Unique risks to volunteers in HIV vaccine trials

A unique set of social risks to volunteers of HIV vaccine studies has presented itself in the past decade and a half. Many of these potential harms have to do with the motivation of volunteers to participate in trials and the ramification of testing antibody positive against HIV. Potential future use of live attenuated HIV vaccines will present itself with additional social harms, which will need to be weighed against potential benefits. The conduct of HIV vaccine trials has forced a constant re-evaluation of the risk-to-benefit ratio related to trial participation and a challenge to the ethics surrounding vaccine research.