Senator Mechai Viravaidya (centre) with Melbourne University's Professor Roger Short. Thailand's Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Kanchanasinith, is on Sen. Viravaidya's right. They're flanked by a number of officials from the Reproductive Health Division and the Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University.

"What the Western world is trying to develop is a microbicidal Cadillac - what the developing world needs is a microbicidal bicycle that's freely available", he said.

Mechai Viravaidya broke the news of the Bangkok decision to the Executive Director of UNAIDS., Dr Peter Piot, at a meeting with him in Shanghai on May 27th. That meeting was also attended by Dr Rob Moodie (Australia's VicHealth chief) who is a member of Professor Short's LemonAIDS team.

It was just two years ago that Dr Peter Piot hailed the discovery that the juice of the lemon kills HIV in the test tube, declaring: " UNAIDS would like to give you (Professor Roger Short and your 'LemonAIDS' team) every encouragement to pursue this exciting new lead in the global battle against HIV/AIDS'.