[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 18, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3904-S3905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HIV VACCINE AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I rise today to express grave concern 
regarding the misplaced priority of annually deeming this day, May 18, 
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. This year marks the 13th annual observance 
of a day that epitomizes our government's inability to set priorities 
with the Federal dollars this body is entrusted.
  According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 
Diseases, NIAID, Web site:

       This annual observance is a day to recognize and thank the 
     thousands of volunteers, community members, health 
     professionals, and scientists who are working together to 
     find a safe and effective HIV vaccine. It is also a day to 
     educate our communities about the importance of preventive 
     HIV vaccine research.

  As a practicing physician and former cochair of the Presidential 
Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS, I believe the development of a safe 
and effective HIV vaccine should be among our Nation's highest health 
care priorities. HIV/AIDS continues to devastate communities in the 
United States and around the world. In the United States, more than 
50,000 people become infected with HIV each year. Approximately 40 
million people are living with HIV around the world, with more than 5 
million new infections each year. To date, more than 25 million men, 
women and children are believed to have died from AIDS worldwide.
  Unfortunately, we have not yet developed an effective HIV/AIDS 
vaccine--nor are we close. At a time when our national debt is 
approaching $13 trillion and patients suffering from HIV/AIDS are being 
put on waiting lists for life-saving drug treatments, we simply cannot 
afford to misspend $1 million a year to make people aware of a 
nonexistent vaccine.
  Furthermore, this well-intentioned propaganda campaign is being 
funded at the expense of HIV vaccine research itself. Regardless of the 
intentions, the unfortunate fact is that finite resources intended for 
HIV vaccine research are being siphoned away for a project without any 
potential scientific benefit. With no effective vaccine likely anytime 
soon, it seems silly, or worse, to waste funding that could be much 
better spent on research or scientific investments that could one day 
lead to a vaccine.
  The discovery of a vaccine or cure, after all, would be the best way 
to thank the researchers and volunteers. As every cent counts in this 
endeavor, it is unconscionable that precious dollars are being 
squandered by NIAID's well intentioned but unnecessary public relations 
campaign.
  Between 2001 and 2005, NIH spent more than $5.2 million on this ``HIV 
vaccine awareness'' campaign, not including staff time or travel 
expenses. It is reasonable to assume that the federal government 
continues to waste over $1 million annually on HIV vaccine awareness, 
despite the fact that no vaccine exists and scientists believe that it 
is unlikely that a HIV vaccine will be developed anytime soon.
  Some of the HIV Vaccine Awareness Day events supported in the past 
include various lunch and dinner receptions, a fashion show in 
Massachusetts, a bar night in Tennessee, a bar event and entertainment 
contest in Washington, and other gatherings and media events. Clearly, 
this awareness campaign serves no obvious public health or scientific 
value.
  There is no doubt, however, that development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine 
should be a national priority. HIV/AIDS continues to devastate 
communities in the United States and around the world. At least 56,000 
Americans become infected with HIV each year. More than 33 million 
people are living with HIV around the world, with more than 2.5 million 
new infections each year. To date, more than 20 million men, women and 
children are believed to have died from AIDS worldwide.
  The development of a safe and effective HIV vaccine should be among 
our Nation's highest health care priorities. It imperative that not a 
single dollar of the Federal funds set aside for the development of an 
effective HIV vaccine is wasted.
  This year, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of 
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIAID, highlighted what he called 
``significant progress in HIV vaccine research during the past year.'' 
The study he referred to was a clinical trial in Thailand finding a 
vaccine to be 31 percent effective at preventing HIV infection. 
Unfortunately, the results of this study have been found to be 
statistically insignificant and the findings of the study have received 
much skepticism. This latest clinical trial is the latest in a long 
line of promising but unsuccessful attempts at creating an HIV/AIDS 
vaccine.
  Dr. Fauci in recent years has conceded publicly that no one has been 
very close to developing a vaccine that would prevent infection. Over 
the past 5 years, in fact, two large clinical trials of HIV vaccines 
have failed to demonstrate efficacy of the candidate being tested. The 
disputed Thailand trial aside, this is still the case today.
  Most scientists involved in AIDS research believe that an HIV vaccine 
is further away than ever and some have admitted that effective 
immunization against the virus may never be possible, according to a 
survey conducted released in 2008.
  A poll of scientists reflects the declaration made at a NIH ``summit 
meeting'' in 2008 that was ``tantamount to an admission that almost no 
progress has been made in the search for an AIDS vaccine in the past 25 
years and that something close to new start is necessary.'' The 
government scientists announced that ``more of their budget needs to be 
spent on basic lab research and less on testing the current crop of 
vaccines, none of which has proved useful in human trials.'' In light 
of these failures and daunting prospects, Dr. Fauci pledged to re-
evaluate the use of all $1.5 billion his agency spends on AIDS noting 
that ``we are going to have to justify what we are doing.''
  Dr. Anthony Fauci has noted that while Federal funding for the 
National Institutes of Health, NIH, continues to increase, it will not 
increase as quickly as it has the past decade, and as a result, NIH 
must concentrate on more promising research. Fauci said the heads of 
NIH institutes such as his had been told to reexamine the entire 
research portfolio to ensure ``the most bang for the buck.'' The AIDS 
vaccine candidates that don't show early results in clinical trials 
could be shut down, he said.
  That may mean cutting back some AIDS vaccine research even though 
virtually all health experts agree a vaccine will be the only way to 
stop the pandemic of a virus that is incurable, always fatal and that 
continues to spread worldwide and in the U.S.
  As I have done in the past, I am sending a letter today to the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services to inquire about this misuse of 
funds. It is my sincere hope that the Department of Health and Human 
Services will cease spending Federal dollars on this misplaced priority 
and reinvest these HIV/AIDS dollars into actual research or care.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record 
my letter dated May 18, 2010, to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

