellie Ehrenfeld, Chantal Ehresmann, Institue de Liologie Molecularie et Cellulaire du CNRS, Herman N. Eisen, MIT, Robert Eisenman, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), Ayman El-Guindy, Yale University, Hilary Ellis, Michael Emerman, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), Alan Engelman, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Eric Engels, Emily J. Erbelding, M.D., M.P.H., Johns Hopkins University, John W. Erickson, Ph.D., Elizabeth Erickson, Ph.D., Judith A. Erlen, Ph.D., R.N., University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Max Essex, D.V.M., Ph.D., Harvard AIDS Institute, Guowei Fang, Ph.D., New York State Department of Health, Joshua Farber, Mark Feinberg, M.D.,Ph.D., Emory University Vaccine Research Center, Yaxiong Feng, Frank Fenner, John Curtin School of Medical Research (Australia ), Eva Maria Fenyö, Karolinska Institute (Stockholm), Margaret Fischl, Robert J. Fisher, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Tufts University, Charles Flexner, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Brian T. Foley, Ph.D., Los Alamos National Laboratory, Don Forthal, University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine, Veffa Franchini, Ernesto Freire, Johns Hopkins University, Lisa M. Frenkel, University of Washington and Children's Hospital, Gerald Friedland, M.D., Yale School of Medicine, Julia R. Gage, Ph.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Joel E. Gallant, M.D., M.P.H., Johns Hopkins University, Denise Galloway, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), Don Ganem, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of California, San Francisco, Fung Gao, University of Alabama, Birmingham, David Garber, Ph.D., Emory University Vaccine Research Center, David J. Garfinkel, Elizabeth Gavis, Princeton University, Richard Gaynor, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Adam Geballe, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), E. P. Geiduschek, University of California, San Diego, Howard E. Gendelman, M.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center, Marshall Glesby, Clinical Trials Unit /Weill Medical College of Cornell University, James Goedert, Linda R. Gooding, Ph.D., Emory University, Sherwood L. Gorbach, Tufts University School of Medicine, Barney S. Graham, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical School, Duane Grandgenett, St. Louis University Health Sciences Center, Warner Greene, Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (California), Kathie Grovit-Ferbas, UCLA School of Medicine, Roy M. Gulick, M.D., M.P.H., Clinical Trials Unit /Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Deborah Gurner, M.D., The Rockefeller University, Ashley T. Haase, University of Minnesota, Beatrice Hahn, M.D., University of Alabama, Birmingham, Nancy L. Haigwood, Ph.D., University of Washington, Betsy Hall, R.N., Emory Center for AIDS Research, Hidesaburo Hanafusa, Osaka Bioscience Institute (Japan), Ray Hargreaves, Dr. David Harrich, Royal Children’s Hospital (UK), Lee H. Harrison, M.D., University of Pittsburgh, Stephen C. Harrison, Harvard University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Martijm A. Haymem, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, William S. Hayward, Johns Hopkins University, R. Michael Hendry, D.Sc., California Department of Health Services, Richard Hengel, M.D., Georgetown University, Dorothee Herlyn, D.V.M., The Wistar Institute, Catherine S. Hibbert, David M. Hillis, University of Texas, Charles H. Hinkin, Ph.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Martin S. Hirsch, M.D., Vanessa Hirsch, Michie Hisada, M.D., M.P.H., Sc.D., Joseph W. Hogan, Brown University, Thomas M. Hooton, M.D., University of Washington, Thomas J. Hope, The Salk Institute, David Housman, Center for Cancer Research, MIT, Mayla Hsu, Ph.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Shiu-Lok Hu, University of Washington, Wei-Shau Hu, Ph.D., Brigitte T. Huber, Tufts University, John Huggins, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick Hughson, Princeton University, Richard O. Hynes, Ph.D., F.R.S., Center for Cancer Research, MIT, Ralf Ignatius, M.D., Free University (Berlin), Thomas V. Inglesby, M.D., Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Ralph R. Isberg, Tufts University School of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Beth D. Jamieson, Ph.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Kuan-Teh Jeang, Xia Jin, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Robert E. Johnston, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Amy C. Justice, M.D., Ph.D., VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Ganjam V. Kalpana, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Edward H. Kaplan, Ph.D., Yale School of Management, David Katzenstein, M.D, Stanford University Medical College, Kimdar Sherefa Kemal, Ph.D., New York State Department of Health, Dr. Ronald C. Kennedy, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Vineet Kewal Ramani, Ph.D., Elliott Kieff, Harvard Medical School, Margaret Kielian, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Dr. Edwin D. Kilbourne, New York Medical College, Alexandria Kim, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Kami Kim, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Tom Kirchhausen, Harvard Medical School, Richard D. Klausner, M.D., Robert S. Klein, M.D., AIDS Research Program, Montefiore Medical Center (New York), Harold P. Klinger, M.D., Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Anne Klugo, New York State Department of Health, Rhonda G. Kost, M.