The head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova said that prototypes of HIV vaccines have already been created in Russia, the development of which is being carried out by several research centers, for example, the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector". TV presenter of the Dozhd channel, Pavel Lobkov, who is a member of the board of trustees of the AIDS. Center Foundation, questioned the effectiveness of the drugs being developed. According to him, for the immunotropic virus, the antibodies produced initially simply do not work.
“These prototypes have been circulating in world practice for as long as I can remember. The word "protopip" already says that there is nothing yet. So you can invent any construct in a test tube. As you know, we have both coronavirus and birch sap killing chaga, but all this does not produce immunity. And HIV can deceive immune cells»- Pavel Lobkov said in an interview with the Daily Storm.
The TV presenter noted that when conducting research on such prototypes, it is also impossible to identify their result, to find out if the drugs work.
“For the immunotropic HIV virus, such antibodies are initial - they simply do not work. You never know what is in the test tube, in the root culture, which causes the formation of antibodies! Does it work? - added the interlocutor. - Then how to conduct experiments? Will you infect people with HIV? You have immunized, you have a control experience: part of the immunization, part of the placebo was given. And how do you look at the result then? That is, basically this is all done in complex tissue systems, there can be as many prototypes as you like.».
Epidemiologist Timur Pesterev, in turn, stressed that "the prototype of the vaccine is only one of the experimental ways in which it is theoretically possible to cure this or that disease."
“Many countries are conducting similar experiments. The British company Gilead has advanced farthest in research. - Timur Pesterev said in a conversation with the Daily Storm. He added that Russian prototypes may well be successful as well.
“Why not. In principle, virtually all vaccines have a very limited basic principle of working in large quantities. Therefore, everything can be crowned with success - answered the epidemiologist when asked whether prototypes would be effective.
Earlier, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, at the opening of the Federal Scientific and Methodological Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS, announced that prototypes of the HIV vaccine had been created in Russia. According to her, the vaccine is being developed by several research centers, such as the State Research Center (SSC) of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector".
“We have our own prototypes, we have our own vaccines. The Research Center "Vector" has its own prototype, and a number of other research organizations in the Russian Federation have their own prototypes. ", - emphasized Anna Popova.
She added that antiretroviral therapy in Russia is received by everyone who needs it. Also, the prices of medicines for HIV-infected "do not have an upward trend."
“According to the conclusion of our experts, the drugs do not tend to rise in prices. And today, according to the information we have, all those in need, all those who have chosen antiretroviral therapy for themselves, receive it - said Popova.
At the end of October, the Ministry of Health announced that Russia had reached a plateau in terms of the incidence of HIV infection. It is noted that a similar picture is emerging in the United States and other Western countries. At the same time, the department complained that it was not possible to reach a level below the plateau in the Russian Federation, since a special vaccine had to be created.
“We have stable growth figures. Conditionally, we have reached a plateau of HIV infection. In recent years, fewer and fewer patients have been diagnosed”- said the chief freelance specialist of the Ministry of Health on the problems of diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection Alexey Mazus.
The expert expressed the opinion that the efforts that are being made on the planet after the creation of a vaccine against COVID-19 should be aimed at creating a vaccine against HIV infection.
