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Poor turnout hampers HIV vaccine trials

    JOHANNESBURG

    The low turnout of respondents for South Africa's HIV vaccine trials is threatening to undermine research efforts launched almost a year ago.

    According to researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC), the fear of AIDS-related stigma and discrimination from communities had prevented people from taking part.

    Despite ongoing education campaigns, misconceptions about the trials presented another obstacle, as a large number of people believed they could be infected with the HI virus by being inoculated with a test vaccine.

    MRC senior clinical research nurse Armstrong Makhofola told the UN news service, PlusNews, that such fears were unfounded, "as no live viruses are injected ... the replicating parts of the virus are removed, so that the virus is like a car without a motor."

    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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