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Unfortunately, the public perception of vaccaines as a procedure that confers total immunity against a disease is somewhat flawed. HIV, like influenza, is extre
by rickyconnolly 15y ago
Unfortunately, the public perception of vaccaines as a procedure that confers total immunity against a disease is somewhat flawed. HIV, like influenza, is extremely prone to mutation. It is the main survival advantage of these bugs. Once you think you have a good grasp, they slip right through your fingers.
- rosser 15y agoDisagree. People are pretty used to the notion of getting a new flu vaccine every year. Even if some hypothetical HIV vaccine required semi-annual doses, people would line up around the block for it.
- rickyconnolly 15y agoSeasonal flu vaccaines are possible because the FDA has well established procedures for giving fast-track approval for this particular catagory of drugs. Normall it takes many years to gain approval for a new drug, or even an iteration of an existing drug. In addition, new HIV strains do not arrive in predictable yearly 'waves' like influenza does, new strains arise randomly within the infected population.