Cure for Aids?

UpstateNYPH · Post by **UpstateNYPH** » February 9, 2008 6:42 pm

Alright, not trying to bring up a sensitive topic here, but am just trying to clarify something. A friend and I were discussing his grandmother's health issues yesterday, and somehow AIDS got brought up (but that is not what is wrong with her), and I asked him if he thought we would ever see a cure of AIDS in our lifetime.

And he told me that apparently a cure has been developed in the past, but since the pharmaceutical industry is a BUSINESS, it has been shut down and kept quiet so the industries can keep making money off the drugs they sell.

Now I have heard the whole argument before that cures arent found for drugs because if people arent sick then everyone in the medical profession would be out of business, but is he misinformed or could something like this have happened?

I searched around on the net and not a lot of info out there about what he is talking about, but I did find this which kind of runs along the same lines of what were discussing:
http://www.cqs.com/aidscure.htm

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » February 9, 2008 7:42 pm

I don't believe any of that conspiracy theory crap. There is more to gain in finding a cure for the infected than there is in treatment. A cure will be found one day, probably in the next 10 years.

popcornjack · Post by **popcornjack** » February 9, 2008 8:04 pm

Skibo wrote:I don't believe any of that conspiracy theory crap. There is more to gain in finding a cure for the infected than there is in treatment. A cure will be found one day, probably in the next 10 years.

That's what it is, and it is always around. Supposedly we can cure everything from the common cold to cancer, but there's too much money to be made in the continual treating of the disease instead of the elimination of it.

creeky · Post by **creeky** » February 9, 2008 9:00 pm

Did you actually land on the moon?

Conspiracies are everywhere ....

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » February 9, 2008 9:11 pm

I can't speak about HIV but I can speak about a disease that is more virulent than the HIV virus, easier to catch and will stay "alive" outside the body tons longer than HIV. It's HCV aka hepatitis C.

That site you reference is a "natural remedy" or herbal site. Some of what he had to say regarding the conventional HCV treatment is true but then some of it is an out and out lie. The simple fact is no herbal remedy has cured HCV and I doubt seriously the claims of HIV being cured. I personally know people who have gone the "alternate" route with herbals only to find their HCV worsened in the long run, causing more liver damage as well as a greater difficulty in treatment once they turn to the conventional treatment.

That being said it really would not surprise me if the pharmaceutical companies were delaying or suppressing research for a HIV cure. The reason I feel this way is because of the way the pharmaceutical industry handles the clinical trial reporting for new medicines to the FDA. People think the FDA actually overseas the multitude of clinical trials but they don't. The FDA gets reports from the manufacturer and the manufactures have been found to leave out the negative reports. That's why there's a myriad of class action lawsuits. Take the stop smoking drug, Chantix for example. It was released in May 2006 to the public. Almost immediately patients started complaining about psychotic side effects. In Nov 2007 the FDA issued a "Early Communication" advising it was evaluating the reports of negative side effects. On Feb 1, 2008 a "Public Health Advisory" was issued about the sides. That's almost 2 years after it's release.

The drug companies already lie about the medicines they put out - why not lie about those that are still in research phase?

Mottola-Buffett · Post by **Mottola-Buffett** » February 9, 2008 10:36 pm

My Aunt is head of Breast Cancer Research at NIH in Bethesda... believe me, there is all sorts of bureaucratic bulls**t in the "find a cure industry"!

popcornjack · Post by **popcornjack** » February 9, 2008 11:50 pm

Mottola-Buffett wrote:My Aunt is head of Breast Cancer Research at NIH in Bethesda... believe me, there is all sorts of bureaucratic bulls**t in the "find a cure industry"!

I recommend reading "And The Band Played On" by Randy Shilts. It covers, quite extensively, AIDS from 1976 to 1984/85. Gives a first hand look at all the b.s. that goes into medical science.

jonesbeach10 · Post by **jonesbeach10** » February 10, 2008 1:20 am

Wouldn't a "cure" be different than a vaccine or something else preventative. I'd imagine if there was a cure it would be something like you take the drug or treatment for a week, a month, whatever it will rid you of HIV or AIDS. That would be opposed to a vaccine like the ones children get as infants for mumps, measles, rubella etc. to prevent yourself from ever getting the disease in the first place.

It wouldn't surprise me so much if the pharmaceutical companies we suppressing a vaccine or the like for HIV/AIDS, but I'd imagine a cure would make a ton of money (looking at it from a business rather than moral standpoint).

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » February 10, 2008 3:04 am

jonesbeach10 wrote:Wouldn't a "cure" be different than a vaccine or something else preventative. I'd imagine if there was a cure it would be something like you take the drug or treatment for a week, a month, whatever it will rid you of HIV or AIDS. That would be opposed to a vaccine like the ones children get as infants for mumps, measles, rubella etc. to prevent yourself from ever getting the disease in the first place.

It wouldn't surprise me so much if the pharmaceutical companies we suppressing a vaccine or the like for HIV/AIDS, but I'd imagine a cure would make a ton of money (looking at it from a business rather than moral standpoint).

vaccines for HIV are currently in Phase I clinical trials with plans for Phase II to start sometimes later this year.

Let's face it - when it comes to the US consumer the drug companies are making a small fortune off us. Meds in the US are among the highest in the world. We're one of 2 countries that allow prescription drug commercials on television who do you think pays for those? The consumer that's who. US insurance companies are beginning to pay for the insured to travel to foreign countries for major surgeries because the cost of medical care in other countries is lower than here.

