May 18 is set aside each year to observe HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. The day serves as an occasion to recognize and thank the many volunteers, community members, health professionals, and scientists working together toward finding an HIV vaccine. This day also serves to highlight the importance of HIV vaccine research.
HIV vaccine research underway includes clinical trials (research studies) of both preventive and therapeutic vaccines. Therapeutic HIV vaccines are designed to treat people already infected with HIV; preventive HIV vaccines are intended to prevent HIV infection in people who may be exposed to HIV. Success in these trials that leads to the development of safe and effective HIV vaccines would be an important advance in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Explore the links on this page to learn more about HIV Vaccine Awareness Day and HIV vaccine research that is currently in progress.