New HIV Vaccine May Make Huge Advances In Reducing Infection
Posted by: Leonora Epstein
Filed in:
news
9:20AM, Thursday September 24th 2009
Some exciting news in the medical world: a new HIV vaccine, called RV 144, has proved effective in reducing infection rates of the sexually transmitted disease by 31 percent. A combination of two previously tested vaccines, the formula was administered to some 16,000 people in Thailand as part of a three-year research program. Half the participants received a placebo, 74 percent of whom became infected with HIV. Comparatively, only 51 percent of the vaccinated group became infected. (Side note: Wow, still ... those are some pretty scary odds.) Interestingly, the American military played a role in the program because HIV poses a “national security threat.”
Despite the vaccine’s relative success, scientists unfortunately can’t quite claim victory and say, “Hey! We found a cure!” because they’re not sure why it worked. The good news is that the Thailand trial marks a milestone in AIDS research, and now scientists can work on making the vaccine more effective. Wonder if ever there were to be a shot that protected you from AIDS, if it would become mandatory in the U.S.? [CNN]
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abbylyn
wrote on September 24 2009 @ 08:43 am: [report]
While I’m thrilled with the progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, I’m confused how they test the effectiveness. Do they give the vaccine, then inject the virus and see if it works? Do they give the vaccine and then encourage the participants to go out and participate in risky behavior? Tell the participants to just behave as normal? Something about it makes me a little uneasy.
_jsw_
wrote on September 24 2009 @ 08:50 am: [report]
They test in a population group that is highly likely to become infected, then see if the rates drop once a subject is immunized. In cases like this, I think that it’s unethical to continue to use placebos once the drug has been shown to be effective, since, unless there are major side effects, a substantial reduction in the chance of contracting AIDS via an HIV infection outweighs most other typical side-effects.
And even though the reduction from ~75% to ~50% still left half of them infected, the reduction is substantial, and, in a less at-risk community, could make the difference between an epidemic and a controllable problem.
impoddity
wrote on September 24 2009 @ 08:53 am: [report]
I’ll give it a go in 10 years. Maybe by that time I’ll have gotten the HPV shot as well.
bethlynn00
wrote on September 24 2009 @ 09:39 am: [report]
Been hearing about this all morning. While it is pretty exciting because of all the failures of pass vaccine trials, I agree that the numbers need to improve a great deal before we see it on the market, but I think it might go to areas, like area in Africa and the Asia where they have really high rates, pretty soon, but I see it being a few more years this is a viable option.