Recent news
September 2011
Senate bill cuts funding for HIV research
September 27, 2011 -- An important program in global health research would take a hit in the Senate version of the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill for fiscal year (FY) 2012). The bill would cut military HIV/AIDS research by $16 million. The House version of the bill does not make any cuts to the program and maintains it at the $22.796 million funding level from FY 2011. The two chambers will need to reconcile the issue in final budget before the bill goes to President Obama’s desk.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)/Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) Program in Kericho, Kenya, is one of the facilities that could be affected by this cut. The KEMRI/WRAIR facility supports HIV vaccine trials and research to improve the quality of HIV care in developing countries.
In related news, a delegation of Congressional staffers recently visited another program housed at KEMRI that focuses on high-impact HIV prevention research. Earlier this month, a group of staff from Congressional offices with jurisdiction over global health funding or programs traveled to Kenya to visit the KEMRI/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) facility in Kisian, Kenya.
- Read the Science Speaks blog post about the Department of Defense appropriations bill here.
- Read the Science Speaks blog post about the Congressional staff visit to KEMRI here.
