Want to make a contribution to ending the AIDS epidemic around the world? Here’s your chance: volunteer for vaccine research. Through Central Texas Clinical Research, the local research group, Austin is one of the U.S. trial sites for a promising vaccine, and they are enrolling healthy, HIV-negative adult participants.
The present trial, called Phase I, is the first step in which people are the study subjects; extensive animal testing has already been done. The two vaccine forms being tested – developed by pharmaceutical giant Merck – are made from a man-made copy of one of HIV’s proteins. They do not contain a whole virus or any reproducible part, so there is no danger of becoming infected with HIV.
Volunteers receiving a similar vaccine had only soreness at the injection site as an adverse reaction, typical of vaccinations. However, pregnant women may not participate, because impact on fetal development is unknown.
Participants are asked to commit to making 17 visits over 18 months, with four injections, several physical exams, and some blood draws; $75 compensation will be paid for each visit. Several additional visits over the next three years are also needed for follow-up research.
Researchers hope that this vaccine will produce a meaningful immune response in humans; it did in animal subjects. However, they do not know yet if it will provide protection against HIV infection!
Ultimately, an HIV vaccine, not treatment will be the only answer to stopping this viral epidemic. To find out if you can help in this research, please call Chris Miklos at Central Texas Clinical Research, 480-9660.
This article appears in June 14 • 2002.