HIV/AIDS cured in one man...

IreneAdler

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it's a viable idea. bone marrow transplants replace the WBC production mechanism. The person who was immune would be able to produce WBCs resistent to HIV. The immunity is real in some people. Even if this case is fake, it's totally plausible.
 
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Verve

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it's a viable idea. bone marrow transplants replace the WBC production mechanism. The person who was immune would be able to produce WBCs resistent to HIV. The immunity is real in some people. Even if this case is fake, it's totally plausible.

I still think it seems un-natural.
 
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Inkachu

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Make sure you read the article carefully, this is far from a "possible HIV cure for the world". It's quite possibly a one-time anomoly that can't be duplicated, and may not even be permanent. The article never says the man was totally cured or that he no longer has HIV, it says he has no "replicating" HIV, hence the phrase "functionally cured" in the title.
 
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I hate to be the bad guy here, but I'm really not a fan of stem cell use.

There are different types of stem cells, one of which, human embryonic stem cells, does create ethical problems because a human embryo is destroyed in the process. Many Christians, including myself, view this destruction of a human embryo as the destruction of a human life and therefore are against the use of embryonic stem cells. When you write that you're not a fan of stem cell use, you probably mean this type of stem cell.

Other stem cells aren't associated with ethical problems. Stem cells are cells that can turn into multiple cells types (so some stem cells could differentiate into a heart cell, or a brain cell) and they can induce the formation of more cells. They aren't intrinsically immoral. We even have natually occuring stem cells within us right now. Think of it this way. I've given blood multiple times. In total I've donated well over a gallon of blood. So why am I not dead from blood loss? It's because I have natually occuring cells (hematopoeitic stem cells) that can replace all the blood that I lost. I'm really glad I have stem cells, because without them donating blood would be impossible.

Not all stem cells are ethically problimatic, and stem cells do hold a lot of promise. As Christians we shouldn't just accept all scientific progress, especially when their are profound moral issues at stake, but we shouldn't make the assumption that much of scientific progress is immoral either. Many of scientific issues, especially concerning stem cell research, are something that we can all have a say on through who we elect to political office. So it pays to be discerning.
 
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crishmael

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...are we sure this isn't some sort of big publicity stunt?
It is gay pride month...
I'm just saying that from a PR standpoint this is a little big convenient.
You do know HIV doesn't just infect homosexuals, right?
 
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Fenny the Fox

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You do know HIV doesn't just infect homosexuals, right?

For instance, most HIV cases worldwide are in non-homosexual individuals (M/F contact).


As for stem cells. There are different types. in this case, the stem cells used are what are called "adult". They are derived from stem cells with bone marrow (hence it working due to a bone marrow transplant.
Embryonic stem cells are not the only kind, nor the kind in question here.:thumbsup:
 
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Fenny the Fox

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Make sure you read the article carefully, this is far from a "possible HIV cure for the world". It's quite possibly a one-time anomoly that can't be duplicated, and may not even be permanent. The article never says the man was totally cured or that he no longer has HIV, it says he has no "replicating" HIV, hence the phrase "functionally cured" in the title.

This is essentially the same as being a carrier versus having a disease. Which is always a possibility with any immunity to viruses. A person can be immune (not be attacked by the virus) but still be a vector (carrier) of the virus. In this case, the man is still carrying non-active/non-replicating HIV viruses within his body. These could still, possibly, be transmitted, but are no longer a threat to him - hence "functionally cured", for him only.

And it is not likely that it would work for every person that received such a transplant - just as not all transplant will take. It is a bit of a toss up, really, when you get down to it. But it is more likely to be effective than many other methods so far - which have merely been able to inhibit the replication by limiting the integrase needed, rather than actually damage or eradicate the actual virus itself.


[Of course, this is preliminary, and it is possible the stem cell addition he has now will later be depleted and he will no longer have as great an immunity to the virus. But we just have to wait that one out to see.]
 
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Sketcher

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If they're not missing something (which it is highly possible that they are) - good.

I am hoping this will lead to a cure, and it is FREELY passed out. It won't do any good if there is a cure and only rich westerners can get it, which I am afraid will happen. :(
Costs do need to be recouped somehow - hopefully, rich Westerners will donate enough for the cure to be readily available.
 
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mina

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Conspiracy theorists = :doh:
I'm not sure if that's directed towards me or not.....
I'm not a conspirist; but I would not be surpised at greed over public health and wellness and people's lives. The medical industry/community is a big industry and a lot of people get wealthy from it. It's plausible to me that there are a lot of medical cures within grasp; there is just a lot of money and politics involved that keep them from moving forward. Just like if there ever were a breakthrough cure for aids; I highly doubt it would be given freely to those that are suffering in poverty with it. These are just my own musings at human nature as we know it. *shrug*

Heck, even in a field like education there's so much that COULD be accomplished for the better but politics and money/industry keep it from happening.
 
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Touma

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If they're not missing something (which it is highly possible that they are) - good.


Costs do need to be recouped somehow - hopefully, rich Westerners will donate enough for the cure to be readily available.


Money money money. I hate money. It is evil. Everything is based on how much it will cost me, but we never measure the human cost. We need more people like Jonas Salk (polio vaccine guy)
 
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Qyöt27

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The particular mutation which makes people naturally immune is CCR5-Delta32. It appears to be a quasi-recessive trait, in that a person possessing one set of it (i.e. from just one parent) may not be fully immune, just more resistant, but if they have two sets (from both parents) then immunity is more likely or assured. It's found in about 10% of people in Northern Europe or of Northern European descent. It has one known disadvantage, at least according to Wikipedia - it appears that it puts the person at disproportionately higher risk for West Nile virus. Otherwise, those with the mutation are perfectly healthy.
 
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Touma

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Qyöt27;57670807 said:
The particular mutation which makes people naturally immune is CCR5-Delta32. It appears to be a quasi-recessive trait, in that a person possessing one set of it (i.e. from just one parent) may not be fully immune, just more resistant, but if they have two sets (from both parents) then immunity is more likely or assured. It's found in about 10% of people in Northern Europe or of Northern European descent. It has one known disadvantage, at least according to Wikipedia - it appears that it puts the person at disproportionately higher risk for West Nile virus. Otherwise, those with the mutation are perfectly healthy.


Not sure, but I believe they also have a higher risk for Malaria? I could be mixing info. I remember studying this gene with so many others a few years back, in the context of anthropology.
 
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Lord Herdsetk

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Blind post

I'm glad they've made some progress on this. I know that if my brother or sister had AIDS, i'd want to cure them ASAP. Hopefully this cure is successful with at least curing the AIDS victim of their ailment, if not eliminate the virus altogether.
 
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