China should develop its AIDS vaccine, expert says

China should develop its own AIDS vaccine and the work should be put on the agenda as soon as possible, said a Harvard University professor Friday.

The priority for China's AIDS vaccine research is to develop a vaccine suitable for the physical conditions of Chinese people as soon as possible, said Dr. Yichen Lu with Harvard School of Public Health Friday at Beijing Forum 2005.

China has its own advantages in developing AIDS vaccine despite its lag behind the advanced countries for at least five years, he said.

Different races require different types of vaccines, and lots of experiments have to be conducted, he said.

The research is much more difficult than what is expected. To develop an AIDS vaccine needs cooperation of the whole world, especially developing countries, said Dr. Lu at the Public Health panel session.

Vaccine is the only effective way to fight against AIDS in the long run. Currently the United States is the most advanced in AIDS vaccine research, and the third phase of the test of such a vaccine on human body is expected to begin next year.

The three-day Beijing Forum 2005, sponsored by Peking University, is an international academic forum and attracts over 500 world renowned scholars from China and abroad. Its theme is "The harmony of civilization and prosperity for all."

Source: Xinhua