Prevention and Technology At AIDS Conference

Aug. 15 - KGO (KGO) -- Every year there are four million new HIV infections worldwide. That's about the population of the entire Bay Area. So what's being done to turn the tide? Today the conference focused on the prevention tools that are expected to make a huge difference and the new technology to care for those already infected.

Several Bay Area researchers traveled 3,000 miles to Toronto to introduce a device called "Trofile." The monitoring device is made by Monogram Biosciences in South San Francisco. A drop of blood is taken and tested. Then the device monitors a patient's immune system and tells doctors how well that person is reacting to the latest antiviral drugs.

Dr. Andrew Zolopa, M.D. Stanford AIDS clinical trial group: "The test results come back to allow you to decide is the new drug going to work or is it not going to work."

Bill Young, CEO, Monogram Biosciences: "Physicians will have the option of being more aggressive in therapy and be able to add the new drugs to the treatment regimen so that patient will see their virus in check for a longer period of time."

Today at the International AIDS Conference, former President Bill Clinton hailed all the new technology, but said there is still a lot to achieve.

ABC7's Lyanne Melendez: "Mr. President you've talked about the advances in AIDS but your message is still that of prevention."

Bill Clinton: "Yes, prevention, treatment, universal treatment and the search for a vaccine. It's going to be hard to get rid of it without a vaccine and a cure."

But today researchers re-emphasized a vaccine is a long term goal. A lot more attention is being paid on what's next in the prevention arena. Male circumcision is one example. The virus targets cells found in a man's foreskin.

Gita Ramjee, HIV prevention research unit-South Africa: "So if you remove the foreskin you are reducing the risk of HIV infection."

Then there's the study on how a diaphragm could keep women from getting infected. The main researcher is UCSF's Nancy Padian.

Prof. Nancy Padian, PhD UCSF researcher: "The majority of the infections occur at the cervix so therefore, if you protect the cervix you will also block most HIV infection."

By 2007-2008 the world will see the results of the first clinical trials in male circumcision and cervical protection method in women. The results are expected to have a huge impact on prevention. In fact, some researchers believe 2007-2008 will be a major turning point in the fight against AIDS.

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