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Dream of HIV vaccine

Dream of HIV vaccine.

A study has shown a small but statistically significant, effect of a combined vaccine against HIV, reports CNN.

In a study of 16,000 participants, which are assessed to be at high risk of coming into contact with HIV, the group receiving the vaccine proved to have a slightly less risk of contracting the virus. 9 of 1000 in the placebo group received HIV during the study period, compared with 6.5 in 1000 in the vaccine group. Such small differences is surely nothing to get excited over? Well, actually:

dream of a vaccine against HIV have more or less written off as just a dream: the virus's ability to change his appearance so that the antibodies do not recognize it nah Is it pops up (damn simplified) have done that research on HIV almost given up the idea to develop a vaccine. Therefore, they are - very modest - the numbers on this study are still interesting. They show that the concept is not impossible. The principle is plausible. That it may be worth the money to continue along that path.

If we take the numbers on the so-called face value - outright, as well - so it suggests a possible third more likely to refuse HIV for vaccinated. Now let no man deceive you by the words "third" - it sounds a lot, but remember the actual figures. Of the 16.000 has only 125 people had HIV during the study making it difficult to know how many people are exposed to HIV during the time period and of course it is impossible to know how many people "would" have had HIV during that time. We can be cautiously optimistic but not to write it too much importance.

But let us play with the idea. If the numbers corresponded to reality? About one third respond to the vaccine? In countries like Botswana and South Africa was third make a big difference, both in the acute situation and for the future. The third part in turn would _not_ infect others. A third would make a big, big difference.

That study is now given a cautiously optimistic result is funnily enough a problem for further study. From now on it is unethical to compare the vaccine to placebo IOM that we thought he saw an advantage in being vaccinated. (I say vaccine, to put it simply, it is in fact a combination of multiple vaccines given as a series.) So what do you say maybe - what does it matter? Well, people who ingåri a study tend to change their behavior, to be more aware of protecting themselves and their health, thus showing placebo if the difference is even when everyone believes he has a chance to have received the vaccine.

So - a cautious "maybe Hooray" for the combo vaccine. I hope that the next stage - so far it has been safely and without dangerous side effects - will be to test it in high-risk areas. With high vaccination rate was also a small effect make a big difference. We cross our fingers and hope.

Keep the dream alive.