AFRO-NETS> HIV Vaccine Trial On Humans Begins

[Dieter Neuvians MD <neuvians@mweb.co.za>]

HIV Vaccine Trial On Humans Begins
----------------------------------

Source: U.N.Wire
http://www.unwire.org/UNWire/20031104/449_10072.asp
 
Tuesday, November 4, 2003 
 
Trials of an experimental HIV vaccine will begin on 24 human vol-
unteers in South Africa, where 4.7 million people, or 11 percent 
of the population, are HIV-positive, Associated Press reported 
yesterday:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/11/03/safrica.aids.vaccine.ap/index.html
 
The treatment, which is also being tested in the United States, 
is one of about two dozen potential vaccines being tested on 
about 12,000 human volunteers worldwide. 
 
"An HIV vaccine is our best hope of eradicating HIV from the 
globe," said Tim Tucker, head of the South African AIDS Vaccine 
Initiative (http://www.saavi.org.za/). "It is an extremely excit-
ing time."
 
The treatment is the only one that contains genetic material from 
the HIV strain most prevalent in South Africa, and scientists 
hope that by entering human cells, it will stimulate the produc-
tion of antibodies that will fight off AIDS infections, AP said. 
 
The first phase of the trials, aimed at establishing the safety 
of the drug, are expected to last two years, but it could be 10 
years before an effective vaccine is ready for distribution, 
Tucker said (AP/CNN.com, Nov. 3).

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