AIDS vaccine: the beginning of the end: October 28, 1986. (From the Advocate Archives).Hope for the most promising AIDS vaccine AIDS vaccine A hypothetical vaccine intended to either prevent HIV infection or ensure that those infected will not fall victim to AIDS; the most promising vaccine is that using a naked DNA plasmid, reported by Letwin et al in 20/10/00 Science; as of early 2001, to date--AIDSVAX--was all but dashed in late February [see story, page 27], but as Michael Helquist reported in 1986, the dream of a vaccine vaccine Preparation containing either killed or weakened live microorganisms or their toxins, introduced by mouth, by injection, or by nasal spray to stimulate production of antibodies against an infectious agent. has always confronted difficult realities. At the time, genetically modified genetically modified Adjective (of an organism) having DNA which has been altered for the purpose of improvement or correction of defects genetically modified genetic adj [food etc] → mock <noinclude></noinclude> Wikipedia does not currently have an encyclopedia article for . You may like to search Wiktionary for "" instead. To begin an article here, feel free to [ edit this page], but please do not create a mere dictionary definition. HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. held the greatest promise. Yet the traditional method for vaccine trials--giving one group the vaccine and another a placebo--seemed too risky in the case of HIV. Pharmaceutical companies, meanwhile, were afraid of new levels of liability vaccine research might present. Industry officials urged the government to share some of the risk. The question of pushing for a vaccine was complicated even for gay people. It was not likely to help those who were already infected--and it could hurt funding for prevention and medical care. Still, Helquist suggested that heterosexuals would regard a vaccine as protection for themselves and thus would find ways to fund it. "Even vaccine-focused research will yield information helpful to treatments and other anti-AIDS efforts," he concluded. |
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