Science
(2009-09-24)
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For reasons not exactly known, about a third of those vaccinated showed resistance to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Dr. Mark Mulligan is the Director of Emory's Hope Clinic.
"We've had a string of disappointments in our human trials of HIV vaccines, so this is actually very encouraging. It's not a homerun. It is definitely a base hit, and depending what we learn, [it] could propel us forward to an even more protective vaccine."
Dr. Mulligan says to be widely accepted, vaccines generally provide a 60-to-80 percent immunity.
He says scientists across the world will now work to better understand why the regimen boosted immunity. But he cautions this is a first although promising--step in a vaccine likely many years away.
Jim Burress, WABE News.
© Copyright 2009, WABE
