New Vaccine Cuts The Risk Of Aids By A Third "Scientists believe this may be the breakthrough they have been waiting for" Scientists have developed a vaccine, which they say cuts the risk of catching AIDS by a third.
They are saying that this amazing breakthrough could lead to even better protection against the disease.
This new injection, works by stimulating the immune system.
Strangely enough it is a combination of two previous treatments which on their own previously proved ineffective.
The vaccine has been tested on 8000 male and female volunteers, who are HIV negative and aged between 18 and 30.
These tests were done in Thailand.
The volunteers were all checked every six months for infection.
What scientists found from the results were that the chances of catching HIV were approximately 32% lower if a person had been given an injection of the new drug rather than a placebo.
The US military HIV research programme and the Thai ministry of public health have funded this research.
The scientists say that they regard it as a first step towards a vaccine, which is, really effective against AIDS which infects 2 million people every year.
Viral expert Prof Aine McKnight from the University of London has stated that for nearly 25 years scientists have been arguing about whether an effective vaccine against HIV could ever be produced.
Today he says that the question has now been answered but reiterates that the battle against AIDS is far from won.
The World Health Organization has stated that the results of tests on this vaccine are a first demonstration that a vaccine to prevent AIDS can be made and as such is of great importance.
They say that a fantastic feeling of new hope has been instilled into the vaccine research world as they now feel that a safe and highly effective HIV vaccine may soon become available for world populations.
The Terrence Higgins Trust however have said that whilst this is excellent news for the future, for now, the best protection if you are having sex, is a condom.
Since 1981 AIDS has killed 25 million people.
They say that half of the new cases involve people under the age of 25 and that throughout the world 33 million people live with HIV.
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com Graham Hodgson