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John G. McNeil,1* Margaret I. Johnston,1 Deborah L. Birx,2 Edmund C. Tramont1
In this Policy Forum, the authors respond to Burton et al. by asserting that the ongoing efficacy trial of ALVAC-HIV (vCP1521) and AIDSVAX B/E in Thailand is scientifically justified, morally correct, and strategically important. No laboratory assay or animal model has been validated as a predictor of the efficacy of HIV vaccines in humans, thus efficacy trials are essential to test bona fide vaccine hypotheses. Although there is a real chance that the prime-boost combination may not be efficacious, there is a very high probability that information gained will significantly advance HIV vaccine development. Established scientific principles and appropriate processes fully support the decision to proceed with this efficacy trial.
The authors are with 1National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, and 2Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 20307, USA.
*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jomcneil{at}mail.nih.gov
The editors suggest the following Related Resources on Science sites:
In Science Magazine
LETTERS
Robert Belshe, Genoveffa Franchini, Marc P. Girard, Frances Gotch, Pontiano Kaleebu, Marta L. Marthas, Michael B. McChesney, Rose McCullough, Fred Mhalu, Dominique Salmon-Ceron, Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, Koen Van Rompay, Bernard Verrier, Britta Wahren, Mercedes Weissenbacher;, The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition;, Dennis R. Burton, Ronald C. Desrosiers, Robert W. Doms, Mark B. Feinberg, Beatrice H. Hahn, James A. Hoxie, Eric Hunter, Bette T. M. Korber, Alan L. Landay, Michael M. Lederman, Judy Lieberman, Joseph M. McCune, John P. Moore, Neal Nathanson, Louis Picker, Douglas D. Richman, Charles R. Rinaldo, Mario Stevenson, David I. Watkins, Steven M. Wolinsky, Jerome A. Zack;, and Robert C. Gallo (9 July 2004) Science305 (5681), 177b.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.305.5681.177b] |Full Text »|PDF »
LETTERS
Richard Jefferys, Mark Harrington;, John G. McNeil, Margaret I. Johnston, Edmund C. Tramont, and Deborah L. Birx (9 July 2004) Science305 (5681), 180a.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.305.5681.180a] |Full Text »|PDF »
LETTERS
Charal Trinvuthipong (13 February 2004) Science303 (5660), 954c.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.303.5660.954c] |Full Text »|PDF »
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