Monkey Research Moves HIV Vaccine Closer to Reality

Monkeys or people?  That’s the choice.  Scientists are hopeful that they are hot on the trail—finally—of a vaccine to thwart HIV. From the Retuers story:

Vaccine experts are equally excited about a vaccine that Michael’s team is developing with Harvard University and Johnson & Johnson’s Crucell unit, which uses weakened versions of a common cold virus and a smallpox virus. A study published in February showed this vaccine protected monkeys from a virulent strain of HIV. Animals that did become infected after repeated exposure also had low levels of virus in their blood. Safety studies in human patients are just starting, with large-scale efficacy studies slated for 2016.

Like I said, monkeys or people. Without the animal research, we could not develop an AIDS vaccine other than by exposing people to substantial risk.  These are the hard facts. Monkeys or people?  Human exceptionalism says monkeys should be sacrificed to save people.  In contrast, animal rights says people should not be saved to protect monkeys.  Monkeys or people?  More bluntly, them or us?  Hard truth: That’s the choice.