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NEWS INDEPENDENT TV POLITICS CLIMATE VOICES INDY100 PARALYMPICS 2021 SPORT CULTURE INDY/LIFE INDYBEST MOST COMMENTED CONVERSATIONS
Professors David Cooper, Praphan Phanuphak and Joep Lange, the co-directors of HIVNAT, a joint research centre in Bangkok (UNSW)
There are fears the cure for Aids could have been lost with 100 of the
“best and brightest” scientists and researchers on board Malaysia Airlines
flight MH17.
The exact number of scientists he was travelling with has not been
confirmed but delegates in Sydney were told that emails indicted around
100 attendees were on the ill-fated plane.
“What if the cure for AIDS was on that plane? Really? We don’t know,” he Popular videos
said.
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“There were some really prominent researchers that have been doing this
for a very long time and we’re getting close to vaccines and people are
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talking about cures and the end of AIDS.
“And you can’t help but wonder what kind of expertise was on that plane.”
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“We’ve lost global leaders and also some bright young people who were
coming through. It’s a gut-wrenching loss. I was involved in the aftermath
of 9/11 in New York and it brings back that level of catastrophe.”
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He added: “These people were the best and the brightest, the ones who
had dedicated their whole careers to fighting this terrible virus.”
News of Mr Lange's death sent ripples through the Aids community, who
paid tribute to a “giant” in the field who made invaluable advances in
affordable treatment for sufferers in Asia and Africa.
Director of the institute, Professor David Cooper, said his friend had an
“absolute commitment” to HIV treatment and care in Asia and Africa.
He added: “The joy in collaborating with Joep was that he would always
bring a fresh view, a unique take on things, and he never accepted that
something was impossible to achieve. Our joint work in Bangkok, the
HIVNAT centre, will stand as his legacy.”
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'NINE BRITONS AND 80 CHILDREN' FEARED DEAD IN CRASH
At the time of his death, Professor Lange was Professor of Medicine at the
Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam and Senior Scientific
Advisor to the International Antiviral Therapy Evaluation Centre,
Amsterdam.
“At this incredibly sad and sensitive time the IAS stands with our
international family and sends condolences to the loved ones of those
who have been lost to this tragedy,” a statement said.
“The IAS has also heard reports that among the passengers was a former
IAS President Joep Lange and if that is the case then the HIV/AIDS
movement has truly lost a giant.”
The 49-year-old was a former BBC journalist from Blackpool and had
recently celebrated his birthday, according to The Times.
None of the 298 and crew survived the crash, near the town of Grabovo
in eastern Ukraine, which has seen fierce fighting between separatist
militias and government troops.
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HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH PREVIOUS PLANE
DISASTERS?
Novaya Gazeta