Senior corporate leaders of India on Thursday declared their wholehearted support for the country’s vision of developing preventive AIDS vaccines as soon as possible. They have agreed to fund the International Aids Vaccine Initiative’s (IAVI) clinical trials on a promising candidate vaccine, which is likely to start by mid-2004, in the country.

IAVI has tied up with Pune-based National Aids Research Institute (NARI) for the purpose of selecting 150 candidates for Phase 1 clinical trials. “We are in the process of selecting volunteers for the trials. I hope in the next five months, we will be getting the required number of volunteers,” said Anjali Nayyar, country head, IAVI.

The business leaders discussed the criticality of private sector participation in fighting the menace as HIV/AIDS is draining economies of vital resources and affecting the private sector on micro and macro levels. A round-table discussion was organized by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Sons Ltd, Narayana Murthy, chairman, Infosys Technologies and Dr Seth Berkley, president and CEO, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative agreed that business support for an AIDS vaccine could help research and speed up access to a vaccine, once it is discovered.

Ratan Tata said, “HIV/AIDS is of direct concern to global business, threatening its workforces and markets. Indian business is no exception. It is the moral imperative of Indian business to join hands in this crusade against AIDS. This can be possible through an extensive and effective intervention programme, including development of an effective HIV vaccine.”

According to India’s National AIDS Control Organization, India is the second largest AIDS infected country after South Africa with a population of 4.58 million, in a population of 1 billion. South Africa has 5 million AIDS population out of a total population of 42 million. Total number of AIDS infected in the world is 40 million.

The industry participants also said they would work with the government to plan the access to any successful vaccine. This planning will make sure that AIDS vaccines reach those most at risk and will help manufactures of vaccines to plan production. NR Narayana Murthy said, “Business should not replace governments’ responsibility. Rather, it should and enhance it. For many companies, particularly here in India, with a strong heritage of corporate responsibility, this is a natural extension of what they are already doing. A successful vaccine programme will eventually protect and enhance India business. Therefore, it is critical that we work together from its inception towards achieving the common goal.”