John Y. Killen, M.D., Director, Division of AIDS, NIAID
DAIDS and its advisory committees agreed with the spirit and most of the specifics of a major NIH evaluation of AIDS research by a group that became known as the Levine Panel. Given the size and scope of NIAID's HIV-related research, the recommendations will have a large impact on these activities. To conduct the review, the NIH Office of AIDS Research set up the AIDS Research Program Evaluation Working Group, chaired by Dr. Arnold J. Levine of Princeton University.
DAIDS Director Dr. Jack Killen summarized the AIDS Research Advisory Committee (ARAC)-AIDS Council Subcommittee's May discussion of the report. Overall, NIAID was very pleased with the outcome of the review.
NIAID is working with OAR on an implementation plan and has already begun realizing some of the Levine Report's recommendations. For example, the Panel advised NIAID to develop a comprehensive plan for the organization, management, research, and funding of the HIV Network for Prevention Trials (HIVNET) in partnership with other ICDs. It also recommended that NIAID and OAR convene an external, multi-disciplinary panel to evaluate HIVNET.
In response, HIVNET investigators and NIAID developed a research plan earlier this summer, and an external review was undertaken in June 1996. Chaired by Dr. James Curran, the review panel was very supportive of HIVNET and made constructive recommendations that will help NIAID make HIVNET as effective as possible in vaccine efficacy trial preparedness and other prevention research.
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