Full audio in isiZulu, see English summary below.

MABUTHO NGCOBO: Usekelamongameli wezocwaningo enhlanganweni ehlola amakhambi okuvikela igciwane lesandulelangculaza yaseMelika, iInternationa AIDS Initiative, udokotela Wayne Koff uthi akulona iqiniso ukuthi inhlangano yakhe isebenzisa elakuleli kanye namanye amazwe ahlwempu ukuhlola amakhambi okuvikela igciwane lesandulelangculaza asehlulekile ukusebenza kwamanye amazwe athuthukile njengezwe laseMelika kanye namanye Lokhu kulandela umsindo oqubuke emva kokumiswa kokuhlolwa koketshezi iMicrobicide iUshercell olugcotshwa esithweni sangasese kumuntu wesifazane ukuvikela igciwane lesandulelangculaza, emva kokutholakala ukuthi inomthelela ekwandiseni amathuba okuthola leligciwane. Ekhuluma kwingxoxo ekhethekile nomthombo wezindaba iHealth-e News Service, uDokotela uKoff uthi isizathu sokuthi bahlole amakhambi kubantu abehlukene emazweni ahlukene kungenxa yokuthi igciwane lesandulelangculaza kalifani kanti namakhambi okulivikela uma ehlolwa asebenza ngokungafani kwizingxenye ezahlukene zamazwe omhlaba.

DR WAYNE KOFF: The reason we are doing that is that HIV is different all over the world. So we are trying to make a broadly effective AIDS vaccine, not a vaccine that is only effective in South Africa and not vaccine that is only effective in Kenya, but a vaccine that is effective all over the world and  because  the AIDS virus is different all over the world, and people  will respond to the AIDS virus in different manners in different regions of the world.  

MABUTHO NGCOBO: Simbuza ukuthi ngabe ukuphepha kwalabo abasuke bezosetshenziselwa ukuhlola amakhambi okuvikela kungakanani emva kwesikhalazo ngalabo okuthiwa bangenwe igciwane ngesikhathi besetshenziselwa ukuhlolwa kwekhambi elivikela igciwane lesandulelangculaza elaziwa nge Microbicide Ushercell uthe inhlangano yakhe yenza konke okusemandleni ukuqinisekisa ezokuphepha ngokuthi iqale ihlole amakhambi ezilwaneni ngaphambi kokuba ahlolwe kubantu.

DR WAYNE KOFF: We strive to achieve the highest standard in our clinical trials. Before we initiate any clinical trial over a vaccine candidate we have had already done an extensive study of that candidate in a series of animal models to try and understand any of the potential of risks, and so from our point of view this is one of the most important issues. It’€™s to ensure the potential of safety to each volunteer that comes forward to participate in AIDS vaccine trials

MABUTHO NGCOBO: Udokotela uKoff uthi njengoba sekunesikhathi lenhlangano yakhe ikhona yenza ucwaningo ukuthola ikhambi elivikela igciwane lesandulelangculaza  uthi bayazibona izinguquko lapha nalaphaya nokuyikhona athi kumenza abe neqholo lokuthi ngempela bazogcina belitholile ikhambi elivikela igciwane lesandulelangculaza eseliqede abantu ezweni.

DR WAYNE KOFF: Since the beginning and the isolation of HIV as the cause of AIDS, we have made tremendous progress on the vaccine front. We now have a number of candidates in clinical trials and a few of our candidates are in advanced clinical trials. We’€™re learning more and more about HIV/AIDS everyday and I am confident that we will have a safe and effective AIDS vaccine.

MABUTHO NGCOBO: Uthi njengamanje inhlangano yakhe isemkhankasweni wokuhlola amanye amakhambi alwisana naleligciwane kulona lonke leli lasemazansi nezwekazi laseAfrica.

Dr WAYNE KOFF: We have a number of trials that are ongoing and we will be launching a number of other vaccines in the coming year.

MABUTHO NGCOBO: Ngokwezibalo zophiko lwezempilo enhlanganweni yezizwe, balinganiselwa ezigidini ezingamashumi amabili nesihlanu abantu asebabulawa igciwane lesandulelangculaza emhlabeni jikelele selokhu laqala ukutholakala ngasekuqaleni kweminyaka yama 80s. Kanti izibalo zansuku zonke zikhomba ukuthi bangaphezulu kwezinkulungwane ezisishagalombili abantu ababulawa ileligciwane usuku nosuku. Indawo lapho lokhu kufa kumandla kakhulu khona  kusezwenikazi laseAfrica, lapho kubikwa ukuthi abantu abangamaphesent angamashumi ayisithupha abaphila nalo leligciwane batholakala khona. Uma ikhambi lokuvikela leligciwane lesandulelangculaza litholakala njengokwezifiso zikaDokotela Wayne Koff kuyosho lukhulu emhlabeni ikakhulukazi kubantu bezwekazi laseAfrica eseliphenduke isigodi sosizi nezinyembezi ngenxa yalokhu kufa osekuqede abantu ezweni.

English summary

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IAVI chief denies media reports on AIDS vaccines

Senior Vice-President of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Dr Wayne Koff, has denied media reports that scientific research organizations such as his are using citizens of developing countries as ‘€˜guinea pigs’€™ to test vaccines that have failed elsewhere.

In an exclusive interview with Health-e News Service, Koff said the accusations are not true. He explained why it is important to  conduct vaccine trials in different parts of the world.

‘€œThe reason we are doing that is that HIV is different all over the world. So we are trying to make a broadly effective AIDS vaccine, not a vaccine that is only effective in South Africa and not vaccine that is only effective in Kenya, but a vaccine that is effective all over the world and  because  the AIDS virus is different all over the world, and people  will respond to the AIDS virus in different manners in different regions of the world.’€ .  

His utterances come at a time when there has been a lot of speculation, following the abandonment last week of a candidate microbicide trial, using new product Ushercell, after it was discovered that the cellulose-sulfate gel might increase the risk of contracting the virus.

Asked if his organization does take seriously the safety of volunteers in vaccine trials, he said his organization ‘€˜strives to achieve the highest safety standard’€™. He said before the vaccine can be tested in humans they run extensive study in a series of animal models ‘€œto try and understand any of the potential risks’€.

Despite the challenges faced by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in finding an effective AIDS vaccine, Koff is still optimistic that an effective vaccine will be found. ‘€œWe now have a number of candidates in clinical trials and a few of our candidates are in advanced clinical trials. We’€™re learning more and more about HIV/AIDS everyday and I am confident that we will have a safe and effective AIDS vaccine,’€ he said.