Studies on the HIV vaccine
May 14, 2010
May 18, is World Vaccine Awareness Day. Uganda was home to the first-ever HIV vaccine trial in Africa in 1995, which was conducted at the Joint Clinical Research Centre.
May 18, is World Vaccine Awareness Day. Uganda was home to the first-ever HIV vaccine trial in Africa in 1995, which was conducted at the Joint Clinical Research Centre.
Since that time, Uganda has remained an important contributor to HIV vaccine research and development.
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day provides a great opportunity to thank people who are helping find an effective vaccine. These include the clinical trial volunteers, health professionals, community members and the researchers.
It is also an opportunity to learn more about vaccine research.
An AIDS vaccine is described as the best hope for ending the spread of HIV.
Dr Annet Nanvubya of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, says an effective AIDS vaccine will protect people from acquiring HIV and prevent or slow down the rate at which those who are already infected can progress to AIDS.
Although many trials have been done worldwide and produced no vaccine approved for use todate, great strides have been made.
Every time a trial has stopped, there are discoveries, new information and developments that take researchers closer to discovering the vaccine.
Vaccine trials in Uganda
Two bodies are involved in the research.
One is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which co-operates with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and UVRI at Entebbe.
The other is Makerere University Johns Hopkins University project (MUJHU) and Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP), which are also conducting trials in Masaka.
UVRI studies
According to Dr Juliet Mpendo, UVRI is currently following up volunteers who participated in previous HIV vaccine trials.
They are assessing their long term health status, evaluating the frequency of HIV infection and the persistence of vaccine-induced anti-bodies in those who tested HIV positive at the end of the trial.
So far 63 out 77 former volunteers have been enrolled and 24 are being followed up every six months for five years.
There is hope
Dr Ponsiano Kaleebu, the head at UVRI says there is more hope with every passing study. “We are now better informed and know much more about protective immunity and HIV behaviour. We are making progress. It may look slow but it is very vital.â€
Kaleebu, who has been in HIV vaccine research since 1995, said the biggest hope is in the vaccine candidate that proved some success in the recent Thailand trial. It was the first time an HIV vaccine showed a good result.
“The trial is going to be repeated in many places including Africa and involve many more volunteers. As soon as the funding for this is finalised, it will take about three to four years.â€
But that means that even if it proves effective after four years, there are many logistical procedures and preparations before it can be produced on a large scale.
Kaleebu says it can take another two years.
That means if all goes well, the least we can expect the first safe, effective and affordable HIV vaccine is six years from now.
In the meantime, this is just a hope. Remain faithful to your partner or use a condom if you cannot. Abstain before marriage and spread the word against HIV. And don’t forget to volunteer for HIV vaccine trials.
Since that time, Uganda has remained an important contributor to HIV vaccine research and development.
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day provides a great opportunity to thank people who are helping find an effective vaccine. These include the clinical trial volunteers, health professionals, community members and the researchers.
It is also an opportunity to learn more about vaccine research.
An AIDS vaccine is described as the best hope for ending the spread of HIV.
Dr Annet Nanvubya of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, says an effective AIDS vaccine will protect people from acquiring HIV and prevent or slow down the rate at which those who are already infected can progress to AIDS.
Although many trials have been done worldwide and produced no vaccine approved for use todate, great strides have been made.
Every time a trial has stopped, there are discoveries, new information and developments that take researchers closer to discovering the vaccine.
Vaccine trials in Uganda
Two bodies are involved in the research.
One is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which co-operates with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and UVRI at Entebbe.
The other is Makerere University Johns Hopkins University project (MUJHU) and Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP), which are also conducting trials in Masaka.
UVRI studies
According to Dr Juliet Mpendo, UVRI is currently following up volunteers who participated in previous HIV vaccine trials.
They are assessing their long term health status, evaluating the frequency of HIV infection and the persistence of vaccine-induced anti-bodies in those who tested HIV positive at the end of the trial.
So far 63 out 77 former volunteers have been enrolled and 24 are being followed up every six months for five years.
There is hope
Dr Ponsiano Kaleebu, the head at UVRI says there is more hope with every passing study. “We are now better informed and know much more about protective immunity and HIV behaviour. We are making progress. It may look slow but it is very vital.â€
Kaleebu, who has been in HIV vaccine research since 1995, said the biggest hope is in the vaccine candidate that proved some success in the recent Thailand trial. It was the first time an HIV vaccine showed a good result.
“The trial is going to be repeated in many places including Africa and involve many more volunteers. As soon as the funding for this is finalised, it will take about three to four years.â€
But that means that even if it proves effective after four years, there are many logistical procedures and preparations before it can be produced on a large scale.
Kaleebu says it can take another two years.
That means if all goes well, the least we can expect the first safe, effective and affordable HIV vaccine is six years from now.
In the meantime, this is just a hope. Remain faithful to your partner or use a condom if you cannot. Abstain before marriage and spread the word against HIV. And don’t forget to volunteer for HIV vaccine trials.