Lars O. Kallings retired Summer, 1993, as the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Program on AIDS' (GPA) Senior Advisor on scientific an policy affairs after joining GPA in 1990 while on leave of absence as Scientific Advisor to the Swedish government. Becoming involved with AIDS in 1982, he had no idea that the pandemic would grow to the level attained by 1993. WHO held its first meeting on AIDS near the end of 1983 and Professor Kallings was called upon to advise the Division of Communicable Diseases from 1984. He discusses the retroviral nature of HIV as the main scientific problem associated with AIDS. Kallings then responds to questions on policy problems, components of a successful AIDS program, whether the world has responded appropriately to AIDS over the past 12 years, whether he sees a light at the end of the tunnel, vaccine development, his views on GPA successes, and observations on the program. The interview ends with Kallings declaring his intention to remain involved with AIDS once returning to Sweden.