The creation of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise and its emphasis on a shared Scientific Strategic Plan represents an unprecedented response by the international scientific community to the scientific, public health and humanitarian challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. Enterprise stakeholders have a shared commitment to fulfill three essential functions: conducting regular assessments of scientific priorities and updating them to reflect lessons learned, new opportunities and the influence of new scientific findings and new technologies, establishing global processes to address priority areas and establishing a culture of mutual accountability for effective implementation of the Plan by funders and investigators. These commitments remain imperative to the fulfillment of the 2010 Plan in driving progress in the field.
Over the past 18 months, major scientific advances have signaled the beginning of an important new phase in HIV vaccine research. At the same time, there is increasing evidence that the epidemic is in danger of spinning out of control46. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that this moment is not lost. Continued progress in the field urgently requires that funders, aid agencies, researchers, industry, regulatory agencies, advocates and civil society commit to working together as an open and collaborative global community. Until a deployable, efficacious vaccine is developed, that objective will be the only and ultimate goal of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise.