AIDS Vaccine's Partial Success Encourages Scientists

by Mike Smith · 2009-09-24 15:26:00 UTC
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An AIDS vaccine has been tested, and it simply can't be called an unqualified success, nor even a breakthrough. But the progress is encouraging. A Thai trial is delighting and puzzling scientists. One of the backers explained, “if you have a product that’s even a little bit protective, you want to look at the blood samples and figure out what particular response was effective and direct research from there.” The vaccine lowered the rate of infection by 31.2% — too little to be considered for licensing. Scientists have a right to be pleased, even if there is much more still to be done.

Education helps too, in Thailand HIV cases numbered 19,000 in 2003, down from 143,000 in 1991 due to an education campaign spearheaded by a certain "Mr Condom."

[Photo credit: Cyril Plapied]

Mike Smith
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