Stalemate over the US’s immigration ban on people with HIV and AIDS
has forced the organisers of next year’s AIDS conference to look abroad
for a new venue.
The Harvard AIDS Institute, which was to host the conference in Boston
next summer, announced last week that it would ‘reluctantly’ look outside
the US for a site because the Bush administration has failed to lift the
controversial ban.
‘This crucial scientific meeting must not be cancelled,’ said Max Essex,
director of the institute. In a surprise move, Essex also announced his
resignation as chair of the conference, and the appointment instead of Jonathan
Mann, former head of the World ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ Organization’s Global Programme on
AIDS. Essex said he wanted more time for his laboratory work.
