Experts confident of HIV cure

[ElZorro]

This is the kind of news I like to hear and it just reinforces my gut feeling that the scientists are getting closer and they know it can be done. In similar articles, this woman has indicated that she feels a cure is within 5 to 10 years away. 

http://dominicanewsonline.com/experts-confident-of-hiv-cure/

[tednlou2]

I hope she is right.  Even if it takes much longer, I think it is good to believe there will be a cure.  I think believing that could give some the extra motivation to keep on keeping on.

[Hellraiser]

If a cure were announced in my lifetime I think I would just break down and cry for myself, for all the people who came before me and for all the people who would be spared.  Eventually the medicine will catch the virus, it's just a matter of time, money, and effort.

[mousey]

if there is a cure, i think i will kiss everyone on the street

[veritas]

Nice post Zorro!

The fact it's being talked about in those circles is encouraging indeed!

v

[cpdh20]

awwwwwwwwww, iam actually crying now , its better than an orgasm !!!

[TabooPrincess]

if there is a cure, i think i will kiss everyone on the street

I would buy em all a bottle of Bolley and have a bloody partaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!  And kiss them too ;-)

[Realist]

I certainly don't want to dampen the spirit of the thread but I'm not convinced any of this is new.

My reading is that its simply a call for prioritisation, more funding and a focused effort. Reading the detail (from the official new source) gives a more balanced view:

http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1447784/

[mecch]

I agree what is new is the secure feeling that if current HAART is so great at stopping replication, then a working cure that drains reservoirs and/or creates natural sustained immune response without HAART is the proper focus of the next stage.

[ElZorro]

Realist,

I know exactly how you feel, but what is inspiring about your link and others referencing Lewin's keynote  address is that "A cure for HIV infection is scientifically feasible and increasingly necessary, but the goal requires focus and funding, said Sharon Lewin of Monash University in Melbourne, in a keynote address at the opening session of the AIDS 2010 conference and at a preceding workshop organised by the International AIDS Society (IAS)."

My take on the limits of research these days seems to be in getting adequate funding into the hands of the researchers who need it (not to mention the dollars needed to fund the ADAP lists). Having just spent a week in Orlando at Disney and Universal Studios, I was repeatedly struck by the massive amounts of money that those two park franchises are still making (gross) despite the current world wide "recession". Both parks were packed despite the economy and the weather (it was amazingly hot here in Florida last week).

I repeatedly found myself wondering what type of an impact the Disney brand could have on HIV research if they and their shareholders were willing to give up a single week's gate receipts or even just the parking revenue ($14/day) for a week or two. Imagine, then, if other major brands, like Coke, Pepsi, and Exxon, jumped on the band wagon and were willing to sacrifice a little of their revenue in the hopes of contributing to finding a cure....

The amount of money that private industry could raise in a short period of time would dwarf what Obama just pledged and more than make up for the shortfall he is being criticized for.

I wish I had the time and energy to dedicate to forming a foundation that would encourage (or embarrass/pressure) major companies (around the world) to pick a single day (or week) of the year and to donate their gross receipts towards that end. Not only would the results have a positive impact on research, but they would be tax deductible. Probably more could be raised in this manner much more quickly than having to wait for a meager response from the US federal government.

[mecch]

Why would corporations donate to this and not the bigger impact a large sum of money could have saving people starving to death, for instance, via a few bucks a day, or week.

Wishful thinking and too centered on the needs of this HIV+ community.   

Oh and by the way, is that true 1500 for a family of 4?  Jeezuz, I had no idea it was so pricey.

[ElZorro]

Why would corporations donate to this and not the bigger impact a large sum of money could have saving people starving to death, for instance, via a few bucks a day, or week.

Wishful thinking and too centered on the needs of this HIV+ community.  

Oh and by the way, is that true 1500 for a family of 4?  Jeezuz, I had no idea it was so pricey.

perhaps "wishful thinking" and admittedly selfish (but whose personal charities aren't?), but when one watches the shows and considers the number of gay employees that Disney must have, it makes one think. Remember, too, that Disney was one of the forerunners to offering domestic partner benefits a few years ago: http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/08/us/disney-co-will-offer-benefits-to-gay-partners.html

And, yes, $220/per for a two day Disney pass...ridiculous, huh?

[newt]

On Disney, the market wins.

On the science, hope is wonderful and I have it but I also have a well used deck chair that I hope to use when the summer weather is good enough. When's there's a cure I will be first, or appropriately placed, in the queue, this is the target, but 5-10 years seems optimistic. I would love to be proved wrong.

Call me cynical, but data, not press releases or careeer ambitions of scientists, speak to me.

Soz

- matt

[stargate12]

The amount of money that private industry could raise in a short period of time would dwarf what Obama just pledged and more than make up for the shortfall he is being criticized for.

Insurance companies included.  To tell the truth , from my point of view,  Disney has no intererest in a Hiv cure ... insurance companies YES.

[Realist]

I know exactly how you feel

And how do I feel?

[Boze]

Realist,

I know exactly how you feel, but what is inspiring about your link and others referencing Lewin's keynote  address is that "A cure for HIV infection is scientifically feasible and increasingly necessary, but the goal requires focus and funding, said Sharon Lewin of Monash University in Melbourne, in a keynote address at the opening session of the AIDS 2010 conference and at a preceding workshop organised by the International AIDS Society (IAS)."

My take on the limits of research these days seems to be in getting adequate funding into the hands of the researchers who need it (not to mention the dollars needed to fund the ADAP lists). Having just spent a week in Orlando at Disney and Universal Studios, I was repeatedly struck by the massive amounts of money that those two park franchises are still making (gross) despite the current world wide "recession". Both parks were packed despite the economy and the weather (it was amazingly hot here in Florida last week).

Park tickets for 4 people for four days was over $1500 and that doesn't include the cost of parking, food, hotel, etc. (hotels in the area were completely sold out; the prices for onsite resort hotels are obscene).

I repeatedly found myself wondering what type of an impact the Disney brand could have on HIV research if they and their shareholders were willing to give up a single week's gate receipts or even just the parking revenue ($14/day) for a week or two.  Imagine, then, if other major brands, like Coke, Pepsi, and Exxon, jumped on the band wagon and were willing to sacrifice a little of their revenue in the hopes of contributing to finding a cure....

The amount of money that private industry could raise in a short period of time would dwarf what Obama just pledged and more than make up for the shortfall he is being criticized for.

I wish I had the time and energy to dedicate to forming a foundation that would encourage (or embarrass/pressure) major companies (around the world) to pick a single day (or week) of the year and to donate their gross receipts towards that end. Not only would the results have a positive impact on research, but they would be tax deductible. Probably more could be raised in this manner much more quickly than having to wait for a meager response from the US federal government.

Why did you then decide to spend 4 days at Disney instead of donating the money to the cause?

[ElZorro]

actually, I donate on a regular basis; to HIV/AIDs and Susan G Komen

[mecch]

I still don't get the 1500 figure. Someone please do the math for me?

[ElZorro]

The point was the tremendous amount of money that is being grossed by just those two brands even during the current global economic recession that is forcing the feds to curtail spending. Everyone seems to be upset by Obama's inability to materialize millions of dollars to address this crisis when a single day's gate at Disney could likely have a huge impact on research and/or the ADAP lists. (Heck, even the net profit on bottled water at those parks would be huge)

Forget I brought it up...sheesh  

2 day Disney Park Pass: ~$220/per person
2 day Universal Studios pass ~$145/per person
amount of grief a person can get from simple post: priceless  

[elf]

I would be happy when the cure is found
if it weren't for Kaletra and Kivexa  which would give me a heart attack before.