Ashoka, the non-profit organization that promotes social entrepreneurship around the globe, is currently running a grant program providing $5,000 awards and additional benefits to individuals or organizations with good ideas for "how to improve health for all". The web site offers full program details, and also posts proposals (in full text) that have been submitted to date. All proposals are due May 24th.

If there were a new AIDS vaccine that could lower infections in women by 30% and in men by 2/3, we'd be hailing a global breakthrough. But there may be a more prosaic strategy that can achieve these reductions: circumcision.

According to the New York Times, circumcision has demonstrated, through admittedly incomplete tests, to be a powerful preventative measure. A 2002 USAID analysys reviewing 28 studies suggested a 50% reduction in infections among circumcised men. A French government study in South Africa suggested a two thirds reduction. A WHO study involving 8,000 people in Kenya and Uganda is currently underway, with preliminary results as early as June.

The fact that circumcision is unglamorous compared to vaccine or other interventions shouldn't stop us from moving the study of circumcision to the very top of the AIDS prevention research agenda.

The Center for Global Development has launched a nice online competition to vote for the "individual or organization from the rich world who has made a significant contribution to changing attitudes and policies towards the developing world". Nominees include a number of individuals and organizations that have focused on global AIDS, including Bill Clinton, Bono, Jim Kolbe, and the Gates Foundation. Voting is open through April.

The General Accounting Office yesterday issued a review of PEPFAR prevention programs. Titled "Spending Requirement Presents Challenges for Allocating Prevention Funding under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief", the report reviews the PEPFAR requirement that 33% of prevention funding be spent on abstinence programs. The report highlights implementation problems this creates, and suggests additional reporting rules as well as limitations to the laws application.

PEPFAR Watch, a web resource supported by the Center for Health and Gender Equity and Health GAP, provides a comprehensive list of documents and analyses concerning PEPFAR and major PEPFAR issues, such as the Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) and sex worker policies and restrictions.

The International AIDS Economics Network has issued a call for papers in anticipation of its Toronto meetings this August. Selected researchers from around the world will receive support for travel, lodging, expenses, and entry to the main conference.

The Global Fund over the past four years has gone from launch to $3.6 billion in grant agreements. It has been a remarkable demonstration of speed and finesse. Richard Feachem, who on Friday announced he will be leaving his position as Executive Director, deserves respectful thanks for his impressive efforts in this enterprise.

When USAID announced the Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) program in October 2004, it was slated to be the largest AIDS program ($7 billion) in the world. USAID finally awarded the contract in September 2005 to a consortium headed by JSI and MSH. What information is now available online about this enormous effort?

• A Google search on "SCMS" lists one reference in the top 100 results;
• A search on "SCMS" at USAID returns one document, the September press release;
• There is a program web site that looks to have been last updated five months ago (the award press release);
• No outside web sites link to the program site according to Google.

USAID promised full public transparency for SCMS. How is it possible than a huge, vital effort involving 15 major partners is essentially invisible?

The State Department's Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator issued this week the second annual report to Congress on PEPFAR (download as pdf / 2 meg). Like last year's report, the current publication is quite clear about tactics, and laden with descriptions of accomplishment conveyed both through aggregated data and anecdote. There is useful detail throughout.

The most puzzling exclusion, once again, is the lack of detailed financial information. In 166 pages there are only six tables addressing finance. There still is little breakdown on funding by topic or program type, and almost nothing about the many contractors that carry out the bulk of the work. While the report overall is helpful, better financial information would make it a true "annual report".

President Bush alluded to AIDS six times in Tuesday's State of the Union address. While many commentators were disappointed by his limited discussion of global AIDS, a half dozen uses of the word "AIDS" does mark improvement from recent years:

• 2006: 6
• 2005: 1
• 2004: 0
• 2003: 11
• 2002: 0

This list also suggests that 2003, and the launch of PEPFAR, was unfortunately an anomaly with respect to White House attention and not the start of increased, steady attention as many had hoped.

The Global Fund has launched a new online forum area to promote global dialogue about AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The forum, called "Global Fund Partnership Forum", has ambitiously launched in four languages and seeks partner input in Global Fund priorities and policies prior to meetings in Durban in July.

Online forums offer an obvious and efficient vehicle for stakeholder feedback. Kudos to the Global Fund for launching this initiative.

The Global Fund is seeking technical experts in AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis to serve on their Technical Review Panel, a key element in the Fund's grantmaking decisions.

Is World AIDS Day losing visibility? In a year when more people died of AIDS and more people were infected with HIV than ever before, World AIDS Day came and went two weeks ago with little attention.

The New York Times, as one proxy for the media, mentioned World AIDS Day only five times this year, which is the lowest number (and half the average) of the last ten years. A Google News search shows "World AIDS Day" mentioned 5100 times, about 1/8th the level of "terrorism" or 1/30th the level of "Iraq". At the very moment when we would hope global AIDS to be receiving top billing, the international media appears to have lost interest.

PEPFAR is governed by legislation which mandates funding for abstinence and fidelity programs, although PEPFAR's operational guidelines for organizations have been ambiguous at best. This apparently is changing. The Baltimore Sun reports that new internal guidelines at PEPFAR establish at 66% the minimum level of AIDS prevention funding that is to be used for abstinence and fidelity programs. This focus on abstinence and fidelity, and lessening of support for other prevention measures, has raised concern in the public health community. Duff Gillespie, former head of AIDS programs at USAID, comments:

It's outrageous and stupid. From a public health point of view, it's irresponsible.

PEPFAR has not yet posted the new guidelines.

The World Community Grid, a network of volunteers that donate their computers' processing power when not in use, has announced a new project to search for an AIDS vaccine. Based on the successful SETI@Home project, the FightAIDS@Home initiative will screen through drugs to find those with the right shape to block HIV protease. In order to participate, volunteers download a customized screensaver which accesses and processes data while the computer is not in use.

The website also offers an active forum area in which participants discuss the project.

First noted in coverage by CNET.