HIV Vaccine Primer: Basic Science and Concepts May 13, 2013
Getting to zero new HIV infections is already possible with our
current HIV prevention methods -- condom use, pre-exposure
prophylaxis, education, testing and so forth. But the holy grail
of getting to zero remains an HIV vaccine. With an effective
vaccine, HIV could eventually be rendered as obsolete as
smallpox. Just to be clear: No HIV vaccine currently works well
in humans. But there are many ongoing efforts to develop one,
and those efforts have been rejuvenated in recent years. Some
experts say we are at least 10 years away from an HIV vaccine,
while others say it may be much longer than that. So why is it
taking so long? What makes developing a vaccine for HIV so
difficult? Some of the science behind HIV vaccines can be
tricky, but here are the basics to help you better understand
what goes on in our bodies and how a successful vaccine may be
developed. The Biggest Obstacle in Developing an HIV Vaccine
"The one biggest [obstacle] is HIV itself