AIDS vaccine fails

[the4thpip]

AIDS vaccine test halted after shots fail

TRENTON, N.J. - In a disappointing setback, a promising experimental AIDS vaccine failed to work in a large international test, leading the developer to halt the study.

Merck & Co. said Friday that it is ending enrollment and vaccination of volunteers in the study, which was partly funded by the National Institutes of Health.

It was a high-profile failure in the daunting quest to develop a vaccine to prevent AIDS. Merck’s vaccine was the farthest along, considered the most promising and was closely watched by experts in the field.


More here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20909432/

Dag nabbit.

As long as I can remember, they've been telling us a vaccine would take another "5 to 10 years."

This is a rolling time line like DC's continuity.

[Lester C.]

The problem with Aids is that the virus is in a constant state of evolution in each patient which is what makes curing it so difficult. Still I believe that every setback gives us more information about what to and not to do and sooner or later we will send it the way of polio, tuberculosis, small pox etc. That said I am still incredibly sadden, as it will mean millions of human beings, most of whom are decent hardworking people, are going to die when they could have lived if the vaccine had worked.:(

[the4thpip]

Thing is, I don't think they ever found a vaccine for a retrovirus. Which means they might never find one.

[sunshinegirl]

The problem with Aids is that the virus is in a constant state of evolution in each patient which is what makes curing it so difficult. Still I believe that every setback gives us more information about what to and not to do and sooner or later we will send it the way of polio, tuberculosis, small pox etc. That said I am still incredibly sadden, as it will mean millions of human beings, most of whom are decent hardworking people, are going to die when they could have lived if the vaccine had worked.:(

sorta like no 'cure for the common cold' idea which, i think, is similar. ??

[Lester C.]

sorta like no 'cure for the common cold' idea which, i think, is similar. ??

It is. Both viruses mutate wildly so each strain is different from person to person. The major difference between aids and a cold is that your immune system cures you of a cold though the use of your antibodies forever. Once your cold is cured, you will never get that particular strain again. Sadly Aids kills the antibodies that cure you of diseases, which is why people don't die of aids, but rather of diseases that they get because their immune system is nonexistent. In fact I think Aids even go as far as to trick your antibodies to replicate and evolve the virus within you as it kills off your B and T cells.

Now please note that my knowledge of aids comes from a health class I took in junior high, so I sure I'm wrong on some stuff, but I think I explained the gist of it.

[MacQuarrie]

Nobody has ever found a cure for any virus. We can kill them or we can block them, but we can't cure the damage done once infection has occurred.

[Arawn]

There are still 7 or 8 more vaccines in stage 2, or early stage 3 testing meant to prevent HIV transmission. So there is still a lot of hope out there.

Stage 2 is initial human testing

Stage 3 is wide scale

Oh and so far the vaccines are extremely effective in people that are naturally resistant. But finding out how to replicate that in others, and not just strengthen it in some is the key.

[Cam63]

Keep trying, folks.

[Sean Walsh]

One of my friends told me that there's an incredibly small population of the human race that is immune to AIDS. :eek:

He may've just been pulling my leg (probable) but he IS also a Republican and Freemason so maybe he's onto something and just revealed some big evil secret without really meaning to.

[the4thpip]

One of my friends told me that there's an incredibly small population of the human race that is immune to AIDS. :eek:

He may've just been pulling my leg (probable) but he IS also a Republican and Freemason so maybe he's onto something and just revealed some big evil secret without really meaning to.

No, they're around. I've read several case studies. Our own Arawn, who posted on this thread, says he is one of them.

They are trying to figure out just what in their genetic make-up it is that makes them able to beat the virus back, and hopefully find it's something that can be used to help others.

[stealthwise]

One of my friends told me that there's an incredibly small population of the human race that is immune to AIDS. :eek:


You're thinking of Captain Trips.

[Tommy]

You're thinking of Captain Trips.

Are we all headed to Denver?

[Arawn]

No, they're around. I've read several case studies. Our own Arawn, who posted on this thread, says he is one of them.

They are trying to figure out just what in their genetic make-up it is that makes them able to beat the virus back, and hopefully find it's something that can be used to help others.

Not immune, well at least we don't think so. But over 25 years with HIV and STILL A symptomatic so I am hella resistant. No disease or virus has ever been found that is 100% contagious.

[the4thpip]

It gets worse:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thousands of people who volunteered to test an experimental AIDS vaccine that may have actually raised the risk of infection will be told if they got the actual shot, researchers said on Tuesday.

(...)
Earlier this month, researchers said they saw some worrying indications that the vaccine somehow raised the risk of infection, although they stressed the vaccine could not itself cause HIV infection.

They had already begun counseling volunteers that they could be at higher risk of HIV, a fatal and incurable virus that causes AIDS.

"All study volunteers will be encouraged to continue to return to their study sites on a regular basis for ongoing risk reduction counseling and study-related tests," the researchers said in a statement.

"Study investigators are being advised this week to provide this information to the volunteers; volunteers will receive additional information about the unblinding process directly from study sites."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071113/hl_nm/aids_vaccine_merck_dc_2

[Lester C.]

It gets worse:



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071113/hl_nm/aids_vaccine_merck_dc_2

That's just real shitty. Out of massive compassion in your heart you volunteer for an experiment that is suppose to save millions, if not one day billions of lives, and you end up with a much higher chance on contracting AIDS a disease that is as mysterious and fatal now as it was twenty years ago. There are times when I question my faith in The Almighty and this would be one.

[Stressfactor]

They have found a vaccine to prevent mothers with AIDS from passing it on to their unborn children though and it is working so at least you can hold onto that good news -- I used to work for a group of nuns and one of their ministries was working with children born with AIDS. Most of those poor kids never got to live out a normal human lifespan -- now that does not have to happen.

[the4thpip]

They have found a vaccine to prevent mothers with AIDS from passing it on to their unborn children though and it is working so at least you can hold onto that good news -- I used to work for a group of nuns and one of their ministries was working with children born with AIDS. Most of those poor kids never got to live out a normal human lifespan -- now that does not have to happen.

As far as I know, it's the combination therapy that is used on most HIV patients that prevents the infection from mother to child, not a vaccine. It has about a 98% success rate. Infection is still possible through breast feeding in those cases.