Russia, USA should join forces to create an AIDS vaccine - Mikhail Margelov

Russia and the USA should join forces to create an AIDS vaccine, Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Federation Council (Upper House of the Russian parliament) committee on international affairs, said at the Russo-American meting of businessmen and trade unions on AIDS.

The multinational efforts to fight AIDS are the call of time, said Margelov, who co-chairs the Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA) together with John Tedstrom. The TPAA was initiated in May 2003 by the USA, Russia and Ukraine.

"The USA has accumulated unique experience of AIDS prevention work with the population and risk groups," said Margelov. "Russia and the USA are the world's largest research powers and simply must join forces to create an AIDS vaccine. Before that, we worked in isolation, competing like maniacs to be the first to create novel technologies, which frequently harmed quality and common sense. Today we are trying to share responsibility in one of the most difficult processes of vital significance for humankind."