Merck Halts HIV Vaccine Trial

Disappointing news. Merck has stopped its promising HIV vaccine trial, after more subjects who received the vaccine contracted the virus that those who got the dummy shots. Merck's vaccine trial was the farthest along and most closely watched. The National Institute of Health, who partly funded the research, said that not only did the vaccine not prevent infection, it did not mitigate the damage that HIV caused in those who received the vaccine. The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition said in a statement, "While this is a disappointment, it is in no way the end of the search for an AIDS vaccine."

Heavy sigh.