Dick Lugar: “I rise to introduce the Vaccines for the Future Act of 2007. This legislation seeks to accelerate the development of…”

“I rise to introduce the Vaccines for the Future Act of 2007. This legislation seeks to accelerate the development of vaccines for HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases that are major killers of people living in developing countries. HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis are devastating sub-Saharan Africa where, combined, they claim as many as 5 million lives a year. Yet there are no vaccines for these diseases. Vaccines are one of the most effective public health measures of the 20th century. With U.S. leadership, the global community has eradicated smallpox, and we are close to eradicating polio. Vaccines for diseases such as measles and tetanus have dramatically reduced childhood mortality worldwide. These public health victories benefit every country. Vaccines for diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and for other, less well-known diseases would save millions of lives. Partnerships between governments, private foundations, and businesses have made significant strides toward the development of vaccines, but much more needs to be done. One of the biggest challenges is that drug companies do not have a strong financial incentive to invest in the development of vaccines for these diseases because there is no reliable market for them.”