With only weeks to go before the biennial World AIDS Conference begins in Durban, South Africa (9–12 July), stakeholders in the sub-Saharan epidemic are increasing their activities. President Thabo Mbeki's controversial advisory panel of AIDS ‘experts’ (Nature, 405, 105; 2000) will present its report on the reasons for the spread of the disease in the region prior to the start of the meeting. Meanwhile, an 11 May Executive Order by President Bill Clinton, announcing that the US will allow sub-Saharan Africa special leeway to import and manufacture patented AIDS drugs, plus a same-day statement by five leading pharmaceutical companies and UNIADS that they will slash the price of AIDS drugs to Africa, may calm potentially vociferous demonstrations by activists.

Nature Medicine will be in Durban covering the conference—proposed boycott by the World's HIV scientists permitting—to bring you news of the meeting via our website at http://www.nature.com/nm/ and in the next issue of the journal.