{"id":12626,"date":"2021-08-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/23-08-2021\/human-trials-for-a-hiv-vaccine\/"},"modified":"2021-08-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T00:00:00","slug":"human-trials-for-a-hiv-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/23-08-2021\/human-trials-for-a-hiv-vaccine","title":{"rendered":"Human Trials for a HIV Vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">In News <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Recently, Moderna, the Massachusetts-based American biotechnology company, indicated to begin human trials for a vaccine for<strong> HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in September.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">About <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The study will enrol 56 participants uninfected with HIV. They will be divided into four groups to test the combinations of two versions of the vaccine, called <strong>eOD-GT8 60mer mRNA Vaccine (mRNA-1644) and Core-g28v2 60mer mRNA Vaccine (mRNA-1644v2-Core).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The participants will receive the doses and will be monitored for adverse effects and signs of immune response after ten months or immunogenicity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">This is the <strong>first trial for an mRNA vaccine<\/strong> for HIV. <\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">After the success of mRNA vaccines with Covid-19, vaccines against HIV are thought to hold a lot of promise.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"Table\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#fff2cc; border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:1px solid black; vertical-align:top; width:624px\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Messenger RNA (mRNA)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It is a single-stranded RNA molecule that is complementary to one of the DNA strands of a gene. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The mRNA is an RNA version of the gene that leaves the cell nucleus and moves to the cytoplasm where proteins are made. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">During protein synthesis, an organelle called a ribosome moves along the mRNA, reads its base sequence, and uses the genetic code to translate each three-base triplet, or codon, into its corresponding amino acid.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">How the vaccine works<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The vaccine is expected to work similar to the <strong>Covid-19 vaccine<\/strong> \u2014 by getting the body\u2019s cells to produce the HIV virus\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/13-05-2021\/who-classifies-india-variant-as-being-of-global-concern\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">spike protein<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> triggering an immune response.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">In the preliminary Phase 1 results released earlier this year, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and Scripps Research announced that the candidate molecule used in this vaccine was able to produce the expected immune response by <strong>activating a group of cells called naive B cells<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">B cells <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">are a class of <strong>white blood cells<\/strong> that produce antibodies that can bind to invading bacteria and viruses. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">These immune cells have not yet been activated as they have not been exposed to an <strong>antigen or foreign body before<\/strong>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The activation of these cells eventually resulted in the generation of strong proteins called <strong>broadly neutralising antibodies (bNAbs)<\/strong>, which are known to neutralise the fast-mutating and highly diverse HIV virus.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Significance <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The quest to develop an HIV vaccine is considered very important for scientific research. <\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">While treatment with <strong>Antiretroviral Therapy<\/strong> has significantly improved the <strong>longevity of those with AIDS<\/strong>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">According to the World Health Organization, there are around 37.7 million living with HIV as of 2020. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Traditional vaccine approaches have not worked for HIV, and in fact, some of them have gone on to worsen the infection. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">RNA-based immunogens are believed to be a <strong>promising alternativ<\/strong>e because they<strong> do not involve the use of a live virus, <\/strong>can be made relatively easily, can be <strong>quickly deployed and safely administered.<\/strong> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Challenges<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Of the people living with HIV,<strong> over two-thirds are in Africa. <\/strong>Any success in containing the <strong>HIV pandemic would mean drastically<\/strong> cutting the rates of transmission there. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">However, as the experience with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines shows, getting essential jabs to the regions where they are most needed is the biggest stumbling block. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Another challenge with mRNA vaccines is that they are sensitive to <strong>temperature <\/strong>in <strong>storage, and is a challenge for developing countries<\/strong>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Conclusion <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">A drawback of mRNA vaccines<strong> used to be their instabilit<\/strong>y. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">However, the experience with the coronavirus vaccine has come as a shot in the arm. The success of mRNA vaccines \u2014 Pfizer -BioNTech and Moderna \u2014 in reducing <strong>hospitalisation and mortality<\/strong> has led to confidence in the <strong>method.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"Table\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#fff2cc; border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:1px solid black; vertical-align:top; width:624px\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">About Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It is an <strong>infection that attacks the body\u2019s immune system, <\/strong>specifically the white <strong>blood cells called CD4 cells<\/strong>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">HIV destroys these CD4 cells<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">, weakening a person\u2019s immunity against infections such as tuberculosis and some cancers.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">If the person\u2019s CD4 cell count falls below 200, their immunity is severely compromised, leaving them more susceptible to infections. Someone with a CD4 count below 200 is described as having AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">HIV can be diagnosed using simple and affordable rapid diagnostic tests, as well as self-tests. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It is important that HIV testing service<strong>s follow the 5Cs<\/strong>: consent, confidentiality, counselling, correct results and connection with treatment and other services.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">This early identification greatly improves treatment options and reduces the risk of transmission to other people including sexual or drug-sharing partners.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Symptoms:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Many people <strong>do not feel symptoms of HIV<\/strong> in the first few months after infection and may not know that they are infected. