STEP Study Volunteers to be Informed Whether They Received Vaccine

Merck and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) will tell study volunteers in the STEP study of Merck’s HIV vaccine whether they received vaccine or placebo.

The study was co-sponsored by Merck, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and HVTN. The STEP Study Oversight Committee, which is comprised of representatives from the three study sponsors, made the decision to unblind study volunteers following extensive discussion of the STEP results.

The trial sponsors announced Sept. 21 that vaccinations in the study were discontinued because the vaccine was not effective.