AIDS vaccine

Is there an AIDS vaccine?

An AIDS vaccine does not yet exist, but efforts to develop a vaccine against HIV and AIDS have been underway for many years. Since 1987, more than 30 vaccine candidates have been tested.¹
An AIDS vaccine is not the same thing as a cure for AIDS.

Why do we need an AIDS vaccine?

Even a partially effective AIDS vaccine could save millions of lives. Experts have calculated that an AIDS vaccine that is 50% effective, given to just 30% of the population could reduce the number of HIV infections in the developing world by more than half over 15 years. An AIDS vaccine that was more than 50% effective could cut the infection rate by more than 80%.²
An AIDS vaccine would have a number of key advantages over today’s HIV prevention options. In particular, the protection offered by a vaccine during sex would not depend on the consent of both partners (unlike condom use), and would not require behaviour change (unlike abstinence). An AIDS and HIV vaccine would also be invaluable for couples wishing to conceive a child while minimising the risk of HIV transmission.
Children could be given an HIV and AIDS vaccine before ever being exposed to the HIV virus, and ideally this would subsequently protect them from all routes of HIV transmission. Vaccinating large numbers of people would probably require relatively little equipment and expertise, and would be much simpler and cheaper than providing antiretroviral treatment for those already infected.

How might an AIDS vaccine work?

This image shows an antibody (green) in contact with an HIV protein (yellow & red), which is a possible target for AIDS vaccine developers.

President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief

What is PEPFAR?

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR, is America's initiative to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.

When did PEPFAR start?

President George W. Bush signs the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003

In his State of the Union Address in January 2003, President George W. Bush made a commitment to substantially increase US support for addressing HIV/AIDS worldwide.¹

"I ask the Congress to commit $15 billion over the next five years, to turn the tide against AIDS in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean" President George W. Bush

AIDS & prostitution

For years, ‘prostitution’ has been a major theme in discussions about the global AIDS and HIV epidemic. The media often run stories about HIV that focus on individuals who sell sex, and both governments and HIV related organisations frequently talk about prostitutes and prostitution in the context of AIDS.

Why is ‘AIDS and prostitution’ an issue?

This topic is significant for several reasons:

• High rates of HIV have been found amongst individuals who sell sex in many different and diverse countries. Even where HIV prevalence is low amongst this group, it is usually higher than the rate found amongst the general adult population.
• Sex workers usually have a high number of sexual partners. This means that if they do become infected with HIV, they can potentially pass it on to multiple clients.
• Preventing HIV infections amongst those involved in the sex trade has been proven to be an instrumental part of many countries’ fight against AIDS. We discuss this issue in our HIV prevention and sex workers page.

AIDS education and young people

Why is AIDS education for young people important?

AIDS education for young people plays a vital role in global efforts to end the AIDS epidemic. Despite the fact that HIV transmission can be prevented, each year millions of people become infected with the virus; in 2008 alone, there were 2.7 million new HIV infections. Almost 1-in-6 of these new infections were among people under 15 years old.¹

“In 2008 alone, there were 2.7 million new HIV infections. Almost 1-in-6 of these new infections were among people under 15 years old.”

Providing young people with basic AIDS education enables them to protect themselves from becoming infected. Young people are often particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted HIV, and to HIV infection as a result of drug-use. Acquiring knowledge and skills encourages young people to avoid or reduce behaviours that carry a risk of HIV infection.^2 3 4 Even for young people who are not yet engaging in risky behaviours, AIDS education is important for ensuring that they are prepared for situations that will put them at risk as they grow older.⁵
AIDS education also helps to reduce stigma and discrimination, by dispelling false information that can lead to fear and blame. This is crucial for prevention, as stigma often makes people reluctant to be tested for HIV.  Somebody who is not aware of their HIV infection is more likely to pass the virus on to others. AIDS education can help to prevent this, halting stigma and discrimination before they have an opportunity to grow.⁶

HIV & AIDS treatment for children

HIV develops very rapidly among infants and children, and, without treatment, a third of children with HIV will die of AIDS before their first birthday, with half dying before they are two.¹ In 2008, there were 280,000 deaths attributed to HIV in under-15s, most of which could have been prevented through early diagnosis and effective treatment.² Though the number of children receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased significantly in recent years, at the end of 2008 less than 40% of the 730,000 children needing ART in lower- and middle-income countries were receiving it.³

How effective is antiretroviral treatment for children with HIV?

The most effective treatment for children with HIV is antiretroviral therapy. This requires several antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) be taken every day.
Antiretroviral treatment reduces illness and mortality among children living with HIV in much the same way that it does among adults. In one study in Brazil, three-quarters of HIV-positive children receiving ART were alive after a four-year follow-up period.⁴ Positive outcomes were also seen in paediatric ART programmes in Thailand and Kenya.^{5 6} A study released in 2007, which monitored 586 HIV-positive children receiving antiretroviral treatment in 14 countries in Africa and Asia, found that 82% were still alive after two years.⁷
Some of the most compelling evidence that treatment works in children does not come from studies or statistics, but rather the stories of those who have witnessed HIV-positive children returning to health after starting treatment:

"You see scrawny, rashy, tired, lethargic kids come in, you start them on treatment and within weeks you’ve got bounding, podgy, gorgeous growing children. People often don’t believe, they’re often quite sceptical of the medications, and then you see this transformation and parents are like ‘The child’s got so much energy!’”Julie, UK nurse working with children living with HIV⁸

Continuing HIV treatment

ARV treatment should stop a person from becoming ill for many years. For many people the therapy works without any major problems. However, sometimes there can be difficulties related to drug resistance, drug interactions, side effects and adherence.
This page provides information about the issues that a person may face when continuing their antiretroviral treatment.
The following information continues from the pages introduction to HIV & AIDS treatment and starting HIV & AIDS treatment.

Monitoring treatment success

The viral load test

Once ARV treatment has been started, it is important to track how well it is working. This is the purpose of the viral load test.