E-drug: BMJ seeking authors for AIDS theme issue
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BMJ 2001;322:1440 ( 16 June )
Editorials
Twenty years of AIDS, and no end in sight
A BMJ theme issue will refocus attention on this catastrophic epidemic
A Martian researcher is sent to earth. His mission is to assess a pandemic
sweeping the southern hemisphere. On returning to Mars he files his report:
"Human beings are undergoing one of the greatest catastrophes in recorded
history. The epidemic rages far beyond their control and is steadily
gaining momentum. Widespread misery, the devastation of communities, and
death outpace the inconsequential expenditures of governments in denial.
Nothing stands in its way."
All this began without fanfare. In 1981 the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report published a small case series of five gay men in Los Angeles who had
Pneumocystis carinii - a rare form of pneumonia usually found in people
with immune dysfunction.1 Since then, the disease has left 23 million dead;
it will have killed 55 million by 2010. Africa suffers most of the disease
burden. India is next in line.
Why did the Martian's report fail to mention the United Nations Secretary
General's call for a $10bn (�7bn) global health and AIDS fund?2 Because the
international response has been feeble. President Bush has pledged only
$200m, when a donation of $2.5bn would have been consistent with his
country's wealth.3 Worse, as the southern pandemic spirals out of control,
northern development assistance has fallen to its lowest level in 20
years.4
Drug company discounting of various medications is largely immaterial since
the most heavily indebted countries still cannot afford them. And
heterosexual transmission rates, and thus incidence, will probably remain
high in many southern regions with or without medications.
The HIV tragedy in the south must be foremost on every country's agenda.
The BMJ wants to help by publishing a theme issue in January 2002 on
"Global voices on the HIV catastrophe." By focusing on the south, we aim to
boost international and cross-cultural understanding and cooperation. We
want to stimulate inquiry, attract high quality research, and collect
outstanding educational materials to improve clinical practice among all
people infected or affected by HIV.
Among other topics, the issue will include the long term care of AIDS
orphans, influencing the social status of women, reducing mother-to-child
transmission, the opportunities and pitfalls of an HIV vaccine, and
prospects for an effective response by the global health community. We
welcome your manuscripts for any section of the journal, but particularly
research papers on the HIV epidemic in the developing world. The closing
date for submissions is 1 August 2001; please email them to papers@bmj.com.
Gavin Yamey, deputy editor.
wjm, Western Journal of Medicine, 221 Main St, San Francisco, CA
94120-7690, USA (gyamey@bmj.com)
William Rankin, president.
Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance, PO Box 29110, San Franscisco, CA
94129-0110, USA
Richard Feachem, director.
Institute for Global Health, University of California San Francisco, 74 New
Montgomery, Suite 508, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA
1. Pneumocystis pneumonia - Los Angeles. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1981
Jun 5; 30(21): 250-252.
2. Brown P. Kofi Annan describes new health fund for developing countries.
BMJ 2001; 322: 1265.
3. Morin SA. AIDS and George W Bush. San Francisco Chronicle 2001 May 28.
4. United Nations Conference on Trade Development. Less developed
countries report. Geneva: Unctad, 2001.
--
Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.
Information and archive http://www.healthnet.org/programs/edrug.html
Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'.
For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.