Diary Prequel Package — page 226

Lawlor (latter 2 are my employees detailed to Heidi), Mike Kurilla, among others. Heidi had asked us (NIH, CDC, FDA, HSS) through Nicki Lurie to prepare a 1-pager on this initiative from each of our perspectives. Nicki consolidated the 1-pagers and we presented the concept to Heidi. Heidi is aiming to get the POTUS to announce some sort of initiative in the State of the Union Address on January 27. I am very impressed with Heidi and her no-nonsense style of getting to the point and the question at hand. Heidi mentioned to me as we left the Situation Room that she was relying on my "vision" to help get this going. Let us see what comes of this. Jan. 21, 2010 - Has long meeting in my office and private dinner at Trattoria Sorrento in Bethesda with Eric Goosby, the Ambassador at Large in charge of PEPFAR and the new Chief of the OGAC (Office of Global AIDS Coordinator) to discuss the future of PEPFAR. Recall that Eric was one of the people that I flew in the put the icing on the cake of convincing the White House in 2002 that I was right about starting PEPFAR. In any event, we discussed the issues of broadening the mandate of PEPFAR and integrating it in a more comprehensive health systems partnership with the developing countries. Unlike in the past, he is in favor of "operational" or "Implementation" research to determine best practices associated with PEPFAR mission. He confided in me the issues in the Department of State in putting the President's Global Health Initiative (GHI) under USAID with new Director Raj Shah. Since PEPFAR in included within and is the major part ($51 Billion out of $63 Billion) of the GHI, the question remains will Hillary Clinton put PEPFAR under USAID. Given the ineptitudes of USAID, I told Eric that he should never accept that. He agrees and actually said that he would resign if that happened. I do not think that things will happen that way. Jan. 25, 2010 - Had strategy meeting in Building 31, Room 7A24 and subsequent dinner at Positano restaurant in Bethesda to determine the Institute's strategy for vaccine research following the RV144 Thai trial results. I called in a small group to hash out the issues in intense deliberations. Present were: Larry Corey, Bart Haynes, Gepi Pantaleo, Louis Picker, Cliff Lane, Carl Dieffenbach, Peggy Johnston, Hugh Auchincloss, Carol Hudgings, Patty Conrad. General consensus is to continue with basic discovery, but to go ahead with other Phase 2B trials, particularly a poxvirus (likely NYVAC) prime and a protein boost (Clade C) in Africa. Will continue this discussion next week with the AIDS Vaccine Research Subcommittee (AVRS). Jan. 26, 2010 - Another meeting with Heidi Avery at the Situation Room in the West Wing of the WH to further discuss the new initiative to counter all public health threats including bioterror, but also all emerging and existing Health threats. Mike Kurilla and I have been fine tuning the NIH component. Present at the meeting was the same group as on January 19, 2010 (see above0 . Also present was the POTUS's science advisor John Holdren. We now have a 1-pager that Heidi has discussed with the POTUS and that is being considered for a brief comment in the State of the Union (SOTU) Address. Jan. 27-28, 2010 - Went to Boston to be the Bulfinch Visiting Professor at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School at the invitation of Denny Ausiello (Chair of Medicine). Great visit, particularly interactions with House Staff and