Moderna will test HIV vaccine

[BootmanLA]

10 hours ago, PigBoyDallas said:

I would totally be down to get it. While Prep works for most people it can cause liver and other problems and people can’t tolerate it. There’s the cost as well (although there’s some programs for some people). But for younger kids who aren’t out you can’t really go on Prep if you’re on your parents insurance as they’ll find out. This would be an alternative. I’m all for having another tool in the arsenal against HIV/AIDS. It would be great for folks in the medical field and first responders who are at risk for exposure as well. I get the disappointment from the bug chasing crowd, but hey…just look at Covid…there’s a lot of people who just refuse the concept of vaccines, Medicine, and science. There will always be some people around carrying the disease.

The only thing I'd add is that a vaccine may carry with it its own side effects just like PrEP does - perhaps not the same ones, or not in as severe a form, but still. 

[darckson]

Personally I'm more curious big the social effect a lot of things in the gay community exist or are center around HIV, some would say that it was what push the community together in one direction. Curious to how with a vaccine and the end of the big bad deadly gay virus what will happen to many gay and other organizations that very existence are about HIV and where is all that money is Gona go?

[LoveAndBeLoved]

On 8/25/2021 at 8:57 AM, darckson said:

Personally I'm more curious big the social effect a lot of things in the gay community exist or are center around HIV, some would say that it was what push the community together in one direction. Curious to how with a vaccine and the end of the big bad deadly gay virus what will happen to many gay and other organizations that very existence are about HIV and where is all that money is Gona go?

That money can go to eradication of Syphilis. That's a real ultimate damning bitch. Fortunately I got diagnosed soon and it can be treated with Penicillin shot. I changed my ways after that. Now I am a sane grown man.

 

I dream of a gay community with no HIV. HIV cure will lead to prevention/treatment of almost all viral (retroviral in particular) diseases because HIV is the toughest one out there. The whole world will then be thankful to the LGBT community for fueling all these clinical trials.

Edited August 26, 2021 by LoveAndBeLoved
Stylistic correction

[fskn]

It's years too soon to speculate on behavioral and social changes from an HIV vaccine.

Moderna is launching a Phase 1 clinical trial to find out whether its two candidates are safe, and to determine what immune responses they provoke (which is not the same as checking whether they prevent HIV infections in entire population groups).

Though these are the first candidates based on mRNA technology, they are not the first HIV vaccines. Vaccines using older technologies have advanced even further through the clinical trial stages, some with disappointing results and others with encouraging results. (Even vaccines with low efficacy rates can save large numbers of lives, when we are talking about a disease like HIV, in places where it is widespread and where prevention, testing, and treatment are limited — as in some parts of the world beyond the US and Western Europe.)

People who are interested in participating in HIV prevention clinical trials should look up the HVTN and HPTN, two international research networks funded by the US federal government. Those interested in participating in HIV treatment-related trials can look up the ACTG. Many US cities, and some foreign countries, have network sites. (European countries have their own national research agencies, such as the ANRS in France.)

There is a range of HIV vaccine-related clinical trials going on at any time. Most are Phase 1 studies, meant to answer narrow scientific questions with the help of small numbers of volunteers who are at low-risk of getting HIV. In other words, this line of research is slow, deliberate, and unsexy — but very important.

@LoveAndBeLoved is right to credit queer communities, but perhaps not for their role in HIV vaccine research. At the height of the AIDS crisis in the US, queer activists dramatically changed the clinical trial process, forcing researchers to consult with community members.

Each HVTN, HPTN and ACTG site has a community advisory board in addition to an institutional ethics committee. Ordinary people drawn from the communities that will participate in the clinical trials are at the table when studies are planned, and as they are being implemented.

The main participants in later-stage HIV vaccine trials are not likely to be queer people — nor Americans or Europeans, for that matter. They are likely to be heterosexual Africans, due to the much higher prevalence of HIV in African countries. And we can credit South Africa for being the continental leader in building local, non-US-operated HIV research competence.

[Pigforpoz]

I don't think there will ever be a vaccine to prevent getting HIV nor a cure for HIV because the drug companies are making lots of money on HIV drugs!  

Edited September 4, 2021 by kevy1109

[BootmanLA]

On 8/22/2021 at 5:14 PM, RawUK said:

I'm not a medical trained but I doubt it would be one shot of vaccine for life. Most vaccines require boosters.

Tetanus is recommended every 8 to 10 years here in the UK.

Hep B vaccine eventually reduces in effectiveness and requires boosters is another example.

Covid they are talking about a 3rd jab before winter here in the UK for the over 50's

Just my thoughts.

It almost certainly won't be "one and done", but I don't think that's a big deal, as long as it's a reasonably priced vaccine. If I were HIV-negative I'd happily pay a $25 copay every year to get an HIV vaccine booster. I get a flu vaccine shot every year as it is, and I've got a feeling we'll need Covid boosters for years.