The South African trial of an HIV vaccine is in a state of animated suspension. The clinical sites of Baragwanath Hospital and the Durban Medical Research Council (MRC) have been chosen and approval has been received from the Wits University ethics committee. All that the National Institute for Virology, which is co-ordinating the process, is waiting for now is the go-ahead from the Medicines Control Council, and it is hoped that the trials can begin towards the middle of the year.