Rep. King Continues Fight Against AIDS
Announces legislation for vaccine research, development, and distribution

March 7, 2007

For Immediate Release
Contact Carol Danko
202-225-7896

WASHINGTON – Congressman Peter King (R-Seaford) is leading the fight against the world’s deadliest diseases with the introduction of “Vaccines for the Future Act of 2007.”  Diseases like AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis kill more than 11,000,000 children a year, mostly in the developing world. This bill provides incentives to create vaccines that that will prevent and eliminate these diseases. 

“As a world leader, we have a responsibility to encourage the speedy development and wide-range distribution of available vaccines,” said Rep. King. “This bill jumpstarts the process so that relief can become available faster.”

The “Vaccines for the Future Act of 2007” provides market incentives for vaccine research and development to establish an Advanced Market Commitment (AMC), so that creation of these lifesaving vaccines can become a priority. It also authorizes $30 million a year for 5 years to fund a pilot AMC program for pneumococcal disease, which causes 1 million children’s deaths each year to pneumonia and meningitis.

“We’ve eradicated so many deadly diseases that we once never thought possible. Some day, I’m confident we will add AIDS and malaria to that list. This bill gets us one step closer to reaching that goal.”

Rep. King is introducing this bill along with Rep. Peter Visklosky (D-IN). They introduced a similar bill last Congress that gained bipartisan support.  This year, a companion bill has also been introduced in the Senate by Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN).

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