Canadian Researches Get Go-Ahead to Test HIV/AIDS Vaccine

I don’t often post about health news, but this seems a little too good to ignore. Canadian researchers have been given the go-ahead to begin testing a vaccine on humans to treat HIV/AIDS, with testing to begin on 40 HIV-positive persons next month. Following success there, another 6,600 at-risk but HIV-negative patients will be tested for immunity to the virus and effectiveness of the vaccine.

One of the big reasons that this vaccine is a big deal is that it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which is crucial because the US-based agency is known for its strict standards. As such, the vaccine could in time be used in the United States and likely all over the world, as most countries tend to follow the FDA’s lead on which drugs are safe to use.

Another interesting tidbit is the fact that this vaccine was developed by Canadian researchers, but in the US. This is due to the fact that there are no suitable labs for development in Canada, nor are there many appropriate labs in the entire world. The vaccine is being produced between two different labs, in Maryland and Colorado.

I’m not going to act like I understand medicine, but the vaccine works like this: Unlike other research, the Western team uses viruses it kills and genetically modifies to make them safe. Part of that process involves using white blood cells and the melittin protein from honeybees to help cultivate the vaccine.

Other attempts have used live viruses, because research found that route was successful in developing vaccines to combat mumps, measles and smallpox.

If the testing using this vaccine proves to be a success, then this could well be one of the most exciting advancement in the combat against HIV/AIDS ever.