Philly to Get Dose of HIV Vaccine Education

HIV Vaccine Trial Network 505 (HTVN 505) is a five-year study involving HIV-negative men, ages 18-45, who have sex with men. The vaccine candidate is not one shot but a regimen: During the first three months, participants receive three injections of a "naked" DNA vaccine. A needleless Biojector is used to administer the injections. At month six, participants receive a booster.

For volunteers, the first year in the study is the busiest, said Deb Dunbar, the division's clinical director. The men, half of whom will receive placebos, will return periodically for the injections and follow-up monitoring. During the next four years, they will come in every three months for counseling and HIV testing. Participants will receive $5 per visit as well as transit tokens.

"The primary incentive is that people feel really good to be able to be giving back to their community," Dunbar said. "Most people who choose to participate end up finding that they've become part of a clinic that's focused on the shared goal of trying to prevent HIV to make the world a better place."

To learn more about HTVN 505, telephone 866-448-7366.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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