We, the academic community, are faced with an enormous challenge, one that confers great responsibility. Despite innumerable breakthroughs in biomedical research, our best efforts are not reaching the world's sickest and poorest. Every year, 10 million people die needlessly, simply because they lack access to existing medicines and treatments. Even as we continue to improve the lives of patients with HIV, cancer and other ailments in developed countries, the plight of those in the developing world has not similarly improved.
