Search
  1. Home
  2. Africa

AIDS vaccine to benefit poor first - expert

    JOHANNESBURG

    The likelihood of discovering a vaccine for HIV/AIDS is growing, the non-profit International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has said.

    The founder of IAVI, Dr Seth Berkley, said in a recent statement that in the event of finding a suitable vaccine, developing nations would be among the first to benefit.

    Berkley said: "If you look at the history of vaccines, the history has been that the vaccine is made for the north, it gets licensed, and then 10, 15, 20 years later it trickles down to the developing world — sometimes never."

    Through IAVI, Berkley hopes to create a "new paradigm — simultaneous availability of the vaccine in the north and south".

    Despite manufacturers being reluctant to pursue a drug that had no certain financial rewards, Berkley called for the establishment of manufacturing plants, and distribution and purchasing systems to achieve "simultaneous availability".

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join