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » February 10, 2008 10:18 am

There will be a cure one day.

sadly, it just seems like it keeps getting pushed down the ladder,
that is, until someone FAMOUS either turns up HIV positive or dies.

sunseeker · Post by **sunseeker** » February 10, 2008 10:55 am

Lightning Bolt wrote:There will be a cure one day.

sadly, it just seems like it keeps getting pushed down the ladder,
that is, until someone FAMOUS either turns up HIV positive or dies.

Freddy Mercury of Queen
Chuck Panazzo of Styx
Rock Hudson
Anthony Perkins
Robert Reed
Greg Louganis (living HIV positive)
Magic Johnson (living HIV positive)

thats just a few....

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » February 10, 2008 11:01 am

ph4ever wrote:Let's face it - when it comes to the US consumer the drug companies are making a <strike>small</strike> huge fortune off us.

Fixed it for ya...

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » February 10, 2008 2:41 pm

sunseeker wrote:
Lightning Bolt wrote:There will be a cure one day.

sadly, it just seems like it keeps getting pushed down the ladder,
that is, until someone FAMOUS either turns up HIV positive or dies.
Freddy Mercury of Queen
Chuck Panazzo of Styx
Rock Hudson
Anthony Perkins
Robert Reed
Greg Louganis (living HIV positive)
Magic Johnson (living HIV positive)

thats just a few....

It'll always be that way until one of these people actively campaign for the cause and put it in the face of everyday America (like Michael Fox with Parkinsons). Same problem exists in the HCV community - quite a number of "stars" infected and not too much in the way of activitism coming from these people.

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » February 10, 2008 2:41 pm

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:
ph4ever wrote:Let's face it - when it comes to the US consumer the drug companies are making a <strike>small</strike> huge fortune off us.
Fixed it for ya...

I was trying to be generous

12vmanRick · Post by **12vmanRick** » February 10, 2008 6:38 pm

just like anything else, there may be a cure but there is probably more profit in not curing something.

drunkpirate66 · Post by **drunkpirate66** » February 10, 2008 7:06 pm

Magic Johnson is proof that money can buy health. I am in the medical field . . . USCG . . .

I am not a doctor but I know for a fact that if everyone with AIDS/ HIV had Magic Johnson's resources then atleast 90% of them would be as healthy as Magic two decades after contact of disease.

Just an example.

freaky4tiki · Post by **freaky4tiki** » February 10, 2008 7:11 pm

the people who typically conduct this kind of research are infectious disease physicians. they have to go to large pharmaceuticals for grant money because it can be so difficult to get from the government. these doctors are dedicated to their cause not because it will make them money (most of them only make about $150,00 a year) but because it will make people well. I'm not saying that all doctors are perfect, but I do believe that the good ones truly want their patients to be better. the doctors who dedicate their lives to this cause are some amazing and selfless human beings. it's very unfortunate to think we have so little faith in the goodness of people. no one would withhold information that could cure so many--most of whom are orphaned children.

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » February 10, 2008 7:50 pm

drunkpirate66 wrote:Magic Johnson is proof that money can buy health. I am in the medical field . . . USCG . . .

I am not a doctor but I know for a fact that if everyone with AIDS/ HIV had Magic Johnson's resources then atleast 90% of them would be as healthy as Magic two decades after contact of disease.

Just an example.

Money can also buy you a needed transplant. I don't begrudge those that can afford healthcare. I have no animosity towards them at all. You can't blame anyone with money or good insurance for doing whatever necessary to stay alive. My animosity is towards the pharmaceutical industry and our own governmen.

If you're one of the unlucky ones (and the number is growing yearly) that is either not or under insured and you have a major medical issue you have to jump thru hoops to get any kind of assistance.

The drug companies want to portray the image that they are caring and will assist those that don't have the resources for meds, yet there are waiting lists and you have to jump thru hoops to get assistance.

Veterans have to jump thru hoops in the VA system as well.

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » February 10, 2008 7:58 pm

freaky4tiki wrote:the people who typically conduct this kind of research are infectious disease physicians. they have to go to large pharmaceuticals for grant money because it can be so difficult to get from the government. these doctors are dedicated to their cause not because it will make them money (most of them only make about $150,00 a year) but because it will make people well. I'm not saying that all doctors are perfect, but I do believe that the good ones truly want their patients to be better. the doctors who dedicate their lives to this cause are some amazing and selfless human beings. it's very unfortunate to think we have so little faith in the goodness of people. no one would withhold information that could cure so many--most of whom are orphaned children.

You are confusing those that actually conduct the research with those that pull the strings at all the different pharmaceutical industries. If your theory were correct then you wouldn't see the myriad of class action lawsuits for all the various drugs that were fast tracked thru the FDA. Heck the pharmaceutical industry runs the FDA. You also would see more universal prices for drugs worldwide, a lot of which are the same formula. Some aren't but a lot are.

I've participated in a medical study - those responsible for my care were awesome people no doubt about it. It was obvious they really were concerned about the well being of the patients. But they are some of the bottom cogs on the wheel.

sonofabeach · Post by **sonofabeach** » February 10, 2008 8:09 pm

drunkpirate66 wrote:Magic Johnson is proof that money can buy health.

yeah and with a name like Magic Johnson

yeah I know........groan