Hopes have been crumbled as the HVTN 702, an experimental vaccine that is supposed to protect people from contracting HIV isn’t working. The HVTN 702 has been tried on over 5200 people in South Africa but the National Institutes of Health has stopped the trial after the jab failed to prevent people from the virus. HVTN 702 does not contain HIV and does not have adverse consequences for research participants.
Experts who worked day and night to develop this vaccine expressed their deepest disappointment but also promised in the same breath to continue looking for vaccines to prevent HIV.
HVTN 702 had the strain of the subtype most common in South Africa. South Africa is known to top the list of countries with the highest rate of HIV. Hopes were kept that the HVTN vaccine would work and the other strains of HIV can then be added to the vaccine.
People volunteered to allow health experts to test the vaccines on them. 129 people that took the vaccines were recorded to have HIV infections and also 123 HIV infections recorded on people who took the dummy jab.
“An HIV vaccine is essential to end the global pandemic and we hoped this vaccine candidate would work. Regrettably, it does not.” Dr Anthony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health stated.
Experts claimed this is a major setback for the field, but they won’t deter in their search for getting the right vaccine to work in preventing HIV.
On the plus side, there is a drug that prevents HIV infection called pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep). It’s just unlike vaccines, this drug needs to be taken daily and devotedly. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep) however is not available all over the world. Countries like Nigeria were these drugs are not sold, depend on preventive measures like using a condom during sexual intercourse or opting for total abstinence.
‘’Through regular testing, condoms, Prep and effective treatment which means people living with HIV can’t pass on the virus – we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the HIV epidemic. It’s vital we seize this.” The head of policy at Higgins Trust Debbie Laycock stated.