[[Page S3905]]

  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                   U.S. Senate

                                     Washington, DC, May 18, 2010.
     Hon. Kathleen Sebelius,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Sebelius: As a practicing physician and 
     former co-chair of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV 
     and AIDS, I believe the development of a safe and effective 
     HIV vaccine should be among our nation's highest health care 
     priorities. HIV/AIDS continues to devastate communities in 
     the United States and around the world. In the United States, 
     more than 50,000 people become infected with HIV each year. 
     To date, more than 25 million men, women and children are 
     believed to have died from AIDS worldwide.
       During this time of fiscal restraint when our nation is 
     faced with an approximately $13 trillion national debt and 
     over 1,000 individuals on waiting lists for life-saving HIV/
     AIDS drug treatments, we must be careful that not a single 
     dollar that could pay off this debt or serve some other vital 
     service--such as developing an HIV vaccine--is diverted for 
     less important purposes.
       According to the National Institute of Allergy and 
     Infectious Diseases (NIAID) website, May 18, 2010 marks the 
     thirteenth annual HIV Vaccine Awareness Day: ``This annual 
     observance is a day to recognize and thank the thousands of 
     volunteers, community members, health professionals, and 
     scientists who are working together to find a safe and 
     effective HIV vaccine. It is also a day to educate our 
     communities about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine 
     research.''
       In addition to my concern that these funds are diverted 
     from the more important goals of developing a vaccine or 
     providing care to patients in need, HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 
     has been marked by specific examples of wasteful spending. In 
     the past, related expenditures have included various lunch 
     and dinner receptions, a fashion show in Massachusetts, a bar 
     night in Tennessee, a bar event and entertainment contest in 
     Washington, and other gatherings and media events.
       Would you please provide:
       (1) The total amount of federal funding that was spent to 
     promote ``HIV Awareness Day'' in 2010 and for each fiscal 
     year since its inception in 2001, including staff time and 
     travel costs;
       (2) If this event is planned for next year please, an 
     estimate of its likely cost;
       (3) A list of all organizations that received funding from 
     NIAID as part of ``HIV Vaccine Awareness Day'' since its 
     inception and a description of the activities performed with 
     these funds; and
       (4) The total amount NIH has spent on actual HIV vaccine 
     research in each year from fiscal year 2001 through 2010.
       Thank you for your attention to this request. I look 
     forward to a prompt reply.
           Sincerely,
     Senator Tom Coburn, MD.

                          ____________________