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HIV vaccine to be tested on teenagers

    JOHANNESBURG

    The frequent changes in hormone levels normally associated with teenagers have prompted the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) to consider including youths in preventative HIV vaccine trials.

    Agence France Presse quoted SAAVI spokeswoman Michelle Galloway as saying: "We don't want to end up with a vaccine that won't work in teenagers, because it is believed that their high level of hormonal changes may impact on the effectiveness of a vaccine."

    SAAVI and the Nelson Mandela Foundation recently announced the possibility of including teenagers, noting that they were also most at risk of HIV infection.

    The vaccine initiative is currently testing two preventative HIV vaccine candidates in South Africa, in trials expected to take up to 10 years.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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