As we recognize the 20^th World AIDS Day tomorrow (Dec. 1, 2007), prevention of HIV/AIDS remains the key strategy for fighting the disease. The promise of a HIV/AIDS vaccine is yet to be delivered. Clinical trials for an AIDS vaccine were halted in September of this year, causing frustration for many researchers and HIV/AIDS patients.

These two clinical trials found that there were more infections among men who got the vaccine - 49 out of 914 - than those receiving a placebo - 33 of 922 (MSNBC). The first trial took place in the United States, Peru, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Australia. The second trial was conducted in South Africa.

So just how close are we to an effective vaccine against HIV/AIDS? Experts agree that a vaccine would be the best way to fight AIDS, but efforts to develop a vaccine have so far been almost completely ineffective. Dozens of potential vaccines are in trials now, but some say it could still be decades before a vaccine is complete.

Until a vaccine is found, prevention must remain our single defense against AIDS. With many powerful HIV/AIDS-fighting drugs in existence today, the risk of dying from AIDS has decreased but it remains a major threat in many areas of the world. AIDS has killed about 25 million people to date.

On World AIDS Day, we should remember the importance of HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Nearly 40 million people, located in every country in the world, are currently infected with HIV.