Is this the beginning of the end for HIV

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on recent research related to HIV treatment and the potential implications for controlling the virus. Participants explore the effectiveness of new approaches compared to existing therapies, the nature of viral suppression, and the possibility of achieving a cure.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express optimism about new research suggesting that HIV may eventually lose its ability to escape certain antibodies, indicating a potential shift in treatment strategies.
  • Others highlight that the promising results from a long-term HIV patient may not be applicable to the broader population, raising concerns about the transferability of the approach.
  • There is a viewpoint that the new methods may only suppress viral replication rather than eliminate the virus, which is necessary for a definitive cure, and that current therapies are already effective in this regard.
  • One participant speculates on the role of the immune system and the concept of "elite controllers," questioning the variability of immune responses among individuals and likening the approach to a vaccine.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; multiple competing views remain regarding the implications of the research and the feasibility of achieving a cure for HIV.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the applicability of findings to the general population and the limitations of current treatment options. There are also unresolved questions regarding the immune response variability among individuals.

wolram
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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170125214617.htm

This seems to be a very good start to controlling HIV I am no doctor but this research seems encouraging."What we've shown in this study is that after several rounds of escape from these particular antibodies, the virus seems to run out of options," she adds. "In this particular case, HIV eventually loses this arms race.
 
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They got the promising sample from a patient living with HIV for at least 30 years. He is still living, yes, but he has carried around the virus the whole time.

Even if that approach is transferable to other humans (which is completely unclear), it doesn't look like an approach to get rid of HIV. It would be a better way to stop the evolution to AIDS.
 
Seems like the approach can only suppress viral replication but not eliminate it from the body (which would be required for a cure). Current combination therapies (HAART) already do a good job of suppressing viral replication and are much easier and cheaper to manufacture than antibodies. It's nice to have options in case drug resistance arises to current therapies, but the discovery does not really move us closer to a cure.
 
Thank you for your replies:biggrin:
 
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I think the subject can react because has good amount of leucosit and mentioned in the site the "elite controllers" but then its sound like we can resist the HIV 100% but i think its not 100%. If it came from another human body will it match our body? Cause our body is different one to another. Its more like vaccine i think.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Above its just my opinion
 

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