Hopes dashed as last HIV vaccine trial in Africa for this decade ends in failure

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

A trial of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine in Africa has been stopped after preliminary data showed it was not effective in preventing infections.

PrEPVacc:

PrEPVacc is the study trial of Vaccine for HIV. Researchers were testing a new form of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a drug that reduces the risk of getting HIV.
It was led by African researchers with support from European scientists.
Triel was done in Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.
About 39 million people worldwide are living with HIV, with more than 25 million in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the JointUnited Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organization (WHO).

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV?AIDS (UNAIDS):

Established by ECOSOC resolution 1994/24 in 1994, UNAIDS officially launched in January 1996.
The aim of UNAIDS is to help mount and support an expanded response to HIV/AIDS, one that engages the efforts of many sectors and partners from government and civil society.
UNAIDS seeks to prevent the HIV/AIDS epidemic from becoming a severe pandemic.
UNAIDS is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, where it shares some site facilities with the World Health Organization.
It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.