Tobias ‘Appropriate’ Leader of Global Fund Policy and Strategy Committee, Letter to Editor Says

U.S. Ambassador Randall Tobias, head of the State Department's Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, is an "appropriate selection" to head the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria's new policy and strategy committee, Edward Scott and Jack Valenti -- founder and president, respectively, of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria -- write in a New York Times letter to the editor in response to a May 19 Times editorial (Scott/Valenti, New York Times, 6/5). The editorial said that appointing Tobias to head the executive board might put the organization at risk of losing its independence from U.S. policies (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/19). Tobias is a "valuable addition" to the board and has done a "good job" as Global AIDS Coordinator, Scott and Valenti write. The HIV/AIDS pandemic "requires the participation of everyone" and Tobias "deserves our thanks and support" for his work, Scott and Valenti add (New York Times, 6/5).