Search for AIDS vaccine falters

[MrBishop]

By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY

The two-decade search for an AIDS (news - web sites) vaccine, the only way to end the global crisis, is all but starting over, researchers here said Monday.


• The only vaccine to complete two large-scale clinical trials, AIDSVAX, proved a flop.


• A major Thai trial now enrolling patients and using a two-vaccine approach has drawn criticism for including the failed vaccine.


• Most of the 30 vaccine candidates now in the pipeline are relatively untested, and they're so similar that if one fails, they all may fail.


If that isn't discouraging enough, the next wave of large-scale human trials will be especially challenging because countries with the biggest epidemics lack the resources needed to study thousands of patients.


"This is a global disgrace," says Seth Berkley, director of the non-profit International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. "There hasn't been a serious effort, and until there is a serious effort, we'll never get there."

There's more

Looks like the cure for AIDS may have to wait a bit more, and in the meanwhile...millions die per year of this devastating disease.

Kudos to Bill Gates for putting his money where his heart is.

The Gates Foundation

 

[chcr]

Perspective:

Estimated worldwide yearly AIDS deaths: 3,000,000 -- 42,000,000 infected
Estimated worldwide yearly tuberculosis deaths: 3,100,000 -- 1,700,000,000 infected
Estimated worldwide yearly malaria deaths: 2,700,000 -- 120,000,000 infected (40% of the world population exposed)


How many of you though tuberculosis was eradicated or at least controlled? I did. 1.7 billion infected?

 

[Gonz]

We've been working on Cancer, ALS, Alsheimers, Muscular Dystrophy & innumerable other diseases as long, mostly longer, without a cure. Maybe we should just quit & go play in the park?

AIDS/HIV has a 100% reliable prevention built right in. Abstinence. The rest don't.
before it gets started, when was the last transfusion/transplant/etc aquired? my bet is a quite some time ago. they test now

 

[MrBishop]

MSM - 368,971 (MSM - Men who have sex with Men)
[2] IDU - 201,326 (IV Drug Use)
[3] MSM/IDUs - 51,293
Heterosexual - 90,131
Transfusions - 8,971
Hemophiliacs - 5,292
Pediatric (0-12) - 9,074
Other/Unknown - 81,091

**USA Only 2002 figures**
(source)

459,102 - sexually transmitted
224,663 - non-sexually transmitted
51,293 combo sex+IV drugs
81,091 - unknown (probably a combo)

Abstinance only goes so far. I'd say that a combo of abstinance and sex-ed in schools would go a lot further to reduce not only HIV/AIDS transmission but also in reducing teen-pregancy and teen-abortion rates.

 

[Gonz]

459,102 - sexually transmitted
51,293 combo sex+IV drugs
81,091 - unknown (probably a combo)

totalling 591,486.

more than twice

224,663 - non-sexually transmitted

.

If the first half a million did not exist the liklihood that the second less than a quarter million would cease & desist is great.

 

[MrBishop]

We've been working on Cancer, ALS, Alsheimers, Muscular Dystrophy & innumerable other diseases as long, mostly longer, without a cure. Maybe we should just quit & go play in the park?

That's not what I was suggesting. What I was suggesting is that we've still got a long, hard road ahead of us. I was also hoping to see some increased funding towards AIDS research.

a consortium of research agencies launched by the Gates Foundation last year to jump-start vaccine research. In June, G-8 nations endorsed the strategy, and the USA promised $15 million.

 

[MrBishop]

If the first half a million did not exist the liklihood that the second less than a quarter million would cease & desist is great.

You won't have to wait long...with close to 42million infected, our population will be lessened soon enough.

 

[Gonz]

Our?

 

[MrBishop]

Our?

Yup...our. 42million planet-wide. The last time I looked at an atlas, the USA was on terra firma, and not hovering a mile above it.

What affects the world, affects everyone. OUR

 

[Gonz]

That word is usually used on a far more personal basis.

 

[MrBishop]

That word is usually used on a far more personal basis.

What can I say? I have a friend with AIDS, I have gay family members and friends, I work with people who deal with AIDS daily at hospices etc.(Working with priests does that). It's a debilitating disease, and spreading at horrific speeds.

I'm not trying to downplay cancer, or Altzeimers etc...Lord knows that they kill enough people out there and closer to home, but the kind of setback that the researchers are feeling now affects everyone. Who can afford to not cringe at those kind of numbers? Not me.

 

[catocom]

We've been working on Cancer, ALS, Alsheimers, Muscular Dystrophy & innumerable other diseases as long, mostly longer, without a cure. Maybe we should just quit & go play in the park?
[/size]

There isn't as much money in curing them.

 

[Gonz]

Nor am I downplaying the terrible effects of HIV. Since there are so few that are willing to say the truth I have elected myself to play the devils advocate. There is a way to end it's rapid spread without money or research. Those things are ultimately needed but when it can be stopped virtually dead in it's tracks...

 

[catocom]

There isn't as much money in curing them.

I was just thinking of a great example....
Look at how far Michael J. Fox has advanced it his researches, why,
because hes got the jack, and backing, and isn't as worried about
making the pharmaceuticals money, as finding a cure.

 

[chcr]

I was just thinking of a great example....
Look at how far Michael J. Fox has advanced it his researches, why,
because hes got the jack, and backing, and isn't as worried about
making the pharmaceuticals money, as finding a cure.

Good point.

 

[MrBishop]

The money will eventually find its way there...it's the new laws re: stem-cell research that seems to me, is putting up barriers to potentially strong research.

It's proved invaluable in certain types of cancer... it may well do the case for Altzeimers etc...

 

[MrBishop]

There isn't as much money in curing them.

I dunno...a cure for cancer would make some company fuckin' rich, ditto Altzeimers. (All those retired people with disposeable income and no brains to spend it).

 

[Gonz]

The money will eventually find its way there...it's the new laws re: stem-cell research that seems to me, is putting up barriers to potentially strong research.

Here's a perfectly good opportunity for one of the non-American companies to show its mettle & create. Too many say the Americans are bad/greedy/egotistical/etc yet why are we the ones getting belittled for our stance when there are about 137 more countries who can provide the next chapter in history.

 

[BeardofPants]

I saw on the teletex something about lemon juice killing off the HIV strain... Unfortunately, a strong dose, whilst killing off 90% of the strain, is thought to be toxic.

Linkage.

 

[MrBishop]

Here's a perfectly good opportunity for one of the non-American companies to show its mettle & create. Too many say the Americans are bad/greedy/egotistical/etc yet why are we the ones getting belittled for our stance when there are about 137 more countries who can provide the next chapter in history.

A lot of countries are trying to do just that..and keep getting slammed as frankensteins or something. The ethics of stem-cell research and its application make it hard to work through. Shame really.
I wonder if our GVTs would feel the same way about stem-cell research once another country came up with the cure for Cancer..like France for instance.

Quick show of hands - How many people here knew that stem-cells are already being used against leukhemia and in use with chemotherapy? (Bone marrow transplants)