HIV vaccine may possibly exist in a few years

 

Scientists and researchers may be one step closer to preventing HIV. This after scientists have discovered a certain broadly neutralising antibody which can attack the virus.

They are furthering this study to possibly create a vaccine using the antibody - thus making the human body a hostile environment which the virus would not be able to survive in.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said it the announcement was "groundbreaking and represent[ed] a very important step towards a better understanding of the virus...and how we can block the activity of the virus".

But Motsoaledi made it very clear that people should not have a perception that they should no longer worry about contracting HIV. "As we seek a vaccine...the issue of prevention is still very important. This still means that every South African must test annually and use condoms consistently", he said.

Developing such a vaccine would take time, as it was estimated that the Medicines Control Council would only give the go-ahead for such development by 2015, after which the medical trial would start.

Picture courtesy of journeytosolidarity.org