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Girish J. Kotwal, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Richard Koup, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dick Krause, University of Wisconsin Madison, Linda Krause, University of Wisconsin Madison, Neel Krishna, The Scripps Research Institute, Carla Kuiken, Carol Kumamoto, Tufts University School of Medicine, Ajit Kumar, Ph.D., George Washington School of Medicine, Daniel Kuritzkes, Janaki Kuruppu, Katherine A. Laessig, M.D., Food and Drug Administration, Lauri Laichalk, Tufts University, Robert A. Lamb, Northwestern University, Harmut Land, University of Rochester Medical Center, Nathaniel R. Landau, M.D., The Salk Institute, Eric S. Lander, Ph.D, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research/ MIT, Arthur Landy, Brown University, J. Michael Lane, M.D., M.P.H., Emory University School of Medicine, David Lazinski, Ph.D., Tufts University Medical School, Stuart Le Grice, Philip Leder, Harvard Medical School, Soomy Lee, Michael Lenardo, M.D., Jeffrey Lennox, M.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Bruce R. Levin, Emory University, Judith Levin, Paul Lewis, Oregon Health Sciences University, Judy Lieberman, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Jeffrey Lifson, Su-Fang Lin, University of California, Davis, Maxine Linial, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), Dan R. Littman, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine/NYU, Jun O. Liu, Center for Cancer Research/ MIT, Edgar Lobos, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research (UK), Jeremy Luban, M.D., Columbia University, Elisabeth Lund, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Shlomo Maayan, M.D., Hadassah AIDS Center (Israel), Jeffrey A. Mahr, Emory University, Daniel Malamud, University of Pennsylvania, Frank Maldarelli, Susan E. Malenbaum, Ph.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Michael H. Malim, University of Pennsylvania, Miroslav Malkovsky, Marianne Manchester, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Anil T. Mangla, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Richard Mann, Columbia University, Angela Manns, M.D., M.P.H., Claire Mansur, New England Medical Center (Boston), Leonid Margolis, Martin Markowitz, M.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Philippa Marrack, Ph. D., National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Jon Marsh, Bonnie J. Mathieson, Ph.D., Jennifer L. Mauer, Johns Hopkins University AIDS Service, Lori Maxfield, Ph.D., Tufts University, Justin C. McArthur, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., Johns Hopkins University, Bruce J. McCreedy, Ph.D., Intelligent Therapeutic Solutions, Inc., Mike McCune, University of California, San Fransisco, Cathy McGowan, Vanderbilt University, Michael McGrath M.D., Ph.D., University of California, San Fransisco, Steven L. McKnight, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Deborah McMahon, M.D., University of Pittsburgh, Andrew McMichael, M.B., Ph.D., John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford (UK), Arthur F. Mc Morris, Ph.D., The Wistar Insitute, F. Miedema, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Christopher J. Miller, D.V.M., Ph.D., California Regional Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Louis H. Miller, Veronica Miller, Hiroaki Mitsuya, M.D., Ph.D., Ronald Mitsuyasu, M.D., Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education, UCLA , Luis J. Montaner, D.V.M., Ph.D., The Wistar Institute, David Montefiori, Duke University Medical Center, John P. Moore, Ph.D., Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Patrice Morin, Ph.D., Daniel E. Mosier, M.D., Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Bernard Moss, Mark Muesing, Ph.D., Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Delphine Muriaux, Robert Murphy, M.D., Northwestern University Medical School, Gerald Myers, Ph.D., Los Alamos National Laboratory, Bradford Naria, Thomas O’Brien, Stephen J. O'Brien, Michael Oldstone, The Scripps Research Institute, Magrita Opperman, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Leslie E. Orgel, The Salk Institute, David E. Ott, Julie Overbaugh, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), Mary-Lou Pardue, MIT, Tristram G. Parslow, University of California, San Fransisco, Vinay K. Pathak, William E. Paul, M.D., C. David Pauza, Ph.D., Institute of Human Virology (Baltimore), George N. Pavlakis, Alan S. Perelson, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Matija Peterlin, University of California, San Fransisco, David J. Pickup, Duke University Medical Center, Paula Pitha Rowe, Susan Plaeger, Ph.D., Frank Plummer, Pascal Poignard, M.D., Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Richard B. Pollard, University of Texas Medical Branch, Roger J. Pomerantz, Thomas Jefferson University, Melissa Pope, Ph.D., The Rockefeller University, William Powderly, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Vinayaka Prasad, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Lynn Pulliam, Ph.D., Damian F.J., Macfarlane Burner Centre (Australia), Anna Marie