HuffPost: Stem Cell Transplant Cures HIV In 'Berlin Patient'

[Burgold]

I'm saying the assumptions affected funders decision. They didn't want to be under the stink because most people don't dig. There were hundreds of research projects that were scuttled not because they even dealt with stem cells, but because there was a stem cell project in the building. This is one where I have real world experience talking on and off the record to dozens of researchers, directors, and funders. You can choose to disbelieve me, but you'd be wrong to. I bowed to your seeming expertise when you described what was going on during the Gulf Oil Spill (even though your predictions were repeatedly wrong). I can tell you with certainty (though I won't reveal my sources) that there was a very big and negative real world impact to research that had stem cells in it for quite a few years. It softened a bit later, but by then we gave the Euros a heck of a head start in the horse race.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Look within this thread, BLTO is still shouting the "dead baby" mantra.

I've never shouted anything...its an honest question - since you ignored that part of the question, I'm going to believe that's how we are getting these stem cells.

I honestly dont really have an opinion on it - but I think people should be upfront with how the stem cell process is done

[twa]

:secret: because the funding has always been heavily biased in that direction. We don't know what might have been accomplished with embryonic stem cells because so little work has been done with them to date.

It is biased in that direction because the science supports it as the most viable,and advances in collecting pluripotent cells from adults only makes it even more viable.

You want faster medical advances ya need to get the FDA out of the way not W's ban

[Burgold]

Sorry BLTO, no the Stem Cells used in this procedure seem not to be embryonic. It was answered above. I thought you'd read it after you posted the question.

[Predicto]

It is biased in that direction because the science supports it as the most viable,

That is your assumption. My understanding is different. My understanding is that they are both viable in different ways, but the funding was borked for embryonic.

Listen to Burgold - he actually knows what he is talking about.

[

[twa]

I can't help your understanding if you ignore facts.

Numerous problems exist with ESC that do not with adult derived stem cells(particularly those derived from the patient themselves)

[Predicto]

I can't help your understanding if you ignore facts.

Numerous problems exist with ESC that do not with adult derived stem cells(particularly those derived from the patient themselves)

Of course. They are DIFFERENT. They have different possibilities and problems.

[No Excuses]

That is your assumption. My understanding is different. My understanding is that they are both viable in different ways, but the funding was borked for embryonic.

Listen to Burgold - he actually knows what he is talking about.

[

Differentiation ability for embryonic stem cells is amazing. Embryonic stem cells also give us a chance to understand why and when in development do birth defect mutations take place. There is no question that working with embryonic stem cells has more benefits (if not equal) than adult stem cells.

Too bad the entire **** storm over the ethics and further enhancement of cloning prevents some really useful research from happening.

EDIT: from what I know, embryonic stem cells are easier to cultivate than adult stem cells as well.

[twa]

Ah pity Obama is against cloning and is holding ya back.

If they relaxed the restrictions on human experimenting we could really see some advances huh?

[AsburySkinsFan]

It will probably open the doors for more future porn stars, more than anything

Mick, that's dumb.

[Predicto]

Ah pity Obama is against cloning and is holding ya back.

If they relaxed the restrictions on human experimenting we could really see some advances huh?

That was a really weak effort at deflection, even for you.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Come on twa, get a grip! This could be a time for a very REAL celebration that in fact we might have an actual workable cure for AIDS!!!!

Enough of this Bush v. Obama crap already, stop trying to politicize this!

[No Excuses]

Ah pity Obama is against cloning and is holding ya back.

If they relaxed the restrictions on human experimenting we could really see some advances huh?

The advances are already happening ever since Obama raised our funding. I have no problems with president when it comes to scientific advancement.

[Special K]

If this is true, it is phenomenal news. In an age where pharmaceutical companies make living with a disease a priority over curing it (because multiple prescriptions are more profitable than a 1 time deal), it's good to see a major disease is possibly cured.

It's like a "big, bad pharmaceutical company" broken record around here. Good Lord.

If only we could get more people to preach safe sex and supply poorer countries with condoms, instead of allowing various church missions to condemn birth control in those regions, then the AIDS problem would reduce as well.

You have completely marginalized the issue with this statement.

