Malegapuru William Makgoba, Nandipha Solomon, and Timothy Johan Paul Tucker

About the author: Malegapuru William Makgoba is the president of the Medical Research Council of South Africa. Nandipha Solomon is the executive manager for corporate communications and marketing for the council. Timothy Johan Paul Tucker is the director of the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative.

Despite the complex political and scientific challenges to the development of an AIDS vaccine, scientists expect to have an affordable and effective vaccine to combat this disease by the year 2010. Partnerships between researchers, manufacturers, and distributors, as well as partnerships between rich and poor countries, are essential for the successful development of a vaccine. In addition to these partnerships, it is important to establish rules for the...