South Africa is currently trialling the new HIV vaccine over the period of four years on adults between the ages of 18-35. This early-stage HIV vaccine clinical trial in South Africa has determined that an investigational vaccine regimen is safe and generates comparable immune responses to those reported in a landmark 2009 study showing that a vaccine can protect people from HIV infection. This new study, called HVTN 702, is designed to determine whether the regimen is safe, tolerable and effective at preventing HIV infection among South African adults. All study participants will receive a total of five injections over one year. The volunteers will be randomly assigned to receive either the investigational vaccine regimen or a placebo.
To help us unpack and discuss this further we are joined on the line by:
1. Prof Glenda Gray President South African Medical Research Council
2. Prof Lynn Morris Head AIDS Research National Institute of Communicable Diseases
