B.C. researcher proposes to 'extinguish' HIV epidemic

[#juan]

This should be good news

(CBC) - Expanding free access to drug therapies for everyone infected with HIV could eventually stop the spread of the virus, says a leading Vancouver AIDS researcher.

The hypothesis is based on mounting evidence that transmission of the virus drops significantly when people take anti-retroviral drugs, as the amount of virus circulating in their blood goes down.

If viral loads drop to undetectable levels, it's as if HIV is quarantined and can no longer be transmitted to others.

link

 

[Kreskin]

It would help slow possibly, but I've heard that 1/4 of all HIV carriers don't know they're infected.

 

[Said2]

RE: B.C. researcher propo

From what I've been reading, it's not as simple as that (and I'm no expert, VERY open to being wrong) with different countries having higher and lower levels rate of baseline resistance. Also, missing a dose can develop resistance in patients. The side effects sound pretty nasty too.

 

[#juan]

I don't know anything. I just start topics...

I've read that some patients have beaten AIDS right into remission with these drugs, but as you say, It looks like it is not that simple.

 

[Said2]

RE: B.C. researcher propo

It would probably be very good for people with low progression and resistant mutation rates and are not participating in activities that spread the disease to others. I've also read that it's difficult to pin point the stage of progression in order to find the right combination and dosages of medication.

But, like Kreskin said, if the idea is to eliminate the disease through the use of anti-retroviral drug therapy, what about those who are infected and still spreading it through things such as unsafe sex or IV drug use because they don't know they're infected or don't care?

 

[tracy]

It's certainly an interesting idea and I think it's theoretically possible. The problem comes with the practicalities. So many of the people infected with HIV don't have access to a clean glass of water, let alone a huge supply of HIV medicine. There has certainly been a huge shift in how HIV is viewed today as opposed to 10 or 20 years ago. Now it's seen as a chronic condition as opposed to a death sentence. I see more and more HIV positive women choosing to have babies.