AIDS Vaccine Doc Answers Public's Questions

Last week, SFGN told you that a new vaccine developed by Canadian researchers to prevent HIV has passed the first phase of human testing.

According to the Ontario Business Report, the team, from the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University, succeeded on the first phase of trials, even boosting the production of antibodies in patients it was tested on.

Well, the outspoken researcher running much of the work, Dr. Chil-Yong Kang, held an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit.com, a forum by which the social site's users can ask the doctor any question and he can answer it (questions and answers can be voted on by the users to elevate their position on the forum page). The doctor went by the handle IamDrKang.

Here's the forum, if you want to read it yourself. Below is the edited intro and some of the top questions and answers:

Dr. Kang's Introduction

I am Dr. Chil-Yong Kang, a virology professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Western University's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. My research in molecular virology includes the development of a second generation vaccine against hepatitis B and C viruses. Currently, I am working on a preventative vaccine to combat HIV/AIDS.

Here are my latest findings.

The top-voted questions (and their answers):

msakim: This is amazing news! In the press, it has been said that the team is getting ready for phase II and phase III clinical trials - how quickly do you predict the roll-out of phase II?

iamdrkang: Hopefully within a year.

synthesisman: Greetings Dr. Kang,

Assuming that your vaccine is beautifully successful, and passes FDA health regulations and the such, would you be comfortable profiting from the sale and distribution of the vaccine?

Also, I am a M.Sc. student at Western...AND I AM PROUD TODAY.

iamdrkang: I am proud to be at Western too! Proceeds will be given to the sponsoring company and royalties will then go to Western.

Babaganush11: Dr Kang, what do you think will be the major disease plaguing the global population 50 years from now? Do you think malaria and hiv will still be as big a problem then?

iamdrkang: I hope we know how to control AIDS and Malaria 50 years from now. It's difficult to forsee what new emerging diseases will come in 50 years time. I hope TB can be prevented by effective vaccines by then.

Ringmaster234: Hi Dr Kang. How many years of your life would you say you've put into the vaccine? It's very noble work you're doing.

iamdrkang: We started our basic science work of HIV two decades ago and it took us about 10 years to develop the vaccine.

riner2012: Hi, i just wanted to thank you for this IAMA, my uncle has AIDS and his brother already died of it. I really hope you have success in your research! I really apreciate your work.

iamdrkang: Thank you.