By Ben Musanje

7th Feb 2020

HIV researchers in Uganda are not shaken with the disappointments from this week’s announcement that indicated a promising new vaccine had failed a critical test, shutting down a major clinical trial in South Africa two years before it was scheduled to end.

Vaccinations were halted after an independent monitoring panel for the “Uhambo” study in South Africa determined on Jan. 23 that 129 people who received the vaccine developed HIV while 123 who were given a placebo contracted the infection.

Hopes were that the trial would show a significant improvement over the mild from the 31 percent effectiveness of a vaccine tested in Thailand over ten years ago.

Speaking to health reporters under their umbrella Health Journalist Network in Uganda (HEJNU) at Uganda Cares along Kamwokya road in Kampala, the Director Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu confirms that the South African new vaccine which was a redesign of the one used in Thailand showed no effectiveness which has continued to sharpen their knowledge of carrying research for HIV Prevention Vaccine.


Friday 7th February 2020 09:03:37 PM