Pyle, Columbia University, Tom Quinn, M.D., Murugappan Ramanathan, Jr, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Tariq Rana, Stuart C. Ray, M.D., Johns Hopkins University, Alan Rein, Danny Reinberg, Rolf Renne, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, David A. Reznick, D.D.S., Stephen A. Rice, University of Minnesota, Thomas M. Richardson, Jr., M.D., Oregon Health Sciences University, Douglas Richman, University of California, San Diego, Sharon A. Riddler, M.D., University of Pittsburgh, David S. Roos, University of Pennsylvania, Naomi Rosenberg, Ph.D., Tufts University Medical School, David Rosenstreich, Mary Jane Rotheram-Burus, Ph.D., UCLA, Michael S. Saag, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Jeffrey T. Safrit, Emory University, Thomas P. Sakmar, M.D., The Rockefeller University, Maria S. Salvato, Ph.D., Institute of Human Virology (Baltimore), Patricia Sanchez, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Nava Sarver, David T. Scadden, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Brian Schaffhausen, Tufts University, Mauro Schechter, Leslie Schiff, University of Minnesota, Robert T. Schimke, Stanford University, Raymond F. Schinazi, VA Medical Center/Emory University, Anette Schneemann, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., University of Washington, Ulrich Schubert, Ph.D., D.Sc., Hanneke Schuitemaker, Ira K. Schwartz, Emory University School of Medicine, Amy E. Sears, Ph.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Brian Seed, Massachusetts General Hospital, Christoph Seeger, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Marianne Selkir, Barbara Shacklett, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, George Shaw, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Gene M. Shearer, Ph.D., Haynes W. Sheppard, Ph.D., Charles J. Sherr, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/ Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kenneth Shine, Frederick Siegal, Saint Vincents Hospital and Medical Center (New York), Pamela A. Silver, Ph.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. L. Siminovitch, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Dinah S. Singer, Ph.D, Maxine Singer, Ph.D., Ann Skalka, Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia), Paul R. Skolnik, M.D., F.A.C.P., Center for AIDS Research Immunovirology Lab Tufts-Northeast Medical Center, Larry Slutsker, M.D., M.P.H., Kent Andrew Smith, M.S., The Scripps Research Institute, Christine Kolars Sow, Samuel H. Speck, Ph.D., Washington University School of Medicine, Catherine L. Squires, Tufts University School of Medicine, Michael Starnbach, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Joan A. Steitz, Yale University School of Medicine, Bruce Stillman, B. David Stollar, Tufts University, Jack Strominger, Gangaharan Subramanian, M.D., Bill Sugden, University of Wisconsin, Wes Sundquist, University of Utah, Christopher K. Surratt, Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Ronald Swanstrom, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Shixing Tang, M.D., Ph.D., Edward E. Telzak, M.D., Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), Melanie A. Thompson, M.D., AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta, Craig E. Thompson, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Robert Tjian, University of California, Berkeley, Bruce E. Torbett, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Paula Traktman, Medical College of Wisconsin, Didier Trono, Department of Genetics and Microbiology C.M.U. (Switzerland), Prof. Dr. Klaus Ueberla, Institut fuer Virologie (Germany), Emil R. Unanue, Derya Unutmaz, M.D., Vanderbilt University Medical School, Eric van Praag, Koen Van Rompay, University of California, Davis, Angelique B. van't Wout, University of Washington, S. Venkatesan, Inder Verma, The Salk Institute, David Vlahov, Ph.D., New York Academy of Medicine, Peter K. Vogt, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Simon Wain-Hobson, Pasteur Institute (France), Bernice Walker, David I. Watkins, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Kent J. Weinhold, Ph.D., Duke University Medical Center, Barbara Weiser, M.D., New York State Department of Health, Joseph Wong, University of California, San Diego, Robert W. Wood, M.D., HIV/AIDS Control Program, Public Health- Seattle and King County, and University of Washington, Dawn P. Wooley, Wright State University School of Medicine (Ohio), Kimberly A Workowski, M.D., F.A.C.P., Emory University, Dannah W. Wray, M.D., Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Richard T. Wyatt, Ph.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Shi-hua Xiang, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Charles Yanofsky, Stanford University, Robert Yarochan, M.D., Lowell S. Young, M.D., Jerome A. Zack, Ph.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Steve Zeichner, Christine M. Zink, D.V.M., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The mission of the American Foundation for AIDS Research This message is paid for by the signatories, with generous support from the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). (amfAR) is to prevent HIV infection and the disease and death associated with it and to protect the human rights * Institutional affiliations provided for identification purposes only. of all people threatened by the epidemic of HIV/AIDS.