An AIDS Shot? Tests Raise Hope of Easier Prevention

Monkeys who got injection were protected from disease
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 4, 2014 7:06 PM CST
An AIDS Shot? Tests Raise Hope of Easier Prevention
   (Shutterstock)

Successful tests on monkeys suggest that people at risk of AIDS might be able to get a shot every three months or so to keep them healthy, reports AP. In two separate tests, each monkey that got an injection of anti-AIDS drugs remained protected for weeks after exposure, unlike those that got placebos. Human trials are expected to start in months, and if results are the same, this could be a "major breakthrough" in prevention, declares the New York Times.

Such antiretroviral drugs are currently available as pills, but researchers have found a big, simple problem with their effectiveness—people either forget to take them or choose not to take them over fear of side effects, reports Bloomberg. Getting a shot a few times a year could be a game-changer especially in the developing world, where many people at risk fear keeping the pills around because of the stigma, notes the Times. (More AIDS stories.)

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