A Thai AIDS activist wears a colorful outfit during a demonstration at the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok. Experts call for the scrapping of the world's largest HIV vaccine trial. Photo by AFP
Health experts and activists said that the world's largest HIV vaccine trial in Thailand is an expensive flop and demanded that it be scrapped. The multi-million dollar trial involves tests on 16,000 Thai citizens and is the third and last hurdle before the vaccine can be registered and administered freely. Already one year behind schedule and with fewer than half the volunteers needed, influential scientists, activists and non-governmental organizations have all called for the part US-funded project to be abandoned.