As COVID-19 vaccine development moves along at the now-proverbial warp speed, a group of researchers are worrying that some of these vaccine candidates could potentially put certain people at a higher risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Using the failed attempt to create an HIV vaccine as an example, researchers write in an article in The Lancet that the genetically engineered adenovirus, Ad5, used in the HIV vaccine trials is the same one being used now in four COVID-19 candidates being studied in the U.S., Russia and Pakistan.
At the time of the failed HIV vaccine, scientists were unable to identify the exact reason why Ad5 seemed to increase the risk of HIV; it just inexplicably did. Interestingly, Dr. Anthony Fauci was the lead author on the HIV study, in which he questioned “whether the problem extends to some or all of the other recombinant vectors currently in development or to other vector-based vaccines.”
Reflecting on that question, The Lancet writers said they went public now because Ad5 vaccines for Covid-19 might soon be tested in populations with high HIV prevalence, and they believe that informed consent about the HIV/AIDS risk should be part of the COVID-19 clinical studies.