mmaviator

Don't think anyone as a pilot has AIDs but there might be or they could know someone who has it. So goods news nonetheless. Now hopefully Republicans and congress can loosen there grip on stem cells.

Stem Cell Transplant Cures HIV In 'Berlin Patient'

On the heels of World AIDS Day comes a stunning medical breakthrough: Doctors believe an HIV-positive man who underwent a stem cell transplant has been cured as a result of the procedure.
Timothy Ray Brown, also known as the "Berlin Patient," received the transplant in 2007 as part of a lengthy treatment course for leukemia. His doctors recently published a report in the journal Blood affirming that the results of extensive testing "strongly suggest that cure of HIV infection has been achieved."
Brown's case paves a path for constructing a permanent cure for HIV through genetically-engineered stem cells.
Last week, Time named another AIDS-related discovery to its list of the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2010. Recent studies show that healthy individuals who take antiretrovirals, medicine commonly prescribed for treating HIV, can reduce their risk of contracting the disease by up to 73 percent.
While these developments by no means prove a cure for the virus has been found, they can certainly provide hope for the more than 33 million people living with HIV worldwide. Alongside such findings, global efforts to combat the epidemic have accelerated as of late, with new initiatives emerging in the Philippines and South Africa this week.

KC10 FATboy

Personally I think you crossed the line with your personal comments about certain lawmakers and their take on stem cell testing. The issue is, where did the stem cells come from? What they're concerned about is the use of government funding to harvest the early stages of human life as a natural resource to be mined for other people's benefits. Ironically, some people find the practice immoral and insulting when their tax are used to pay for it -- especially when there's plenty of private funding to support the testing. Additionally, the article never says where the stem cells came from. Perhaps they came from adults? Scientists have now discovered that adult stem cells are more plastic (viable) as once thought; therefore, we might not have to use human fetuses.

Lastly, I wouldn't get your hopes up. Most medical breakthroughs that appear in the news media which aren't peer reviewed and clinical tested tend to not last very long.

Zapata

I couldn't care less as to where stem cells are harvested, fetal or otherwise. Fetuses are blank circuit boards. Fetal stem cells, even less. Superstitions, deities and gods should stay out of our laws, period. If they advance quality of life for the ailing and terminally ill, then lets make 'em like we grow cows in feed lots.

The real murderers are the morally superior virtucrats that hinder stem cell research.

mmaviator

I probably should have explained where I'm coming from with my thoughts. The whole 'mined' of fetuses is not the way to go, there is better ways to get stem cells like you mentioned. One way is in amniotic fluid and in adults(induced pluripotent stem cells, which are derived from adult body cells rather than embryos). With this in mind I would hope that the gov't would back this research but put in some limitations. When there is a glimmer of hope for some and the potential to save millions.....how can anybody be negative? And you know that lawmakers men/women against this will be first in line when.

My hopes are kinda up because this will be the second person to get cured.....the first is Magic Johnson.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyl...ay/647385.html
TUESDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Most of the human embryonic stem cell research conducted in the United States is funded by states, not the federal government, a new study reveals.

KC10 FATboy

They aren't hindering anything. And the research has shown that the embryonic ones may not even be all they're cracked up to be. That's the point, no deity, no Gods.

But hey, if you're willing to let me use your daughter or wife for a bit, I need to make some embryos so a friend of mine can get some stem cells. I'm sure you'll understand and not be morally superior.

Zapata

Although it is not what those in your camp would like to hear, clearly, the jury is still out. So, no point. And yes, the reality is that there are those that hinder research while standing behind their deities and gods.

sqwkvfr

I think it's time to remind you that George W Bush was the first president to allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

jsfBoat

I thought they cured him on that episode of South Park?

KC10 FATboy

My camp? Please don't stereotype me. I've never indicated in this thread which camp -- as if it matters -- I was in. There are people who don't believe in using embryos and don't want to pay for it. Additionally, science is showing that they don't even have to use them. So why not make both sides of the issue happy? Furthermore, there is plenty of private funding to support that type of testing as well as people willing to donate their embryos. I think you are letting the political stuff muddy up the waters when it doesn't have to be. There is common ground here. We both should be happy.

Let's hope that this procedure gets peer reviewed and clinically trialed and turns out to be a success. Unfortunately, the media loves to use these preliminary results as gospel and they have to reneg on the initial reports.

HoursHore

The stem cells in this Aids thing were from adults, and contain a very specific Genetic defect, making this cure all but impracticable.

"The transplant appeared to wipe out both diseases, giving hope to doctors, but Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who has been studying HIV/AIDS for almost 30 years, said while this is an interesting proof of concept, it’s absurdly impractical.

“It’s hard enough to get a good compatible match for a transplant like this,” Fauci told FoxNews.com, “But you also have to find compatible donor that has this genetic defect, and this defect is only found in 1 percent of the Caucasian population and zero percent of the black population. This is very rare.”


Read more: Doctors Claim HIV-Positive Man Cured by Stem Cell Transplant - FoxNews.com