Model suggests HIV vaccine still has key role in ending AIDS

published on January 25, 2016 by Liz Highleyman, in aidsmap

Even a modestly effective HIV vaccine would likely be cost-effective and could make a major contribution to a sustainable response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, especially in combination with the scale-up of other interventions including prompt initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), according to a report in the January 5 edition of PLoS ONE.

Prevention approaches including condoms, antiretroviral treatment as prevention (TasP) and PrEP have already brought about substantial reductions in new HIV infections, but there are still too many people becoming infected worldwide to bring the epidemic to a halt.

Thomas Harmon of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and colleagues performed a modelling study to estimate the impact of an HIV vaccine, combined with interventions included in the UNAIDS Investment Framework Enhanced (IFE), in low- and middle-income countries.

The IFE, proposed in 2013, explored how maximising existing interventions and adding emerging prevention options could reduce new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in low- and middle-income countries, the authors noted as background. This report describes additional modelling that looked more closely at the potential health impact and cost-effectiveness of HIV vaccines.

The researchers devised an epidemiological model to explore the potential impact of HIV vaccination in low- and middle-income countries in combination with other interventions through 2070. Sensitivity analyses looked at variations in vaccine efficacy, duration of protection, coverage and cost.

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Model suggests HIV vaccine still has key role in ending AIDS

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