Total global spending on AIDS has increased from US$1.2 billion in 2000 to an estimated US$6 billion this year – a five-fold increase – according to a new UNAIDS report released today. Without dramatic increases, there is still an expected shortfall of US$6 billion in 2005, according to UNAIDS. “Unless more resources are directed toward the global response, the gap between the need and available resources will grow significantly in coming years,” said Dr Paul De Lay, Director of Evaluation of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.