HIV Vaccine ready for human testing.

[HotelCo]

An HIV/AIDS vaccine developed in Canada has passed safety tests in animals and the researchers are awaiting approval to begin human trials in the U.S.

"It is a very important milestone for us," said Yong Kang, a professor of microbiology at the University of Western Ontario in London who has been working on the vaccine for 20 years.

Kang said he expects to get the go-ahead soon from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin human toxicology tests and two phases of clinical trials in the United States.

Read more...

 

[Meursault]

For those of you who haven't RTFA, don't get too excited, it's just safety testing. It'll be a while before anyone finds out whether or not it's actually effective.

*crosses fingers*

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

re

Wish there was more information in that article. I'm curious if this vaccine is based on bio markers found on the African sex workers they have been following for the last 7 years or so. Repeatedly exposed to HIV+ males and show no sign of it themselves

 

[Shishkabob]

God, I'd hate to be one of the test subjects.

"Take this pill... now stand still while I poke you with an HIV+ needle."

 

[HotelCo]

God, I'd hate to be one of the test subjects.

"Take this pill... now stand still while I poke you with an HIV+ needle."

As far as I can tell this trial is just to test whether the vaccine is toxic in humans, not to test it's effectiveness as preventing HIV.

 

[Shishkabob]

Kang said he expects to get the go-ahead soon from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin human toxicology tests and two phases of clinical trials in the United States.

Seems like both.

But still doesn't change the future test if/when it gets approved for the trials.

 

[HotelCo]

Seems like both.

But still doesn't change the future test if/when it gets approved for the trials.

Sacrifices have always been made for the sake of progress. Personally, I wouldn't sign up to be a guinea pig for this drug.

 

[ClarkKent]

God, I'd hate to be one of the test subjects.

"Take this pill... now stand still while I poke you with an HIV+ needle."

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[bstone]

Check out the work being done by Sangamo Biosciences. (ticker SGMO). They have a full on cure for AIDS in Stage 1 clinical testing.

 

[HotelCo]

Check out the work being done by Sangamo Biosciences. (ticker SGMO). They have a full on cure for AIDS in Stage 1 clinical testing.

Just for those who have progressed to AIDS? Does it work for those who haven't reached AIDS as well?

 

[rhan101277]

Check out the work being done by Sangamo Biosciences. (ticker SGMO). They have a full on cure for AIDS in Stage 1 clinical testing.

Seems like these guys know more about microbiology than physicians.

 

[hometown]

Personally, I think that a great "test subject" would be some death row inmates. Maybe not, maybe that would raise an ethical question, but what else would they have to use.

 

[bstone]

I think both.

 

[HotelCo]

Personally, I think that a great "test subject" would be some death row inmates. Maybe not, maybe that would raise an ethical question, but what else would they have to use.

Hmm... I don't know. Volunteers?

 

[ClarkKent]

Hmm... I don't know. Volunteers?

I will gladly volunteer my Ex!

 

[daedalus]

Seems like these guys know more about microbiology than physicians.

People who work at pharm and biomedical firms are scientists who devote their education to specific areas of biology. They may be MDs who also hold a PhD (there are programs in the United States that graduate you as both an MD and PhD). Those who are PhDs only may be more knowledgeable in a very narrow field than a physician, but that does not make them superior. Physicians are not doctors of microbiology like a PhD may be, they are doctors or medicine who must be well versed in a vast amount of knowledge where as a PhD concentrates on one area and is also a researcher.

 

[CAOX3]

An HIV/AIDS vaccine developed in Canada has passed safety tests in animals and the researchers are awaiting approval to begin human trials in the U.S.

Ok first since it was developed in Canada why dont you test it on your own residents, you know the ones with the free healthcare.

Second, Im pretty sure they wont be infecting people with the HIV virus to "see if it works"

And C, unfortunately we are probably still years away from any mainstream aids vaccinations.

 

[VentMedic]

For now I would like to see the U.S. bring back the education programs that were done in the late 80s and throughout the 90s. We are seeing an increase in HIV/AIDS amongst the 20 - 25 y/o group. Many have never been tested before and some believe AIDS to be a legend or myth like Big Foot. No one had ever explained the consequences of the actions by either drugs or sex to them in blunt terms. This age group was just being born at the height of the HIV/AIDS discovery and missed the hard hitting facts that were visible in people with the disease as well as the educational campaign that helped to knock down some of the numbers at least in certain populations. But even then our government was slow to respond. For those who want an interesting history lesson about the U.S. and HIV/AIDS, I suggest reading "And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic" by Randy Shilts.

The cases we may see now is usually a young male early 20s and nicely dressly by today's fashion who states he has had something like bronchitis going on for several days when he comes to the ED very short of breath. Not only will he be told he is HIV positive but he may also be diagnosed with AIDS with the finding of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia (PCP) which would go along with a low CD4 count and probably a high viral load. The unfortunate thing is this patient may die even with today's meds and technology because the body's immune system has already been severely attacked. The other problem for those in Public Health is determining how many female and/or male sex partners he has had prior to his hospital admission. He may have been HIV+ for quite some time before presenting to the ED this sick. Unfortunately once he is placed on a ventilator, he won't be able to make out the list himself.