Each participant was assigned to one of three study groups. Volunteers received four doses spread out over six months, each time getting a shot in each arm. By July 1998, all immunizations were complete. Participants will be followed for four years.
Vaccines appear safe Initial study results indicate the vaccines appear safe.
Adverse side effects associated with either vaccine were reported to be mild. While the study was not designed to determine whether the vaccine combination can protect against HIV infection or AIDS, participants have reported a decrease in risky behaviors after only one year of study. Study team members have made an effort to counsel volunteers on safe sex practices and high-risk behaviors. However, the trial is neither large enough nor long enough to determine overall vaccine efficacy, according to Belshe. The French-made vaccine vCP205 consists of a weakened canarypox virus that has been genetically altered to contain a few selected HIV genes.