Last week came news of an FDA panel recommending the use of the drug Truvada to prevent HIV infection in high-risk individuals.

But that development, as welcome as it is, should not distract us from the need for an HIV vaccine, says Dr. Mark J. Mulligan, a professor of medicine at Emory University, in a new GHN Commentary.

“Every year for 15 years, approximately 56,000 Americans have become newly HIV-infected,’’ writes Mulligan. “This number has not fallen despite behavioral education efforts.’’

Friday is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, and this weekend, Action Cycling Atlanta puts on the AIDS Vaccine 200 Bike Ride.

Here’s a link to Mulligan’s Commentary.

Georgia Health News welcomes Commentary submissions. If you would like to propose a Commentary piece for Georgia Health News, please email Andy Miller, editor of GHN, at amiller@georgiahealthnews.com