Agence France Presse (04.20.12) - Monday, April 23, 2012
"ViroXchange," a new digital media service funded by large
pharmaceutical companies, aims to promote partnership among
doctors to advance the latest breakthroughs against HIV and
other viruses, according to its Canadian promoters.
Unveiled at an annual HIV/AIDS conference in Montreal, the
English- and French-language service will focus on producing
online videos, said Guy-Charles Pelletier, CEO of the Neuhauz
company and designer of the project. A team of reporters will
provide independent coverage of the top 10 annual scientific
conferences, videotaping specialists on current studies and
developments in HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C research, Pelletier
said.
Dr. Rejean Thomas, a noted Quebec AIDS expert, leads the
province's biggest specialized clinic and will head the team
editing the videos, in consultation with viroXchange's
Scientific Committee. The videos will be shared online with
health care providers around the world who cannot afford to
travel to the conferences, and those who just want to stay
apprised of findings without depending on major journals.
"ViroXchange broadens access to information by researchers in
general, while allowing them to share their knowledge on a
global scale," said Dr. Mark Wainberg, a member of
viroXchange's Scientific Committee. "It's important for the
scientific community to be aware of the latest trials and of
their impact on research priorities and scenarios. In this
context, viroXchange allows us to better collaborate."
Although viroXchange will start with 20 employees - just 10 of
them permanent - Pelletier plans to expand the staff to 100
within three years, building what he refers to as the "CNN of
virology."