Why do you think a person would volunteer to test an aids

Assignment Help Biology
Reference no: EM13858067

The Quest for an AIDS Vaccine

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) afflicts 38 million people worldwide. Almost 3 million people died from AIDs in 2003 alone, and over 20 million have died since the epidemic began. A vaccine that could prevent or slow down the spread of this deadly disease would be a boon to the world. However, since 1981 when the first cases of AIDS were diagnosed, researchers have been unsuccessful in their attempts to develop such a vaccine. The efforts of a company called VaxGen illustrate the complexity of this task.
VaxGen, which is located in Brisbane, California, developed a vaccine called AIDSVAX. The vaccine contained synthetic proteins of recombinant gp120, a protein normally found on the surface of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The vaccine was designed to induce the immune system to respond to this noninfectious protein and to produce antibodies that could protect the recipient from an actual HIV infection. In phase I clinical trials, the vaccine was tested for safety. Phase II clinical trials included a larger-scale test for safety as well as a test for the production of antibodies against gp120. As a result of these trials, AIDSVAX was shown to be safe, and patients receiving the vaccine did develop antibodies against gp120.

Phase III clinical trials involved large-scale, placebo-controlled, double-blind tests of the vaccine's effectiveness. The first trial began in June of 1998 and involved 5,100 gay men and 300 women, all volunteers, from the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and the Netherlands. The second trial began in March of 1999 and involved 2,500 IV drug abusers from Bangkok, Thailand. Both trials were completed in 2003. Unfortunately, these trials revealed no difference in the overall rate of HIV infection between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated participants. The data indicate that recipients of the vaccine did produce antibodies against gp120, but that those antibodies were not adequate to protect against HIV infection. (It did appear that certain subgroups-ethnic minorities other than Hispanic-exhibited a small but statistically significant lowering of the infection rate, but these results are still being examined.)

Questions

1. Why do you think a person would volunteer to test an AIDS vaccine?

2. In the AIDSVAX trials, some people were given a placebo instead of the vaccine. All the recipients had been told of this possibility

ahead of time, but they did not know which substance they were receiving. Is it ethical to give some of the trial participants only a

placebo?

3. If a vaccine being tested works for some ethnic minorities but not others, do you think it should be given to just those races or to

everyone?

4. Since the antibodies produced in AIDSVAX recipients were insufficient to protect them against infection, what might scientists try

next?

5. If a private company develops an AIDS vaccine, it will spend a large amount of money on development and testing. Should it offer the

vaccine free of charge to people who cannot afford it, especially those in very poor countries? How can private companies afford to develop vaccines if they do not charge for them?

Reference no: EM13858067

Questions Cloud

Explain the benefits of software in conducting lca : The use of commercial software packages has allowed Life Cycle Assessments to be undertaken more rapidly and easily. Your task is to investigate the software packages that are available, and give an overall review of the ways in which they make t..
Summarize the socratic method : In your own words, summarize the Socratic method and provide at least one example of how it can be used to further learning and encourage critical thinking
Describe the background and principles of project management : Describe the background and principles of project management. Appraise the viability of projects and develop success/failure criteria.
Creating a malware analysis environment : What are two items to consider when creating a malware analysis environment? Could malware detect and react differently if a potential malware analysis tool/environment is detected? Give three possible examples.
Why do you think a person would volunteer to test an aids : Why do you think a person would volunteer to test an AIDS vaccine?
Prepare portias consolidated financial statements : Prepare Portias consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020. Be sure to show all your supporting calculations and Prepare Madison's consolidated financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2014.
Heat transfer a blacksmith wants to forge : Heat Transfer A blacksmith wants to forge a 30 cm long metal bar. The initial temperature of the bar is at 1100oC. The surrounding air temperature is 23oC
Discuss ways to ensure a productive meeting : Discuss ways to ensure a productive meeting. Describe the tasks associated with each of the following meeting roles. a. Facilitator b. Scribe c. Time Keeper.
Examine the esophagus digital slide image : Examine the esophagus digital slide image

Reviews

Write a Review

Biology Questions & Answers

  Immune response to infectious disease

It is a very curcial concept to understand how the immune response is mounted against viruses, bacteria, protozoans and helminthes. For an effective immune response, both innate and adaptive immunity should work together.

  A review on advanced glycated end products (ages)

This Project report elaborates a critical review of important elements attached to Advanced Glycated End Products (AGEs). It is very crucial to understand the process called Millard reaction.

  Plastic as a soil stabilizer

Soil stabilization is the permanent physical and chemical alteration of soils to enhance their physical properties. Stabilization can increase the shear strength of a soil and control the shrink-swell properties.

  Principles of microbiology

This assignment has three parts which contains questions related to Microbiology. It contains basic principles of microscopy, staining techniques in microbiology and microbial growth in the food industry.

  List the biologic functions

Lipid metabolites are often seen as key elements in cellular signaling. Is this unique? Please provide several examples of the function of lipids as key elements in signal arrays and list the biologic functions these signals affect?

  Biologic function relationships

Please describe how one might search for chemical structure, biologic function relationships, involving small molecular weight lipophylic compounds. Provide one example.

  Case study on patient in the haematology laboratory

Write a case study which detailing a scenario of a patient being investigated in the Haematology laboratory.

  Use of pcr and genetic approaches in biotechnology

The use of PCR and genetic approaches in biotechnology

  Describe the role of this enzyme in honey

Glucose oxidase is an enzyme that can be used for measurements of glucose levels by combining this reaction with an oxygen probe.

  Genetic problems

What phenotypic ratio would you get if you crossed a white mouse and a heterozygous brown mouse?

  Prepare an essay on nosocomial infection

Prepare an essay on nosocomial infection.

  Monitoring and recording the blood pressure

To increase the awareness of monitoring and recording the blood pressure of patients and practice measuring blood pressure in a safe environment.

Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd