The five patients receiving organs from an HIV+ donor, tested negative

[sam66]

The five patients receiving organ transplants from an HIV carrier tested negative for HIV

 I found this article interesting,

  Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) The five patients receiving organ transplants from an HIV carrier tested negative for HIV, said National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) Thursday, adding that it has discussed with some families of the patients about compensation.

The medication regime will continue as the hospital tracks the patients until next year, said Vice Superintendent Chang Shan-chwen.

Three of the patients have been discharged from the hospital. One patient who received the donor's kidney is out of danger, but the one who received the lung is still in intensive care, according to Chang.

The five patients -- four treated by the NTUH team and one at National Cheng Kung University Hospital -- received HIV-infected organs on Aug. 24 and 25 because of negligence on the part of NTUH, resulting from a failure to identify the donor as a HIV carrier.

NTUH team confirmed the donor's HIV status only through telephone communication without double checking medical records on paper and in the computer.

NTUH will cover all medical expenses for the organ recipients and has been discussing with their families about compensation, said Shih Chung-liang, director of the Bureau of Medical Affairs under the Department of Health (DOH). (By Chen Ching-fang and Scully Hsiao) Enditem/ly

   Focus Tiwan News

     http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aLIV&ID=201109290040

 Does this throw any light on viral reservoirs, does this mean kidneys , lungs do not have the virus ?
 Anybody have opinions comments ?

[AlexMerida]

With this news it is confirmed that there is a great distance between basic and applied science. The Mafias occur in all the sectors until in the one of the investigation.  (I am not saying that the cure is hidden or something) there are many investigators dedicating his time in including/understanding in how the virus of the HIV works. Many researches live form science and made a career with publishing.
But what happen with those researches (applied research) that have proven to control or eradicated the virus.
There should be a priority. Unfortunately there it has not been a priority with therapeutics…there is a great lack of the common sense.  (yes only recently many projects have been approved to eradicate the HIV…)
the cure for the HIV is possible. Many try to compare the cure of the HIV with the invention of the machine of the time. The difference is that already there is a case of cures reported. The case of the patient of Berlin was taken from poster in a congress of Boston. Nobody put attention in the case. Now many use the word of cures to attract the lights or so that an investigation project sounds feasible.

[leatherman]

The case of the patient of Berlin was taken from poster in a congress of Boston. Nobody put attention in the case.

actually I believe too many people pay attention to that case. I also feel the the word "cure" used with the Berlin patient is very inappropriate.

If you read up on the specifics of that case and the outcome (see a previous post of mine with a link on this subject) , you'll see that his HIV was NOT cured. It was however ERADICATED by several extreme costly procedures, each with their own very high death rate and even higher price tag, for which he was extremely lucky to have survived at all - although "survived" must be a qualified word, as he was left with many complications afterwards.

Recently I read of a new study looking for volunteers to try to replicate this "eradication". I was pleased to see that they are seeking candidates with and without leukemia, so that they can also determine whether having leukemia itself is somehow a condition to replicating the outcome gotten in the Berlin patient's case.

[TheRoof]

Honestly. The Berlin Patient trial is not the first time this has been done. The CCR5 thing was done in France (Said by a Doctor on the Body) how they tried to do a very similar trial. In 2002 I think.

The patient got new bone marrow with new cells, and the HIV came back. He eventually died a year latter I think.
Not trying to be a pessimist, but the death rate for a bone marrow is near 30% they say. So this is hardly a safe surgery.


Here is my personal opinion for me. Under the current circumstance.
If I had the chance to do it? Would I do it? Honestly. I don't know. Hypothetically. I would be okay with a 30% death rate. ONLY If there was a 95% chance it could be eradicated. Only then I would put up with the suffering of recovering afterwards. (Because the recovery process is the worst part of the procedure they say) But if the chance of eradication was like 70%. I don't think I could do it. Not because the risk of death, but because the amount of pressure and the procedure this puts on the body. Is incredible.  The Berlin Patient suffered brain injuries after the surgery. You can the way he talks 1-2 years afterwards. This procedure affects all parts of the body, and the brain.


BUT I am glad they are doing research. -- this makes me happy to hear.

[freewillie99]

Lots of misinformation and lame conjecture on this thread.  Wow.

[leatherman]

Lots of misinformation and lame conjecture on this thread.  Wow.

would you like to expand on your lame comment to explain yourself a bit?