Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,143,194 members, 7,780,328 topics. Date: Thursday, 28 March 2024 at 12:32 PM

Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids - Health - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Health / Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids (6572 Views)

Bone Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Two Men From HIV / Woman Delivers Tortoise, Baby Girl; It’s A Hoax, Doctors Say / Bone-marrow Transplant In Nigeria? (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (3) (Reply) (Go Down)

Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by Lifeboy2(m): 2:50pm On Nov 13, 2008
Doctors say marrow transplant may have cured AIDS

BERLIN - An American man who suffered from AIDS appears to have been cured of the disease 20 months after receiving a targeted bone marrow transplant normally used to fight leukemia, his doctors said.

While researchers — and the doctors themselves — caution that the case might be no more than a fluke, others say it may inspire a greater interest in gene therapy to fight the disease that claims 2 million lives each year. The virus has infected 33 million people worldwide.

Dr. Gero Huetter said Wedneday his 42-year-old patient, an American living in Berlin who was not identified, had been infected with the AIDS virus for more than a decade. But 20 months after undergoing a transplant of genetically selected bone marrow, he no longer shows signs of carrying the virus.

"We waited every day for a bad reading," Huetter said.

It has not come. Researchers at Berlin's Charite hospital and medical school say tests on his bone marrow, blood and other organ tissues have all been clean.

However, Dr. Andrew Badley, director of the HIV and immunology research lab at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said those tests have probably not been extensive enough.

"A lot more scrutiny from a lot of different biological samples would be required to say it's not present," Badley said.

This isn't the first time marrow transplants have been attempted for treating AIDS or HIV infection. In 1999, an article in the journal Medical Hypotheses reviewed the results of 32 attempts reported between 1982 and 1996. In two cases, HIV was apparently eradicated, the review reported.

Huetter's patient was under treatment at Charite for both AIDS and leukemia, which developed unrelated to HIV.

As Huetter — who is a hematologist, not an HIV specialist — prepared to treat the patient's leukemia with a bone marrow transplant, he recalled that some people carry a genetic mutation that seems to make them resistant to HIV infection. If the mutation, called Delta 32, is inherited from both parents, it prevents HIV from attaching itself to cells by blocking CCR5, a receptor that acts as a kind of gateway.

"I read it in 1996, coincidentally," Huetter told reporters at the medical school. "I remembered it and thought it might work."

Roughly one in 1,000 Europeans and Americans have inherited the mutation from both parents, and Huetter set out to find one such person among donors that matched the patient's marrow type. Out of a pool of 80 suitable donors, the 61st person tested carried the proper mutation.

Before the transplant, the patient endured powerful drugs and radiation to kill off his own infected bone marrow cells and disable his immune system — a treatment fatal to between 20 and 30 percent of recipients.

He was also taken off the potent drugs used to treat his AIDS. Huetter's team feared that the drugs might interfere with the new marrow cells' survival. They risked lowering his defenses in the hopes that the new, mutated cells would reject the virus on their own.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases in the US., said the procedure was too costly and too dangerous to employ as a firstline cure. But he said it could inspire researchers to pursue gene therapy as a means to block or suppress HIV.

"It helps prove the concept that if somehow you can block the expression of CCR5, maybe by gene therapy, you might be able to inhibit the ability of the virus to replicate," Fauci said.

David Roth, a professor of epidemiology and international public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said gene therapy as cheap and effective as current drug treatments is in very early stages of development.

"That's a long way down the line because there may be other negative things that go with that mutation that we don't know about."

Even for the patient in Berlin, the lack of a clear understanding of exactly why his AIDS has disappeared means his future is far from certain.

"The virus is wily," Huetter said. "There could always be a resurgence."

(This version CORRECTS spelling of doctor's name to Huetter throughout.)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hwlpMzO2z0voECw2T4MfOPkOEXNAD94DSGLG0
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by Carlosein(m): 3:24pm On Nov 13, 2008
there is still a lot of "ifs" in this.

let's give it time and see how it goes.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by spikedcylinder: 3:45pm On Nov 13, 2008
Lets see how it goes, I sincerely hope it works though.
Given that, I am sure it would be a painfully expensive procedure. sad
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by favcom(m): 4:05pm On Nov 13, 2008
Hmmmmmm, imagine if this is true
Promiscuity would be berekete lipsrsealed lipsrsealed lipsrsealed
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by scholarist: 4:09pm On Nov 13, 2008
spikedcylinder:

Lets see how it goes, I sincerely hope it works though.
Given that, I am sure it would be a painfully expensive procedure. sad

do you have a spare marrow to transplant with?
tongue
since the doctor says "MAY", MAY u never have it.
amen
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by basking4me: 4:15pm On Nov 13, 2008
I remember, There was this Doctor ABALAKA way back who claimed he had the cures to AIDS. The man was plowed down by the then Minister for health and the fed ministry of health.

I know well that if this man had made the discovery abroad, his thesis would have recieved acclaim and respect.

I remember when a Nigerian medical practitioner made advancement in the cure of the sickle cell anaemia while abroad, the white guys kept following about. They even followed him to Nigeria to bury his parent. I also remember MKO hosting him and IBB sending emmissaries.

