The vision of the HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration was conceived during a meeting between Professor Praphan Phanuphak, Professor Joep Lange and Professor David Cooper in November 1995. As the directors of HIV Research Centers in Bangkok, Amsterdam and Sydney respectively, these physicians had met previously at many international HIV conferences and meetings. In light of the ongoing HIV epidemic in Thailand, they discussed a need for more affordable HIV treatments in Thailand and other resource limited settings, and the reluctance on the part of the pharmaceutical companies and other sponsors to move HIV related clinical research to areas where HIV is most prevalent. They concluded that a multi-centre clinical research organization should be established in Thailand to address these issues. HIVNAT was founded and the first study began enrolling patients in September 1996.