Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Eric G. John, at Joint Press Conference on AFRIMS/MoPH HIV Vaccine Trial Results, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok
[As Prepared for Delivery]
Minister Witthaya, distinguished Thai and American medical researchers and professionals, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen:
Good afternoon. I would like to thank Minister Witthaya for inviting me to speak at this press conference to announce what we believe are historic findings. To the Ministry of Public Health, the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (or AFRIMS), U.S. sponsor organizations, and the many collaborators and researchers from U.S. military medical and international organizations -- not to mention the over16,000 Thai volunteers who took part in this effort -- let me say congratulations to you all. You have truly made medical history.
The AIDS pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide. Thailand and the United States have both faced serious AIDS epidemics, but our respective efforts have helped reduce the number of HIV infections among our populations and treat those in our two countries that have contracted HIV/AIDS. But many nations around the globe still struggle with more serious HIV/AIDS epidemics, and even in places like the U.S. and Thailand, there is a threat that AIDS will again reach crisis proportions. An HIV vaccine remains our best hope to fight this dreaded disease. And that is why I am here today. To help announce that we are now one step closer to finding an HIV vaccine.
You have just heard the results of the clinical trial from Minister Witthaya. These findings demonstrated, even if modestly, that the vaccine regimen was safe and successful in reducing the risk of HIV infection among the trial participants. We know that additional research is needed, but these results have important implications for the design of future HIV vaccines and the process by which they are tested. This was not just a successful trial, but the largest HIV vaccine trial ever conducted and a truly important one. Let me point out why.
We have here an outstanding example of international and interagency collaboration involving many partners: the Royal Thai and U.S. governments, Mahidol University, Thai and U.S. health professionals, private companies, non-profit organizations, and of course the volunteers. These partnerships were extremely important and matched only by the spirit of the Thai people who took part in this historic trial. The study involved more than 16,000 volunteers in Rayong and Chon Buri provinces, but I understand that more than 60,000 people expressed interest in volunteering. I salute the volunteers that made this effort possible. It was a true partnership. Working shoulder to shoulder, Thais and Americans have won a foothold in a battle against one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
The collaboration on this study is only part of a much greater picture of U.S. and Thai cooperation in public health. AFRIMS, the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working on the cutting edge of global health with their Thai and regional partners, making significant advances against a number of diseases. One fifth of the over 1,700 employees in the U.S. Mission in Thailand work on public health issues. Together with Thai counterparts, they combat not only HIV/AIDS but also many other diseases such as the H1N1 and Avian influenzas, and tuberculosis.
AFRIMS played a major role in advancing this study, so I would like say a few more words about this unique organization. AFRIMS works in Thailand in collaboration with the Royal Thai Military and other Thai institutions, such as the Ministry of Public Health. AFRIMS is hosted by the Royal Thai Army and staffed by American and Thai personnel. For more than 50 years, AFRIMS, with its Thai and regional partners, has been at the forefront of medical research, fighting deadly infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and dengue fever. I am also pleased to see that two U.S. firms -- VaxGen and Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases -- were involved in providing one of the vaccines used in the trial. Sanofi Pasteur provided the other and European scientists were engaged in the study, demonstrating yet again the level of international collaboration involved in this historic trial.
I understand that Permanent Secretary Prat is retiring in a few days. His efforts on this HIV vaccine study have been important, but his collaboration with our other health agencies such as USAID and CDC has been of vital importance as well. We thank you the Permanent Secretary for his service and partnership with the United States.
In closing, let me say again how pleased I am to be here with you today. There will be more studies of this vaccine regimen, and perhaps other vaccines tested. In the international scientific and medical communities around the globe, this trial will be recognized as a testament to Thailand’s ability to successfully execute a complicated vaccine trial, the largest ever attempted, that ended with a credible conclusion and that brought us one step closer to an HIV vaccine. And I am pleased that AFRIMS, and the U.S. Army HIV program and Surgeon General, could be a part of it. Together Thais and Americans are helping to save lives. Thank you.