Why are volunteers needed for AIDS vaccine trials?
AIDS, the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), shows no signs of diminishing. More than 42 million people worldwide are now infected with HIV. Experts believe that if the rate of new infections does not abate, by 2010, nearly 90 million people will be carriers of HIV. Finding a safe and effective HIV vaccine that will protect people is a formidable task. We cannot do it without the help of volunteers.