A nationwide clinical trial of an HIV vaccine has been expanded to Orlando and researchers are seeking volunteers to participate. The trial is testing two potential vaccines, neither of which can cause HIV. Volunteers should be HIV-negative men, aged 18 – 50, who have sex with men, or transgender women who have sex with men.
Dr. Edwin DeJesus is the principal investigator and is also the medical director of the Orlando Immunology Center, where the trial is underway. He said the trial has been going on nationwide for about a year, but it’s only been in Orlando for a month and they’re actively seeking more participants.
“Fewer than half qualify because there’s certain inclusion criteria everyone has to meet,” he said.
Volunteers are pre-screened then given a blood test. If they are selected, there’s a 50/50 chance they’ll be given the vaccine, as half of the study’s participants are given a placebo.
“They are then counseled about safe sexual practices because we don’t want those patients to become HIV infected,” he said. “We don’t want them to feel a false sense of security because they are participating in the study.
Patients then return to the Immunology Center every few months for three years for further blood tests. If it’s successful, the vaccine will not protect against HIV infection. Instead, it will stop the symptoms and effects of HIV.
“If someone receives the vaccine and they get infected because they continue with unprotected sex and risky behavior, the infection will become a non-progressive disease,” DeJesus said. “At the very least, the vaccine reduces the aggressiveness [of HIV].”
Openly gay Orlando resident Bill Stiller is a potential participant in the trial. He has passed the initial screening and is now waiting for his blood test results. Stiller said it’s an individual decision to commit, but he was inspired by a sense of community and the lack of risk.
“Knowing as many people as I do who are HIV-positive and the effects that it had on their lives, I wanted to give back to the community,” he said.
DeJesus said people should be a part of the study because “we need to stick together; it’s the gay population getting infected.”
He said volunteers will also feel a sense of altruism.
“Vaccine development takes decades, a lot of trial and error but at least we know that once we keep it safe we’re, not going to harm the patient,” DeJesus said. “Every study makes strides.”
Interested volunteers can get more information at HopeTakesAction.org.
