Dems Introduce Cure For AIDS Act

Two House Democrats have introduced a bill that would direct $100M in federal funds specifically to the search for an AIDS cure.

Representatives Jim Himes (CT-4) and Barbara Lee (CA-9) announced today that they have introduced the Cure for AIDS Act (H.R. 6187), a bill that would fund research and development of a cure for HIV/AIDS. Currently, the majority of federally funded AIDS research is directed toward vaccines and treatment.

“After slow but important progress in the face of a deadly and terrible disease, a cure is finally within reach,” said Himes. “This bill provides the medical research community with the resources it needs to find that cure so that we can finally put an end to this worldwide epidemic.”

The bill establishes a $100 million research program within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program managed by the Department of Defense that will fund research targeted directly toward discovering a cure for HIV/AIDS. The Department would work closely with academic researchers and nonprofit organizations to create a consortium of scientists and advocates to review cure proposals.

That $100M would be parceled out over the next five years. The above-linked press release notes that in 2012 the federal government will spend over $27B on HIV/AIDS, almost all of which is directed towards prevention and treatment.