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Others <strong>may experience influenza-like symptoms<\/strong>, including fever, headache, rash and sore throat. However, these first few months are when the virus is most infectious.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">As the <strong>disease progresses, symptoms will be expanded and more pronounced.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">These can include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Treatment \/Prevention:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">HIV is fully preventable:<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> Effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) prevents HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> consisting of one or more medicines.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">ART does not cure HIV but reduces its replication in the blood, thereby reducing the viral load to an undetectable level.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">ART enables people living with HIV to lead healthy<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">, productive lives.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">\u00a0It also works as effective prevention, reducing the risk of onward transmission by 96%.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">ART should be taken every day throughout the person\u2019s life.<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> People can continue with safe and effective ART if they adhere to their treatment.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">\u00a0<strong>In cases when ART becomes ineffective due to reasons<\/strong> such as lost contact with health care providers and drug stock outs, people will need to switch to other medicines to protect their health.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Someone who is on<strong> antiretroviral therapy <\/strong>and <strong>virally suppressed<\/strong> will not pass HIV to their sexual partners.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Condoms prevent HIV<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> and <strong>other sexually transmitted infections<\/strong>, and prophylaxis use antiretroviral medicines to prevent HIV. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Male circumcision <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">is recommended in high-burden countries in eastern and southern Africa. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Harm reduction <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">(needle syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy) prevents HIV and other blood-borne infections for people who inject drugs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Global Efforts: <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">UNAIDS: <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV\/AIDS\u00a0 (UNAIDS) is an international organization that is working towards stopping new HIV infections, ensuring that everyone living with HIV has access to HIV treatment, promoting human rights, and producing data for decision-making. <\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The organization leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">WHO recommends that every person who may be at risk of HIV should access testing. <\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">People diagnosed with HIV should be offered and linked to antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible following diagnosis. If taken consistently, this treatment also prevents HIV transmission to others.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size:13.0pt\">Steps Taken by India <\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">HIV\/AIDS Act 2017:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, came into force on September 10, 2018. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:none\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It aims to prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country and provides for penalties for discrimination against those affected by the virus.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It provides a legal and enabling framework to safeguard the human rights of infected and affected populations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">90-90-90 Strategy:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">90% of those who are HIV positive in India know their status, 90% of those who know their status are on treatment and 90% of those who are on treatment experience effective viral load suppression.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">\u00a0HIV Prevention Model:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">India\u2019s unique HIV prevention model is centred around the concept of \u2018Social Contracting&#8217; through which the \u2018Targeted Interventions Program\u2019 is implemented with support from civil society. The program is aimed at behaviour change, communication, outreach, service delivery, counselling &#038; testing and ensuring linkages to HIV care.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Free Anti-Retro-Viral Treatment<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">India is providing free antiretroviral treatment to close to 1.4 million people. Indian drugs are also reaching millions of People living with HIV in Africa. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">National AIDS Control Programme (NACP):<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It was launched in 1992, is being implemented as a comprehensive programme for the prevention and control of HIV\/AIDS in India. Over time, the focus has shifted from raising awareness to behaviour change, from a national response to a more decentralized response.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It has been Revised, Revived and Revamped to focus on hard-to-reach and at-risk populations. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">In line with the motto of the Government of India, \u2018Together, for everyone\u2019s growth, with everyone\u2019s trust\u2019, the National AIDS Control Program has signed MoUs with public and private sector industries to mobilise their support for HIV prevention and treatment. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Viral Load Testing Facilities:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">They have been scaled up, and HIV counselling, testing and community-based screening for early diagnosis have been ramped up to achieve the target of Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Project Sunrise:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">It was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (2016) to tackle the rising HIV prevalence in northeastern states.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Source :<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/health\/explained-how-will-human-trials-for-new-hiv-vaccine-work\/article36039000.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\">TH<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News Recently, Moderna, the Massachusetts-based American biotechnology company, indicated to begin human trials for a vaccine for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in September. About The study will enrol 56 participants uninfected with HIV. They will be divided into four groups to test the combinations of two versions of the vaccine, called eOD-GT8 60mer mRNA [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[30,47,29],"class_list":["post-12626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs-2","tag-health","tag-thehindu"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/7593891current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12626"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12626\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}