Potential New HIV Vaccine: Terrence Higgins Trust Response, UK

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines
Article Date: 25 Sep 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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The US army and the Thai government have today reported the results of a trial of an experimental HIV vaccine. The vaccine - a combination of two earlier experimental vaccines - was given to 16,000 people in Thailand, the largest ever such trial. At the end of the study, researchers found that the vaccine reduced the risk of contracting HIV by nearly a third.

Lisa Power, Head of Policy at THT, said: "This is very good news for the future. While this trial only protected people 30% of the time, it gives us a good idea of where to concentrate our research in the future. For now, of course, the best protection if you're having sex is still a condom."

Lisa adds "While this is good news, we should at this stage show cautious optimism. The research is only the first step on a long road towards developing an effective vaccine that can be rolled out on a large scale. The vaccine did not offer everyone protection from HIV infection, and much more work is needed before that could be developed.

This vaccine was only found to work on HIV strains that commonly circulate in Thailand. A global vaccine is still some way off.

It's important to remember that no vaccine is a substitute for safer sex. Condoms are still the best way of protecting yourself against HIV and other STIs."

Source
Terrence Higgins Trust

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