AVAC in the News

For decades, a successful HIV vaccine has been an elusive concept for scientists and activists. During the last two years, research regarding HIV/AIDS hasn't garnered as much media attention largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But just because it hasn't grabbed as many headlines, doesn't mean it isn't still a prevalent issue today. According to the UNAIDS, in 2020, 1.5 million people around the world were newly infected and 680,000 died due to AIDS-related illnesses.

Johnson & Johnson stopped a mid-stage test of its HIV vaccine in southern Africa after the shot showed insufficient ability to protect people from contracting the virus. The trial, called Imbokodo, showed the vaccine was just 25 percent effective in preventing HIV infection over a period of two years, short of a goal of 50% efficacy, according to a statement. A similar vaccine developed by the drugmaker will continue being tested in Europe and the Americas in a final-stage study called Mosaico, Paul Stoffels, J&J’s chief scientific officer, said.

During the pandemic, researchers and academic journals have gone into hyperdrive in order to produce research at an accelerated pace. This means some sacrifices have been made when it comes to vetting and checking publications through peer review. The peer-review system was already flawed even in pre-pandemic times but the current environment has exposed ways in which bad science can slip through.

Transgender women experience higher rates of HIV than most other populations. Globally, it’s estimated that 19 percent of trans women are living with HIV, 49 times the general population; conversely, not much is known about HIV among transgender men and nonbinary people. Given these facts, why aren’t more transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people included in HIV-related research and prevention efforts?