Dec. 1 is World
AIDS Day, and in commemoration of the occasion, the
HIV
Vaccine Trials Network, headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center, debunks the top 10 myths about HIV vaccine research.
Myth No. 1: HIV vaccines can give people HIV. HIV vaccines do not
contain HIV and therefore a person cannot get HIV from the HIV vaccine.
Some vaccines, like those for
typhoid or
polio,
may contain a weak form of the virus they are protecting against, but
this is not the case for HIV vaccines. Scientists make HIV vaccines so
that they look like the real virus, but they do not contain any HIV.
Think of it like a photocopy: It might look similar, but it isn't the
original. In the past 25 years more than 30,000 volunteers have taken
part in HIV vaccine studies worldwide, and no one has been infected with
HIV by any of the vaccines tested because they do not contain HIV.
Myth No. 2: An HIV vaccine already exists. There is no licensed vaccine
against HIV or AIDS, but scientists are getting closer than ever before
to developing an effective vaccine against HIV. In 2009, a large-scale
vaccine study conducted in Thailand called RV144 showed that a vaccine
combination could prevent about 32 percent of new infections.
Researchers are starting to understand why this vaccine combination
worked and how to improve upon it.
Researchers around the world continue to search for an HIV vaccine that
is even more effective. Leading this effort is the HIV Vaccine Trials
Network, the largest publicly funded group of HIV vaccine researchers in
the world. The HVTN is an international effort to find a safe and
effective vaccine to stop the spread of HIV. It is funded by the U. S.
National Institutes of Health.
Myth No. 3: Joining an HIV-vaccine study is like being a guinea pig.
Unlike guinea pigs, people can say yes or no to participating in
research. All study volunteers must go through a process called informed
consent that ensures they understand all of the risks and benefits of
being in a study, and those volunteers are reminded that they may leave a
study at any time without losing rights or benefits. The HVTN takes
great care in making sure people understand the study fully before they
decide whether or not join. All HVTN research adheres to U.S. federal
regulations on research, as well as the international standards for the
countries in which it conducts research.
Myth No. 4: A person must be HIV positive to be in an HIV vaccine study.
Not so. While some research groups are conducting studies of vaccines
that might be used in people who are already infected with HIV, the
vaccines being tested by the HVTN are preventive vaccines. They must be
tested on volunteers who are not infected with HIV.
Myth No. 5: Vaccine researchers want study participants to practice
unsafe behaviors so they can see whether the vaccine really works. Not
true. The safety of study participants is the No. 1 priority of HIV
vaccine researchers and study site staff. Trained counselors work with
study participants to help them develop an individual plan on how to
keep from contracting HIV. Participants also are given supplies such as
condoms and lubricant as well as instructions on how to use them
properly. HIV efficacy trials enroll thousands of participants over
several years, and with even with the best counseling some participants
will still become infected through their risky behavior. Changing human
behavior is never easy; after all, many people still smoke, even though
it is widely known that smoking is the major cause of
lung cancer. An AIDS epidemic would not exist if prevention was as simple as counseling people to change their risky behavior.
Myth No. 6: Now that there are pills that can prevent HIV infection, an
HIV vaccine is no longer necessary. HIV-negative people who are at high
risk can take antiretroviral medication daily to try to lower their
chances of becoming infected if they are exposed to the virus. This type
of therapy called PrEP, short for PreExposure Prophylaxis has been
shown to be effective among those at high risk. However, it has not yet
been recommended for widespread use. PrEP is unlikely to be an option
for everyone because the pills are expensive and are not always covered
by insurance, may cause side effects, and not everyone has access to
them. Remembering to take a pill every day is also challenging for some
people. The most effective way to eliminate a disease is by using an
effective vaccine. It was a vaccine that eliminated small pox and has
almost eliminated polio. Most likely it will be an HIV vaccine that
eliminates HIV from the world. Vaccines are an effective, affordable and
practical option.
Myth No. 7: An HIV vaccine is unnecessary because AIDS is easily treated and controlled, just like
diabetes.
While treatment for AIDS has dramatically improved over the last 30
years, it is no substitute for prevention. Current HIV medications are
very expensive, and there are also many side effects. Sometimes people
develop drug resistance and have to change the regimen of pills they
take. Access to these drugs for the uninsured in the U.S. and those in
the developing world is also very limited.
Myth No. 8: The search for an HIV vaccine has been going on for a long
time and it's just not possible to find one that works. The science of
HIV-vaccine development is challenging, but scientific understanding
continues to improve all the time. In just the past two years there have
been promising results from the RV144 study in Thailand as well as
exciting laboratory work, such as the discovery of new broadly
neutralizing antibodies against HIV. HIV is a powerful opponent, but
scientists are constantly learning from one another and using advanced
technology to fight it. Science has come a long way in the 30 years
since AIDS was discovered. In comparing preventive HIV vaccine work to
other vaccine development, the time it has taken is not so surprising;
the polio vaccine took 47 years to develop.
Myth No. 9: Vaccines cause
autism
and just aren't safe. This is not true. Numerous studies in the past
decade have found this claim to be false. The British doctor who
originally published the finding about vaccines and autism has since
been found to have falsified his data. There is actually no link between
childhood vaccination and autism. It is true that vaccines often have
side effects, but those are typically temporary (like a sore arm, low
fever,
muscle aches and pains) and go away after a day or two. The value of
protection to vaccinated individuals and to the public has made vaccines
one of the top public health measures in history, second only to having
a clean water supply.
Myth No. 10: People who aren't at risk don't need an HIV vaccine. A
person currently may not be at risk for HIV, but life situations can
change along with disease risk. Such a vaccine also may be important for
one's children or other family members and friends. By being
knowledgeable about preventive HIV vaccine research, a person can be
part of the solution by educating friends and family about the
importance of such research and debunking the myths that surround it.
Even if a person is not at risk, he or she can be part of the effort to
find a vaccine that will hopefully save the lives of millions of people
worldwide.
source:
medicalnewstoday.com
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