Man appears free of HIV after stem cell transplant

I think your missing a key point here: matching livers are very hard to find and need to come from dead people (donors). This results in a huge shortage of livers that need to be used wisely for people who need it most and have the greatest likelihood of being compatible with that liver. A liver is also an organ, which makes it very hard (if possible, i don't know anyone who's succeeded tho I know of someone who is trying) to duplicate or generate by artificial means.

Stem cells on the other hand, come from a wide variety of sources ... donors are still alive after they donate lol and can continue to donate. They can also be duplicated in controlled environments and in fact multiply and divide naturally. Depending on the legislature, there can be potentially no shortage of stem cells. My point is... if there will be a waitlist for stem cell treatments it must be a very short one.

Although I think I should be cautious because in the case of the HIV patient, they used a special stem cell that had a specific mutation that made the t-cells resistant to retroviruses. That in itself is pretty amazing, that there was a genetic resistance to HIV, a product of evolution perhaps?

Anyways, the stem cell they used must have been relatively rare...but honestly considering the nature of HIV (they replace a piece of your DNA to reproduce), I never thought there would be any sort of cure period. Now we have someone who is symptom free for 2 years... now that is pretty amazing. I say we lay off the debating and controversies and celebrate for a bit :)

sorry that was really long!

Did you not see my personal example of my uncle? I also did not say that I felt that I was exempt from the argument. I don't think my life has any more value than yours or anyone else.

A valid question but hard to answer for a number of reasons. Adult stem cell transplants are done over much of the world and the prices range from $10-30k (roughly).

The US is 5-10 yrs behind in treating with stem cells so you would have to leave the country which means an additional cost of flight and accommodations which could add $800 to $2,400 (est.) depending on whether you went to a treatment center in the Dom Rep, Argentina, Germany, China, Israel, etc. and how many poeple went, etc.

If the US ever gets around to offering adult stem cell treatments than there is the factor of battling with your insurance provider for assistance. But, it's not all bad news. 3 days ago a precedent was set when a 3 yr old boy received an adult stem cell transplant and wonder of wonders, his insurance paid for some of it. http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/a-stem-cellinsurance-miracle/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/a-stem-cellinsurance-miracle/

There is also an adult stem cell/cellular therapy clinic in Israel that has had success treating cancer.

Finally, the man who is symptom free for 2 years also had leukemia so are we considering costs of chemo also?

Of course, you could always go to India where they just established a stem cell donor bank and clinic and they are performing therapies for...wait for it...FREE!
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/imagine-john-lennon-would-be-prou...

I know that is a lot to chew on with many unknowns but I hope that answered the question.

Regards-
David
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com

A valid question but hard to answer for a number of reasons. Adult stem cell transplants are done over much of the world and the prices range from $10-30k (roughly). This one seems to have cost $250k but I have no idea why...maybe because it is the first? Maybe the machine to determine if blood is HIV resistant costs $2 million??? Who knows.

The US is 5-10 yrs behind in treating with stem cells so you would have to leave the country which means an additional cost of flight and accommodations which could add $800 to $2,400 (est.) depending on whether you went to a treatment center in the Dom Rep, Argentina, Germany, China, Israel, etc. and how many poeple went, etc.

If the US ever gets around to offering adult stem cell treatments than there is the factor of battling with your insurance provider for assistance. But, it's not all bad news. 3 days ago a precedent was set when a 3 yr old boy received an adult stem cell transplant and wonder of wonders, his insurance paid for some of it. http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/a-stem-cellinsurance-miracle/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/a-stem-cellinsurance-miracle/

There is also an adult stem cell/cellular therapy clinic in Israel that has had success treating cancer.

Finally, the man who is symptom free for 2 years also had leukemia so are we considering costs of chemo also?

Of course, you could always go to India where they just established a stem cell donor bank and clinic and they are performing therapies for...wait for it...FREE!
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/imagine-john-lennon-would-be-prou...

I know that is a lot to chew on with many unknowns but I hope that answered the question.

Regards-
David
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com

You do realize that there are people who would beg to differ (I'm not one of them), but this does benefit children who were born with the terrible disease.

You don't think we will all die eventually?

I just said that I wasn't one of them (believing in immortality individuals).

Wow really? I don't think I've ever encountered anyone with this belief. I definitely want to read about this. Do you know if they believe in immortality or is this just a continuation of life after death/reincarnated idea?

Oh, and sorry for overlooking your statement about not being one of them.

If anyone has a good source to read about this belief I would love to see it - my searches have not yielded anything remotely explanatory.

The best explanations I found were here: http://www.deathreference.com/Ho-Ka/Immortality.html

Thanks for any links sent my way regarding this topic.

It looks like it's the same person.

So educate me. What am I missing as far as my knowledge of medicine? What should I know about medicine that would change my opinion? I'm open to changing my opinion, share what you know.

The ethics point I have to disagree on, just because they don't match yours doesn't mean they don't exist. Cultures around the world have perfectly in place ethics that practically no one here would agree with. (did you see the story of human sacrifice that was posted on current ... think it was two days ago - perfectly normal for that culture, shocking to most of us here)

Keep talking until you know me! You seriously think with views like mine that I think I'm any more valuable on this earth than anyone else???? I think we're all destroying things as quickly as humanly possible and until the majority of us fix our shit we will continue in a downward spiral! And I don't exempt myself from this comment!!!

SO basically you are somewhat sad that a disease in the world might be cured, because you want it to be around and used as a punishment for activities you don't agree with. Most drug users get there, because they had horrible childhoods and missing parents or have seen combat you dumb _____. You are truly a disgusting human being. Most Aids in the world is from heterosexual sex. You need to get a fucking job, and stop opening your mouth. You are a disgusting human being.

What makes you think I don't have a job? I re-read what I wrote, but I can't figure out what would make you deduce that from anything I wrote. I clearly offended you with my opinion, but I really don't think that's reason to call me names. I wasn't attempting to offend any one person or group of people - you're entitled to your opinion and to call me names, but I definitely suggest your opinions will be better received if you just state how you feel without putting all the emotion into it. Once emotion enters the argument most people are incapable of separating facts from arguments that simply support their ideas.

I'm pretty sure that the most common form of HIV transmittal is not from heterosexual sex. A quick google of "most common STD transmittal" doesn't really indicate heterosexual sex as the most common way the disease is spread. I'm not an expert in this area so I'll refrain from making a guess, but that didn't seem to be what most reference material on the web sited.

I don't think of diseases as punishment at all. You only assumed that because this disease happens to be related to "bad behavior". I think plenty of people experience the things you stated as excuses for drug use without turning to drugs as an escape. I don't think it's a punishment, it's just the consequences of their actions. Step in front of a fast moving train - the consequences aren't hard to figure out.

If you want to rephrase your argument in a form that will indicate your intelligence level and refrain from calling names I bet more people will actually see what you're saying... It's hard to see your point through all the anger.

Wow! Way to read the wildest things into a statement there, Thumperings. I think I understand the sentiment behind the original comment as I share it. All at once I want the best for my fellow humans and yet find them ridiculously and dangerously myopic. We are working on all of these things that will extend life as if it is to be had at any cost. Be that cost the planet it lives on then apparently so what? I don't see how pointing out that while we are curing disease and extending life, we should also be dealing with problems directly related is such a bad thing. Or is overpopulation not a problem? Is it irrelevant that we are going full tilt to facilitate life in one way when in another we neglect that we do not even see to it that all the life we have is fed? I may be wrong and I speak for no one but me but I think that this was the point.

As for the story - awesome! One step in the right direction.

Good clarification, thank you.

I want to help humanity, I'm simply concerned that all this help will ultimately make things worse for us all, either in the form of wildly mutated disease (like we aren't seeing signs of this already) or over-population beyond our comprehension levels.

lindslee...
Where I see where you're going with your point...(you see the big picture so to speak)...your initial opinion that those who contracted HIV because of reckless behavior is a little offensive. You have to a walk a day in someone else's shoes before you write them off as 'deserving of a long painful death', simply because of the way the contracted the disease. As you continue to write, your point of view is easier seen, but most of the negativity is coming not so much from what you said, but how you said it initially.

Understood... I initially only stated one example. I should have clarified. I appreciate your comment that I see the bigger picture... I really do want the best for humanity, it just might not be the present picture of humanity, but, rather, the future of humanity.

Maybe we will evolve to just having 1 kid with a high quality of life instead of having 3+ in trying to hedge our bets.
If each couple had one child (by choice) population would eventually decrease, and quality of life would be better.

I definitely agree with this.

China imposes fines for multiple children except in the case of multiple births - the rich are simply going to fertility clinics to get around the process!

I do think it's a good idea, in theory. Not everyone can go around the rules so I do think it will have an impact on their population slowing down.

AIDs needs a cure because it was a HUMAN created virus. This is not natural selection at work, this is man playing God. I understand your point about mutating viruses and over-population and such, but AIDs is in a completly different ballpark from anything else.

Everyone makes mistakes. I don't think they deserve a death sentence because they are fallible.

I see your point, but let them remain with the disease and they'll keep spreading it. And yes, to others who are being reckless. But what about the medical worker who tries to help one of these people who was in a car wreck and accidentally is sprayed with body fluids of this person?

I won't call you heartless, but I will point out that addiction is a disease. Intravenous drug use is reckless, but there are psychological and physical needs that drive people to use. Two people very close to me have been dealing with hard drug addicted loved ones. It is really hard to go through, but they are still human and in a lot of pain.

I have drug addicts in my family too. That's what separates me from most people - I'm ok with negative things happening to my family and people close to me for the betterment of society. Diseases don't start with a choice - people don't get Type I diabetes because of a choice they made. Once addiction has set in then I agree it's a form of a disease, but it started with a choice and they should live with the consequences.

My uncle shot himself in front of my cousins while he was high - he's an intravenous drug user. If that guy contracts HIV I certainly don't think he should be saved. Ef him... Sounds like using abortion as birth control if you ask me.

You all realize that if we keep curing every disease out there that either our diseases will mutate more frequently or the earth will not be able to keep up with our population? We can't all live and we can't all live forever.

i agree with you lindslee, and you're not heartless.
everyone makes mistakes is a lame excuse for not taking care of yourself.

heartless isn't the word. Judgemental, arrogant shortsighted and stupid beyond any understandable measure seem more appropriate

That comment is arrogant and heartless in the extreme. Drug addiction can be like a disease - in particular intravenous heroin use. People who picked up HIV during unprotected sex did not set out to do that - their judgment on not taking the correct precautions was lacking. People make mistakes. Would you deny treatment after a car crash to someone who had looked off the road for a second or just leave them to die in the road?

HIV seems to select the most vulnerable minorities. They dont need your finger wagging as well.

I agree - that's what I said, that drug addiction is like a disease. I didn't select HIV as the topic - the article did. Pretty sure if I started talking about obesity as a "disease" that people would be confused about why I was talking about obesity out of the blue. I only went with HIV because that was the topic of the article and for no other reason (certainly not to single them out - apologize if my statements were received that way).

digidigido, said "heartless isn't the word. Judgemental, arrogant shortsighted and stupid beyond any understandable measure seem more appropriate"

Oh come on, explain your opinion. Calling me names isn't the fastest way to persuade me to think like you. I'll help you out.

I assume you say judgmental because you feel I've singled out a group of people - I was only following the topic of the article - if that is not why you think I'm judgmental then please explain.

HAHA You called me stupid and you spelled judgmental wrong. But really, why do you think I'm stupid? In what aspect? What should I know that you know that would make me think stem cell research and the quest to cure all diseases is a positive? Think about the past 100 years - Google "virus mutation past 100 years"... search for what people died from 100 years ago vs what they die from today and think about why we are dying from such preventable diseases like heart disease and obesity. Now think about the future, what does it look like to you? How does the earth support so many people and what do you think viruses and diseases will look and act like?

What makes my opinion shortsighted? I really feel like my opinion is really future oriented - looking down the road at what the earth will be able to support.

So maybe the idea that we shouldn't cure diseases isn't how we handle population control... some other people brought up some ideas about limiting the number of kids we all have as a different method. That's probably a much better received argument, although the goal is the same is the same as my point.

To everyone who simply calls me names, come on! Be an adult, site some sources to support your opinion and tell me HOW I am wrong - suggest an alternative to meet the same goal that I'm focused on. I'm concerned about the level of anger that I can evoke simply by going against the grain - use your grown-up words and discuss!

You ask for an adult discussion but you cherry pick arguments that you feel you can easily refute while ignoring legitimate responses like the one by Brendan_M. Now, reply.

OK then enough with the 911 calls for heart attack victims who spent their life on the Mickey D's couch potato diet. No treatment for lung cancer if you ever smoked. If you get the clap so sad let it rot off should have used a condom. Beware of what you classify as reckless behavior.

We shouldn't cure diseases because of population control? Have you ever had someone very close to you die from an illness that might be curable in the future? Cancer perhaps?

If you did, I doubt you would ever be against curing them.

And your argument IS incredibly ignorant. The whole "he deserves it" crap doesn't really work when you realize how many different situations you have to apply it to.
Maybe one day you're driving your car, looking in a different direction or not paying attention for a second, and it results in a car accident. I guess the people who witness it shouldn't call the ambulance to come help you, considering it was your mistake. Therefore, you don't deserve treatment for your injuries that might result in your death.

Yeah, good plan asshole. You definitely are heartless. I can't imagine living in a world where everyone had your attitude.

well, not that i disagree with embryotic stem cell research (i have no clue where to stand on the issue), but i highly doubt this will end the controversy. i just can't wait till they master and mass-market lab-generated stem-cells so that this derisive issue can finally be buried in a lead coffin a million miles underground!