In an efficacy trial, 2504 persons at high risk for HIV-1 acquisition received either a DNA prime–recombinant adenovirus type 5 boost (DNA/rAd5) vaccine or placebo. The vaccine regimen did not reduce either HIV-1 acquisition or viral load. The epidemic infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is now in its fourth decade, with an estimated 2.5 million new infections occurring annually worldwide. 1 The number of newly infected persons, although diminishing, outpaces the number of patients who initiate antiretroviral therapy. Despite a number of successful prevention interventions that have been reported, including preexposure prophylaxis and treatment as prevention, 2 – 9 ultimate control of the HIV epidemic will most likely come only with the development of a safe and effective preventive vaccine. This goal has proved to be elusive. Of the efficacy trials of HIV vaccines that . . .