Is it necessary to test an AIDS vaccine in humans?
Any vaccine has to be tested in humans to make sure that it does not cause side effects and that it works. After initial laboratory work and animal testing, human trials provide conclusive results on whether the vaccine is successful in protecting against the infection or disease and poses no danger to the human body. The necessity of testing AIDS vaccines in humans is even stronger because: HIV is a virus that exclusively infects and causes disease in human beings; There are no good animal models that can mimic what happens in the human body because our immune system is very different; although animal model data provide insights into vaccine concept and design, and reassurance about safety, only human clinical trials can determine whether the vaccine actually works the way it is supposed to (vaccine efficacy).
Any vaccine has to be tested in humans to make sure that it does not cause side-effects and that it works. After initial laboratory work and animal testing, human trials provide conclusive results on whether the vaccine is successful in protecting against the infection or disease and poses no danger to the human body. The necessity of testing AIDS vaccines in humans is even stronger because: • HIV is a virus that exclusively infects and causes disease in human beings; • There are no good animal models that can mimic what happens in the human body because our immune system is very different; • Although animal model data provide insights into vaccine concept and design, and reassurance about safety, only human clinical trials can determine whether the vaccine actually works the way it is supposed to (vaccine efficacy).
