Uganda has announced plans to start HIV Vaccine trials in July 2013.
The HIV vaccine trials will be conducted under the makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP) and would involve 120 participants.
According to Project Executive Director, Dr. Hannah Kibuuka, “These trials are commonly done in Uganda, Thailand and the US. We hope to involve 120 participants,” she said, adding that the age of those who will participate will be between 18 and 50 years.
Kibuuka said Uganda has not yet conducted a vaccine trial to determine whether the candidate vaccines can prevent HIV infection.
She, however, said such trials had been conducted in Thailand.
According to her, RV144 trials conducted on over 16,000 individuals showed that the two vaccines given to individuals who participated showed a 31 percent risk reduction in acquiring HIV.
Dr. Kibuuka added that this was a success because it showed that it is possible to develop a vaccine against HIVAIDS in the near future.
NV
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