The problem in many of these developing countries is not at all that "church missions condemn birth control." It's a multi-faceted problem, but a major part has to do with women's rights and how women are treated in these countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, it's a-ok to just rape a woman. A new report just came out about South Africa and the astonishing number of males in that country who have either raped a woman or think it's perfectly acceptable to do so whenever and wherever. Prostitutes get beat up and killed for simply asking their "clients" to use a condom. There is a major stigma against condoms in many of these countries...so it's not just as easy as setting out a bowl of condoms at the local medical clinic. There are strong cultural beliefs, deepset superstitions, and widespread ignorance about health issues to contend with that make it very difficult to get a handle on this and other infectious disease epidemics.

[Predicto]

It's like a "big, bad pharmaceutical company" broken record around here. Good Lord.

You have completely marginalized the issue with this statement.

The problem in many of these developing countries is not at all that "church missions condemn birth control." It's a multi-faceted problem, but a major part has to do with women's rights and how women are treated in these countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, it's a-ok to just rape a woman. A new report just came out about South Africa and the astonishing number of males in that country who have either raped a woman or think it's perfectly acceptable to do so whenever and wherever. Prostitutes get beat up and killed for simply asking their "clients" to use a condom. There is a major stigma against condoms in many of these countries...so it's not just as easy as setting out a bowl of condoms at the local medical clinic. There are strong cultural beliefs, deepset superstitions, and widespread ignorance about health issues to contend with that make it very difficult to get a handle on this and other infectious disease epidemics.

All of this is true, but evangelical missions are exacerbating the situation in many countries, IMO.

[twa]

Come on twa, get a grip! This could be a time for a very REAL celebration that in fact we might have an actual workable cure for AIDS!!!!

Enough of this Bush v. Obama crap already, stop trying to politicize this!

Just responding to previous political posts that you wish to ignore....and correcting mistaken perceptions

I'll hold off celebrating for now,wouldn't want to get the optimist label.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Just responding to previous political posts that you wish to ignore....and correcting mistaken perceptions

Then why not just let that go, take the higher road.

I'll hold off celebrating for now,wouldn't want to get the optimist label.

I'll happily be optimistic about this, if that gets me labeled as something different than my normal cantankerous cynical self then I guess I can live with that...at least temporarily.

[PeterMP]

I don't understand the furor behind embryonic stem cells. I've asked this question to multiple people and have yet to get a really good answer, but if you can produce cells that are identical to embryonic stem cells from skin cells is there an advantage to using real embryonic stem cells (other than future research done to make sure that the cells generated from skin cells actually behave like real embryonic stem cells.)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080211172631.htm

Certainly using cells from people have real advantages in terms of knowing the patient and minimizing issues with rejection.

(Okay, doing some reading, there are differences between these cells and real embryonic stems cells in terms of their epigenetic memory, and they are more likely to redifferentiate into what they were, but even that has been partly over come by more research.)

[Destino]

If these were embryonic stem cells this will set off a Christian **** storm. Using murdered babies to cure a disease spread via sin!

[PokerPacker]

If these were embryonic stem cells this will set off a Christian **** storm. Using murdered babies to cure a disease spread via sin!

Morbid curiosity has me wishing that were the case.

[Destino]

All of this is true, but evangelical missions are exacerbating the situation in many countries, IMO.

Which is as fair as blaming the culture of pushing casual sex. I don't have a problem with condoms but the argument against evangelicals on this issue couldn't be more dishonest. Both sides are pushing an ideology. Christians in this case aren't saying "no condoms" they are saying "no condoms and stop the casual sex" in an environment with that high an infection rate that is COMMON SENSE.

[China]

Typical, this thread has degenerated into a political discussion about stem cells rather than a discussion of the research.

These results are interesting and amazing. I wouldn't be too quick to pronounce it a "cure" though. In looking at the abstract of the research article they note that "that the size of the viral reservoir has been reduced over time." It remains to be seen whether the viral reservoir becomes completely eliminated or undetectable. Obviously further longer-term research is warranted to see if this will happen. To me it's not a "cure" until no virus remains (i.e., the viral reservoir is eliminated), which they did not definitively state. Nevertheless, this is good news that bears watching for future repeatable results (i.e., more than just anectdotally in one patient).

[Chicken Fried]

If only we could get more people to preach safe sex and supply poorer countries with condoms, instead of allowing various church missions to condemn birth control in those regions, then the AIDS problem would reduce as well.

Very shortsighted. Very shortsighted.

[Seabee1973]

It is a very expensive cure as it will only work right now if you have luekema and then you have to have the right donor as well

[Larry]

Which is as fair as blaming the culture of pushing casual sex.

There is none.

It's a myth. Spread by, well, figure it out.