The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) believes that critical impediments to development such as the ones inflicted by HIV/AIDS, must be addressed by having the Developing Countries benefit from both the tools resulting from research (based on their public health needs), and the systems which they have acquired to assess those tools independently.
The renewed emphasis about HIV expressed by the G8 Leaders is welcome, timely and only too needed. At the same time, we must not forget that the same challenges are being faced with tuberculosis and malaria, as well as other, more neglected causes of illness and poverty in the developing world. The EDCTP strongly believes that ultimately the outcome of this initiative and others will depend on the ownership and commitment to this vision by the partners, and by having the concerned countries play a central role.
Adapted interventions are essential to reduce the burden caused by these diseases. Current approaches to vaccine development suffer from common problems and shortcomings, which are shared by all of these diseases. The EDCTP believes that a common, coordinated approach will benefit and expedite developments in general (i.e. capacities and methodologies).
There are today insufficient capacities and overall capabilities to test products clinically in high-burden countries. The EDCTP upholds high scientific and ethic
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Contact: Sandor Vrij
vry@edctp.org
31-70-344-0885
Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research
11-Jun-2004