Scientists have taken a step further to test their HIV vaccine

The HIV / AIDS crisis in the United States is not exactly over . Thousands of people still contract HIV each year in the United States – an estimated 38,500 people were infected with the virus in 2015 alone, according to the latest statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention . Worldwide, this number is even more discouraging: About 1.8 million people reportedly infected in 2016.

And although we now live in the time of PrEP – an effective, preventative drug – its high price tag makes it out of reach for many of the millions affected. Before insurance, a 30-day supply can reach $ 2,000 NPR and some Americans are still denied coverage . an alternative solution: HIV vaccines. A new study published in the Lancet reveals that scientists have tested the vaccine on humans and rhesus monkeys, and they plan to administer it to a group of 2,600 women at risk for HIV. Southern Africa.

This new phase of testing, called "test 2b", should bring promising results.

"These results represent a milestone," said Dan Barouch, director of the Virology and Vaccines Research Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. , said in a release .

The formula on which Barouch and his colleagues work is one of five vaccine candidates to have ever done In 48 weeks, researchers administered the drug. 39 one of seven combinations of the vaccine (or placebo) to a group of 393 non-HIV infected adults. The adults came from clinics in East Africa, South Africa, the United States, and Thailand.

They found that "all vaccine regimens tested were able to generate anti-HIV immune responses in healthy individuals", which means that study participants developed a kind of protection against the virus. That said, it does not necessarily mean that patients are unable to contract HIV – and it would be unethical to try to infect them with the virus to find out. Although the results are undoubtedly exciting, the truth is that scientists are still far from a finished product.

"These results must be interpreted with caution," Barouch said. "The challenges in the development of an HIV vaccine are unprecedented, and the ability to induce specific immune responses to HIV does not necessarily indicate that a vaccine will protect humans against HIV." HIV infection. "

For now, it's a game of waiting. But perhaps one day, one of the deadliest viruses in the world may finally be a thing of the past.