I’m never one to get my panties in a wad too quickly. However, this article, courtesy of Towleroad, has me excited.
Researchers, including a BYU scientist, believe they have found a new compound that could finally kill the HIV/AIDS virus, not just slow it down as current treatments do.
And, unlike the expensive, drug cocktails 25 years of research have produced for those with the deadly virus, the compound invented by Paul D. Savage of Brigham Young University appears to hunt down and kill HIV.
Without delving into the conspiracy theories behind the lack of a cure thus far, wouldn’t it be a kick in the pants to the drug industry if a cure turned out to be cheaply made and easily mass produced?
I don’t think I know anyone who’s life hasn’t been touched by the loss of AIDS. If you, as a reader, have never known the suffering and anguish associated w/this horrible illness, I envy you. Having seen so many of the people I love succomb to this horrible disease, I am always heartened by advancing medicine.
It’s way too soon to be putting “out the word” but, the advances made in the last 5 years are changing the face of HIV prevention. Let’s hope this new discovery becomes a reality instead of just another flash in the fire!
I caught this a day or two ago in the Tribune, don’t remember when (Alzheimers ya know). I have to put this with the old adage, “If its too good to be true,” I’d like to see a LOT more about this befor anyone gets excited about it.
As someone who works on the front line practicing HIV medicine, I would echo the sentiments that we take a cautionary approach here. It’s still too early to say with any definitive voice that we actually have a cure.
That being said, this work is astounding. The last time that we saw a change in the trajectory of this disease was in 1996 with the advent of triple combination therapy. It completely changed the face of HIV, as well drastically reduced the morbidity rate. This discovery, if the theory of its medicinal application is accurate, will makee the 1996 discovery something for the history books, as we would now, in effect, have a cure.
I’m at a loss for words to describe in any meaningful sense what that experience would be like for those of us, as Moby points out, that have experienced this disease in our own, or our friends lives. Let’s hope…
Okay, let’s skip the part entitled “how did I end up reading your blog” (which, by the way is amazing, I mean not the part I am skipping.. but your blog!;-))
To talk about this potential HIV killer… well, let’s say I am scared, once more, to hear about something that won’t come true. Trying not to delve into the conspiracy theories (like you say), I can’t help wondering: is there really any incentive to find a cure… knowing all that the drug industry could lose? Yet, I hope… I have been working myself in the field, economic pressures on pharmaceutical companies are great… ethics is sometimes far far away from their priorities. So, let’s hope that it might be true… but we have to be cautious… It would not be the first time scientists communicate what are still only potential results just to get some publicity… and further funds.. Research has become a messy world.