Interactions between Public Associations and Agencies in Organizing Research on AIDS Treatment

The AIDS epidemic has been characterised by a strong mobilization of those associations concerned in the approval of drugs. Such mobilization marks a major break with the relations earlier prevailing between the scientific communities and the public spheres, and between laymen and experts in the health field. This study analyses the key role played by the State in the early 1990’s, in the creation of an inter-associative group which has worked for dialogue and agreement between the pharmaceutical firms and those public agencies for researching and approving health products. It highlights more precisely the mutual interests which any public agency and the associations share together, as well as those changes which they have had to concede during their interactions.