Although this is the first time an HIV vaccine has shown significant efficacy, this represents only hope, according to Professor Jean-Francois Delfraissy at the National Agency for AIDS Research.
The HIV vaccine appears to act during the infection stage of the disease and demonstrates that if may offer protection. It provides hope for the future, but they emphasize that they are still far from having an AIDS vaccine.
Since October 2003, clinical tests were performed on 16 000 HIV-negative volunteers in Thailand and their risk of infection was assessed.
According to Professor Delfraissy, the vaccine decreased the risk of HIV infection by 31%, which is not sufficient enough to claim that they have an AIDS vaccine.
Although modest, the results mark an important step and encourage further research. However, other experts remain cautious in their optimism.