HIV Vaccine Trials Unit - University of Rochester

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HIV Vaccine Studies

The HIV Vaccine Trials Unit is a part of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) established in 2000 with a goal to develop safe and effective preventive HIV vaccines. The Rochester site has been involved in HIV vaccine research since 1988. These international HIV vaccine studies are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The Guidelines

The vaccine must be safe and must produce protective immunity with only minimal side effects (examples: redness, soreness) for the overwhelming majority of those who receive it. While many volunteers report no side effects, common side effects reported are similar to side effects of many existing vaccines and may include soreness at the injection site for a few hours and slight fever for one or two days. To date, these side effects resolve within 24 to 48 hours.

The vaccine must be immunogenic (must cause a strong and measurable immune response): Vaccines usually contain antigens (bits of material that stimulate the immune system to respond and fight off potential infection). However, HIV vaccines being studied are synthetic. The HIV vaccines being studied are synthetic (man-made) and do not contain live or killed virus. It is therefore IMPOSSIBLE to get HIV infection from the vaccine as a result of taking part in one of the studies.

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