China is seeking volunteers to participate in its second clinic trial of a new AIDS vaccine early next year, a leading Chinese scientist said recently.

The center is looking for men and women to participate in the trials which will take place in Beijing, said Shao Yiming, chief expert for the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention.

He revealed the plan at a conference on Sino-US AIDS vaccine research and development held on Sunday without indicating how many participants will be involved in the trial.

The vaccine was approved for clinical trials by Chinese drug authorities in November.

Trials on Rhesus Monkeys indicate that the vaccine is safe and effective in preventing HIV infections, Shao said.

In March of 2005 China began its first human clinical trials on an AIDS vaccine in southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The volunteers, 33 men and 16 women aged from 18 to 50, have been vaccinated and none have had adverse side effects.

According to a recent report, there are 120 clinical trials of AIDS vaccines being conducted on humans throughout the world. The Ministry of Health said that by the end of this October, a total of 183,733 people had been officially reported to have contracted HIV, 39,644 more than at the end of 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2006)