A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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Feb. 13, 2003 - Delivered Plenary lecture at the 10th Conference on Retroviruses and OIs in Boston. Spoke on Role of viremia in host abnormalities. Very well received; it was hard core basic science, which was in sharp contrast to the publicity that I have been getting for the policy issues. Returned in early afternoon to go to WH to brief Congressional leaders on Project BioShield. Received secret briefing from CIA Torrey Froscher (Deputy Director, WINPAC, CIA). Present were Admr Stephen Abbott, Tom Ridge, Tommy Thompson, Jim Capretta, Kristen Silverberg, Chris Cox and Ginger Poers (Special Assistants to the president for Leg Affairs), Sens Gregg, Congressmen Burr, Turner Cox, Tauzin, Sen Collins; Sally Stansfield, Stewart Simonson, Carol Kuntz. The President walked in during the meeting and greeted the Congressmen and gave me a special warm greeting saying that the "A" team was there. He now has his special name for me. It is not Tony or Dr. Fauci it is "Fauci".
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Feb. 13, 2003 - Received wonderful FAX from Bono congratulating me on the AIDS initiative. Referred to us as "partners in crime". Did more briefings on the hill as well as briefing of activists Paul Davis, Asia Russell, Rachel Cohen (MSF) on the Pres. initiative. Still much concern out there that we did not put all of the money in the Global Fund. Yet, the Global Fund has not really done anything yet. Also, issues such as generic drug purchase and the Mexico City Agreement (MCA) have come up. Importantly, Jay Lefkowitz is supporting my view that even if organizations would not qualify to receive USG funds because they are not in accordance with the MCA, i.e. they do counseling that encourages abortion or they actually do abortions, they can in fact receive funds as long as they use them for treatment and not abortion performance or counseling. Major victory for me if Jay supports me since otherwise many groups would be disqualified to participate in the AIDS implementation plan. Also, according to the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement, the WTO countries would not permit breaking of patents or use of generic. However, in paragraph 6 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration on the TRIPS, members could use "compulsory licensing themselves or have a third party compulsory license for them to make drugs in the case of an epidemic emergency such as AIDS, malaria, TB, cholera, Ebola, etc. so long as certain conditions are met such as this must be in poor countries and drugs cannot be sold back to rich countries. Thus, the TRIPS agreement will not interfere with our giving money to poor countries to buy generic or compulsory licensed drugs. Please refer to TRIPS and Doha documents. Feb. 14 - Mar. 2 - I have been leading (with Stew Simonson and occasionally Mark McClellan (FDA) many, many briefings of senators, Congressmen and staffers on Project BioShield. The WH has proposed our legislation. Zerhouni is acting extremely insecure and (I believe) inappropriate regarding the mentioning of NIAID in the authorizing legislation for BioShield. He and Stew and having a terrible fight since Stew insists that NIAID remain in the language. I am trying not to get caught in the middle. A few days ago, I presented the Jimmy and Rossalyn Carter Award of the NFID to former Congressman John Porter.
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Mar. 3, 2003 - Had dinner with Senator Bill Frist in his Majority Leader's Office in the Capitol. He regularly (on Mondays) brings together people with whom he likes to discuss various topics. This time it was bioterrorism. Besides me was Herb Pardes, Mark Halperin (NBC News), Stuart Taylor (Editor, National Journal), Georges Benjamin (Director, American Public Health Assoc), Bill Madia (Oak Ridge), Rev. Anthony Davis (Director, DC Black Church Initiative), Michael Byrne (Dept. of Homeland Security, Coordinator for DC, MD, and VA) and Ginny Wolfe (Counselor to Sen. Frist).
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Mar. 3 - 10, 2003 - Many briefings on Project BioShield. Most recent on Mar. 10 at the White House with the usual cast of people, i.e. Kristen Silverberg, Ken Bernard, Carol Kuntz, Stew Simonson, Tom Reilly (OMB), some people from DHS and OMB.
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2003-03-12 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
Mar. 12, 2003 - Conference call with me connected to about 50 industry people organized by John Kelly of PhRMA to explain BioShield to them. Always a concern about anti-trust laws and so the General Counsel for PhRMA (Ken Ewing) made sure that no questions were asked by industry that would violate this. 2003 March 12 Teleconference on Pr Stewart Simonson told me yesterday that he resigned because of serious clash with Jerry Hauer. I offered him a job at NIAID that he was very moved by. Got a call today that Secretary Thompson insisted that he does not resign. Stew gave in to TGT.
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Mar. 13 - 16, 2003 - We are getting closer to war with Iraq. The French, Germans, and Russians are threatening to block any attempt on the part of the USA to have the UN pass a resolution that if Iraq does not immediately comply with Resolution 1441 and disarm, the UN will use force to disarm them. USA, Britain and Spain may go it alone. I am extremely concerned about the appearance in Asia (Hong Kong, Quangdong Province in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore of a mysterious acute respiratory syndrome. Thus far 400 people, 150 in last week, 9 deaths. We have no idea what it is, but the attack rate nosocomially is very high. More than 30 health workers in Hanoi got infected from a single patient. Many people on respirators. The new disease is called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). On evening of March 16, had a great dinner at Galileo's in DC. Host was Bono who is in town to receive an award on St. Patrick's day (March 17). Small dinner at which Bono paid very kind tribute to me for putting together the President's Emergency 1g of Iraq begins. Plan for AIDS Relief. At dinner were Chris Grady, Bono, Sens. Leahy, Dodd, Santorum, Steve Case and wife Jean, Comedian Chris Tucker, Josh Bolten and girlfriend (?name), Jamie Drummond, Bobbie Schriver, Cardinal ? from DC, Father Perry and others.
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Mar. 17, 2003 - Gala St. Patrick's Day dinner and Award Ceremony from The Ireland American League at the National Building Museum. Humanitarian Award to Bono. Chris and I sit at Bono's Table as his guest. Bono recognizes me in his acceptance speech. Pres. Bush gives Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq or we will attack.
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Mar. 18, 2003 - Senate passes Project BioShield Bill. I hold meeting on Medical/Chemical Biodefense Research at the Bethesda Hyatt as a sequel to February 26 meeting on Radiological Biodefense. I am trying to frame the landscape of this to pursue an appropriate research agenda.
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Mar. 19, 2003 - Bombing of Iraq begins.