Volunteers needed for HIV vaccine trials

When Kymone Freeman decided to become a volunteer for an HIV vaccine trial, he realized he was putting his name, face and possibly body at risk for social backlash. But he knew the potential for advances in HIV vaccine research were far more important than a jeopardized reputation."Right now developing a vaccine for HIV is our only hope," said Freeman, a 39-year-old Washington, D.C. native. "There's a lot of fear and ignorance regarding an HIV vaccine but you have to do something different if you want to see something change."

Freeman became a volunteer for the Vaccine Research Center in 2007 in Bethesda, MD. ?While the primary goal of this research is to develop an HIV vaccine, the center also does studies on Ebola and Influenza.

Freeman got involved with the center as director of the National Black L.U.V. Festival, which hosts an annual event in D.C. educating the community on health disparities and other social issues affecting the Black Diaspora.

"When I went to the orientation for the trial, a representative from the research center was speaking about how there was no progress towards a cure for HIV because it wasn't in the financial interest of pharmaceutical companies," said Freeman. "There are treatments, but no cure. The only hope for ending the pandemic would be a vaccine that prevents people from contracting the disease."

According to a 2009 study, the D.C. Department of Health reported that 3% of D.C residents are living with HIV, the highest in the nation. Freeman says the District's alarming HIV rate and the death of his uncle from AIDS complications motivated him to volunteer.

"When my uncle passed my entire family acted like it didn't happen, they acted like he just randomly got sick and died," said Freeman. "But we all knew he had HIV. I think ignoring the situation helps in the spreading of the disease. It's a stigma in our community that nobody wants to talk about."

The Vaccine Research Center, located in the Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, looks for healthy people, ages 18 and up, to participate in their clinical trials. Although older adults can volunteer, the center would like to get more college-aged students involved.

"Young people tend to have better immune responses so we'd be able to learn a lot more," said Dr. Barney Graham, director of clinical studies at the center. "Our philosophy is: more is better. There's a limit in terms of who we can see but in general we never have enough volunteers." Few college students have volunteered, he said.

"I'd say less than five Howard University students have volunteered and only a handful from American University," said Diane Johnson, director of social marketing at the VRC. "We always have a lot of interest from students, but there are a lot of time commitment issues."

VRC enrolls around 100-150 volunteers a year. A typical study lasts one year, with some requiring follow-up visits. ?To participate in a study, volunteers must go through a screening process in which blood would be drawn and a physical would be performed. They also go through a consent education process at the end of which they are tested on their understanding of the study.

Volunteers are compensated, on average $1500 for completing a study. Most studies require seven to 14 clinic visits, and one to four injections, depending on the study.

Freeman recalls traveling to the VCR about once a month. "I got two or three shots and came in for five or six check ups. My biggest side effect was a common cold," he said.

Johnson and Graham understand that people will naturally have reservations about participating in an HIV vaccine study.

"The main assumption with an HIV vaccine is that there is HIV in the vaccine," said Graham. "Volunteers have to be convinced that it's safe and worthwhile. We work hard to build trust. We want people to fully understand what they're getting into." During the course of an HIV vaccine study, the VRC continues to stress the importance of safe sex.

Freeman, who after his clinical trial participated in a marketing campaign for the Vaccine Research Center, said he was the victim of backlash after completing his study, however he used the criticism as a means to educate.

"People were confused. They thought I contracted HIV, or like I was a part of a government conspiracy like the Tuskegee Experiments," said Freeman. "But I'd always point out that AIDS is spreading fine without a government conspiracy. I would take time to educate people on what I'm really doing and encourage them to think for themselves. Don't act out of fear and ignorance.