FINDING A CURE….20 year-old “Linda” does not have the HIV virus. Yet he finds himself sitting in a doctors’ office at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto seeking a cure. He is one of 3000 participants involved in a new HIV vaccine trial titled Phambili, a Zulu phrase that appropriately means "moving forward". It was launched earlier this year by the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) in partnership with the National Institutes of Health and pharmaceutical company Merck.
“People have been preaching about the cure for AIDS,” says Linda, who recalled the grief of watching his 37-year-old uncle die from the disease last year. “I thought to myself if this is the chance [for a cure], let me take the chance.”
For the next six months, he has to subject himself to monthly checkups that require him to give blood samples and receive at least three inoculations. One month into the study, he has not experienced any complications other than a slight pain on his shoulder.
The preventative vaccine is designed to destroy HIV-infected cells and inhibit their ability to replicate within the body. Dr. Busi Nkala, a program manager for the Phambili trial, called the study a major breakthrough.
“It is the first HIV vaccine to get to this phase,” she said of the trial which has entered its second phase to assess safety and effectiveness. “We have lots of other vaccines that have been tested, but this is the first one to go [this far] and already it has got promising results.”
Linda is also hopeful. Even though he could not save his uncle from the scourge of AIDS, he sees his small role in the drug experiment as one that could have a much larger impact if it leads to the development of real vaccine that could preserve countless lives.
“At least I can be proud of myself that I did something right,” he said.
“People have been preaching about the cure for AIDS,” says Linda, who recalled the grief of watching his 37-year-old uncle die from the disease last year. “I thought to myself if this is the chance [for a cure], let me take the chance.”
For the next six months, he has to subject himself to monthly checkups that require him to give blood samples and receive at least three inoculations. One month into the study, he has not experienced any complications other than a slight pain on his shoulder.
The preventative vaccine is designed to destroy HIV-infected cells and inhibit their ability to replicate within the body. Dr. Busi Nkala, a program manager for the Phambili trial, called the study a major breakthrough.
“It is the first HIV vaccine to get to this phase,” she said of the trial which has entered its second phase to assess safety and effectiveness. “We have lots of other vaccines that have been tested, but this is the first one to go [this far] and already it has got promising results.”
Linda is also hopeful. Even though he could not save his uncle from the scourge of AIDS, he sees his small role in the drug experiment as one that could have a much larger impact if it leads to the development of real vaccine that could preserve countless lives.
“At least I can be proud of myself that I did something right,” he said.
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