.Each.year,.the. Office.of.AIDS.Research.

.Each.year,.the. Office.of.AIDS.Research.(OAR).develops.a.comprehensive.research.plan.through.a.collaborative.process. involving.broad.input.from.the.community.of.government.and.nongovernment.scientists.and.other.experts. from.the.United.States.and.abroad .The.Plan.and.the.unique.processes.instituted.by.OAR.to.ensure. its.implementation.allow.the.NIH.to.pursue.a.united.research.front.against.the.global.AIDS.epidemic .
The.Plan.provides.a.roadmap.for.the.NIH.AIDS.research.effort,.which.is.carried.out.by.nearly.all.of.the.NIH. Institutes.and.Centers .It.serves.a.number.of.critical.purposes,.and.is.utilized.to.(1).frame.the.development. of.the.NIH.AIDS.research.budget;.(2).determine.the.use.of.NIH.AIDS-designated.dollars;.(3).define. those.research.areas.for.which.AIDS-designated.funds.may.be.allocated;.(4).track.and.monitor.AIDS. research.expenditures;.and.(5).inform.the.public,.the.scientific.community,.Congress,.and.AIDS-affected. communities.about.the.NIH.AIDS.research.agenda.and.priorities.for.new.or.expanded.funding
OAR.has.continued.to.assess.and.refine.the.planning.process.to.ensure.that.the.Plan.is.responsive.to. the.changing.nature.of.the.epidemic,.to.emerging.scientific.opportunities,.and.to.the.needs.of.affected. communities.around.the.world .As.a.result,.this.FY.2008.Plan.is.presented.in.a.restructured.format.to. better.focus.and.streamline.the.document .
Many.individuals.have.given.generously.of.their.time.and.expertise.in.the.development.of.this.document— researchers.from.academia.and.industry;.representatives.of.foundations.and.other.nongovernmental. organizations.in.the.United.States.and.abroad;.community.representatives;.representatives.from.other. governmental.agencies;.members.of.the.OAR.Advisory.Council;.and.Directors.and.staff.of.the.NIH. Institutes.and.Centers .A.list.of.their.names.can.be.found.at.the.back.of.this.document .I.thank.each.of. them.for.their.thoughtful.contributions.to.make.this.document.a.valuable.tool.for.OAR.and.the.NIH
The.staff.of.OAR.and.I.sincerely.believe.that.the.fruits.of.the.research.efforts.outlined.within.this.Plan. will.help.control.the.pandemic,.prevent.new.infections,.and.care.for.those.infected.and.affected.by. HIV.and.AIDS.around.the.worldThe.National.Institutes.of.Health.Revitalization.Act.of.1993.(Public.Law.103-43).provided.that.the. Director.of.the.Office.of.AIDS.Research.(OAR).“shall.plan,.coordinate.and.evaluate.research.and.other. activities.conducted.or.supported”.by.the.NIH ..The.Director.of.OAR.“shall.act.as.the.primary.Federal. official.with.responsibility.for.overseeing.all.AIDS.research.conducted.or.supported.by.the.National. Institutes.of.Health”.and.“shall.establish.a.comprehensive.plan.for.the.conduct.and.support.of.all. AIDS.activities.of.the.agencies.of.the.National.Institutes.of.Health…;.ensure.that.the.Plan.establishes. priorities.among.the.AIDS.activities.that.such.agencies.are.authorized.to.carry.out;.ensure.that.the.Plan. establishes.objectives.regarding.such.activities…;.and.ensure.that.the.Plan.serves.as.a.broad,.binding. statement.of.policies.regarding.AIDS.activities.of.the.agencies,.but.does.not.remove.the.responsibility. of.the.heads.of.the.agencies.for.the.approval.of.specific.programs.or.projects,.or.for.other.details.of. the.daily.administration.of.such.activities,.in.accordance.with.the.Plan ”..The.law.further.provides.that. “the.Director.of.the.OAR.shall.ensure.that.the.Plan.provides.for.basic.research;.provides.for.applied. research;.provides.for.research.that.is.supported.and.conducted.by.the.agencies;.provides.for.proposals. developed.pursuant.to.solicitations.by.the.agencies.and.for.proposals.developed.independently.of. such.solicitations;.and.provides.for.behavioral.research.and.social.science.research ”