New HIV Vaccine Undergoing Trials

With the launch of a combined field trial for a new HIV vaccine and an injectable drug starting on Thursday, December 9, hopes have risen for finding better methods to combat the virus responsible for AIDS. According to Reuters, during the three-year trial period, 2,600 women from the southern African region will be covered. One of the challenges in achieving an HIV vaccine is the diversity of the virus. Pharmaceutical companies Johnson & Johnson, the National Institutes of Health, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are involved in producing these two new combined vaccines. Alongside the start of the combined vaccination plan, the pharmaceutical company Viu, specializing in expanding methods to combat AIDS, has registered 3,200 volunteer women in sub-Saharan Africa to evaluate the benefits of a new experimental drug administered bi-monthly. This research, which is set to begin soon, will continue until 2022. Since women make up more than half of new HIV infections in Africa, the fight against sexually transmitted diseases is primarily focused on women. In Iran, according to officials from the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, the incidence of AIDS among women has been increasing in recent years. Iranian officials report that over 66,000 people in Iran are infected with AIDS, of which only about 35,000 have been identified. Recently, the Associated Press reported an increase in HIV cases in Iran, especially among young people, due to sexual intercourse. Officials state that many patients are unaware of their infection with the virus. Although modern drugs for treating HIV have succeeded in reducing the risk of death and turning it into a chronic disease, the discovery of a vaccine to prevent this global disease remains critically important. Approximately 37 million people worldwide are infected with the HIV virus, and last year nearly 1.8 million people were newly infected. In this context, Iran is facing a 'new wave of rising AIDS cases.' Starting next year, all pregnant women in Iran will be tested for AIDS. Arash Alai stated that according to the law, individuals with AIDS cannot be deprived of any job. New hopes for AIDS treatment are emerging.