Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
U.N. Predicts AIDS Will Have Killed 3 Million by Year's End
Aired December 01, 2002 - 18:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The United Nations predicts AIDS will lead to the deaths of more than three million people by the end of this year. Worldwide, 42 million people are now infected with the AIDS virus. For the latest in the war against AIDS we turn to CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Everyday about 16,000 people are infected with HIV in the world, more than 1,500 of them children.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: We're in a situation where unless we can really sharply cut down on the transmissibility, the toll of HIV/AIDS is going to go way beyond what anyone could have imagined a few years ago.
BLAKEY: Many experts believe the best way to stop the spread of the disease is a vaccine. So far, there is none but that may soon change. Don Francis of Vaxgen is leading the race for an AIDS vaccine and plans to soon finish the final stage of human testing. Vaxgen began testing the vaccine more than seven years ago. It would be the first to complete human testing for FDA approval in January. Though no vaccine is 100 percent effective, Francis would be pleased with only one-third efficacy.
DR. DON FRANCIS, VAXGEN: There is certainly very good data out there in computer models that a 30 percent effective vaccine will ultimately drive the epidemic into the ground.
BLAKEY: The next hurdle, getting it manufactured.
FRANCIS: It will take us another couple years to actually bring up the manufacturing, get the licensing for the vaccine and move it forward.
BLAKEY: Still, different strains of HIV require different vaccines.
DR. PAT FAST, INTERNATIONAL AIDS VACCINE INITIATIVE: One can also make a new version of this vaccine that is applicable in other parts of the world.
FRANCIS: It will take us a year and a half, two years, to do that and think about how many infections are going to occur in that year and a half, two years, while we're developing this African vaccine.
BLAKEY: If everything stays on schedule and the current vaccine is successful, it will be ready for use in the U.S. sometime around the year 2005.
Rea Blakey, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
End>
Aired December 1, 2002 - 18:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The United Nations predicts AIDS will lead to the deaths of more than three million people by the end of this year. Worldwide, 42 million people are now infected with the AIDS virus. For the latest in the war against AIDS we turn to CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Everyday about 16,000 people are infected with HIV in the world, more than 1,500 of them children.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: We're in a situation where unless we can really sharply cut down on the transmissibility, the toll of HIV/AIDS is going to go way beyond what anyone could have imagined a few years ago.
BLAKEY: Many experts believe the best way to stop the spread of the disease is a vaccine. So far, there is none but that may soon change. Don Francis of Vaxgen is leading the race for an AIDS vaccine and plans to soon finish the final stage of human testing. Vaxgen began testing the vaccine more than seven years ago. It would be the first to complete human testing for FDA approval in January. Though no vaccine is 100 percent effective, Francis would be pleased with only one-third efficacy.
DR. DON FRANCIS, VAXGEN: There is certainly very good data out there in computer models that a 30 percent effective vaccine will ultimately drive the epidemic into the ground.
BLAKEY: The next hurdle, getting it manufactured.
FRANCIS: It will take us another couple years to actually bring up the manufacturing, get the licensing for the vaccine and move it forward.
BLAKEY: Still, different strains of HIV require different vaccines.
DR. PAT FAST, INTERNATIONAL AIDS VACCINE INITIATIVE: One can also make a new version of this vaccine that is applicable in other parts of the world.
FRANCIS: It will take us a year and a half, two years, to do that and think about how many infections are going to occur in that year and a half, two years, while we're developing this African vaccine.
BLAKEY: If everything stays on schedule and the current vaccine is successful, it will be ready for use in the U.S. sometime around the year 2005.
Rea Blakey, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
End>
