HIV vaccine trials to begin in December

A preventive HIV vaccine trial is set to begin on 1 December in Nairobi, researchers from the Kenya Aids Vaccine Initiative (KAVI) told journalists last week. They said the trials will be done in three phases and will involve a small number of volunteers. The first phase will involve volunteers from the low risk group comprising those who have tested HIV negative and are not highly exposed to the virus. The experts stressed that the vaccine was preventive and not curative. The vaccine is also to go on trial in two months in London. It was developed after years of research between scientists at the University of Nairobi and the Oxford University.