The same value was given to Emeagwali Phillips when he made his discoveries. But when you see a HOME-BASED Nigerian like ABALAKA making claims, we throw them out into the dustbin like a piece of rubbish (Super-TED).

My submission is that the solution to AIDS is with us even before now but we dont see it.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by candylips(m): 4:28pm On Nov 13, 2008
dude pls stop mentioning that guy Emeagwali Phillips. He is a fraud
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by basking4me: 4:39pm On Nov 13, 2008
For some months now, it has been uneasy times for Dr. Jeremiah Abalaka who claimed to have discovered a cure for the dreaded disease, the Human Immuno Deficiency Sydrome. HIV/AIDS. Hitherto, HIV has defied physicians, scientists and researchers all over the world. The best medicine so far is the one discovered by American researchers which only tend to prolong the life of a carrier even though it does not remove the inevitability of premature death of the patient.
Nigerians, nay the whole world, were caught unawares with the announcement by Dr Abalaka that he has found a cure to the dreaded disease. At first, many if not all including yours sincerely, had dismissed his claim with a wave of the hand. After all several persons including unorthodox doctors had made such claims.

However, our minds started changing when Dr. Abalaka appeared on NTA Network Programme as well as the widely aired Radio Link of the Federal Radio Co-operation of Nigeria. He told all who cared to listen that he infact has found cure for HIV/AIDS and that he had treated over sixty Nigerians with the Immune Deficiency Sydrome and that they have recovered completely.

As if this was not enough, he challenged the Federal Ministry of Health to send proven cases of persons suffering from the disease as a test of the veracity of his claims. In an effort to silence any doubting Thomases, he also stated that he was prepared to inject himself with life HIV Virus and at the same time treat himself with his vaccine. Some of us felt that he was pushing the matter too far but at least he wanted to stress a point.

Ever since he made those claims, the Federal Ministry of Health has not responded to any of his demands. Instead the Minister of Health, Dr. Tim Menakaya was credited with the statement that Dr. Abalaka was fake. To buttress his point, a certain patient was paraded on Television who claimed to have gone to Abalaka without a cure. Dr. Abalaka denies all these. According to him, the said HIV/AIDS patient was fraudulently procured. He insists that the man was a ghost patient. For instance he challenged the said patient to produce his hospital card or quote his folder number to show that he was actually his (Abalakas) patient. His further demand that ten persons of proven HIV cases be sent to him for treatment has not been heeded by the Health Ministry officials.

All these are against the backdrop of authoritative voices that the man Dr. Abalaka does infact have a cure for HIV/AIDS. For instance, one Dr. M. O. D Abonyi, the Medical Director of Express Hospital in Kubwa, Abuja stated recently in a National Daily that his patient tested negative after receiving Dr. Abalakas treatment. Equally of note is the admission by the Chief of Army Staff in another Newspaper that over thirty ECOMOG Soldiers who were HIV positive had been cured after receiving Dr. Abalakas Vaccine.

It is as a result of the foregoing that the Nigeria Medical and Dental Council has invited Dr. Abalaka for investigation for professional misconduct.

According to the council, Dr. Abalaka has breached their code of conduct in announcing that he has found a cure for HIV/AIDs through the media and thus constituting an advertisement.

Technically, it is probable that Dr. Abalaka might have published his scientific finding through the Media. It is worthy of note that this is a disease that has defied solution worldwide. If it is actually true that Dr. Abalaka has found cure to HIV/AIDs, and there is nothing to the contrary, then the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council ought to really celebrate instead of trying to investigate him. Since there is no known cure in any other part of the world, Nigeria will no doubt be a Mecca of sorts for this disease that is threatening to annihilate humanity.

Understandably, Dr. Abalaka has gone to court to stop his being investigated. Though wrong motives might be read in his going to court, but it must be seen in the light of a man fighting for his survival. He does not want his scientific breakthrough to be killed at the altar of protocol. Dr. Abalaka sees some of his colleagues as being jealous of his discovery. This should not be the case. The Nigerian Medical Profession should co-operate with Dr. Abalaka in sustaining his discovery.
Moreover, it is to the credit of Nigeria in general and Nigerian Doctors in particular that one of their kind has found a cure to a disease that has defied solution all over the world. It is also submitted that the Federal Ministry of Health instead of treating Abalaka like a leper should really encourage him as they are all partners in progress. Instead of useful energy being wasted in the courts, the man should be encouraged to concentrate on his research findings. Dr. Abalaka might end up as the much-awaited messiah of HIV/AIDS. Who knows?


It is even more curious that two weeks ago the Federal Government announced a blanket ban of all vaccine claiming to be cure for HIV including that of Dr. Abalaka. According to government statement, all those vaccines must wait until they are scientifically proved to be potent. But the question is how will their efficacy ever be established when government is treating these so-called claimants like lepers.

Interestingly, Abalakas patients have demonstrated against government decision. Dr. Abalaka himself has gone back to the court to obtain an injunction against his purported ban. There is also a line of thinking that government decision was hasty. It is argued that government could have separated the wheat from the chaff. By so doing Government would have ensured that genuine effort is encouraged. This to me is still the best option available.


Mr. Ortuanya, is an Abuja based Legal Practitioner.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by basking4me: 4:43pm On Nov 13, 2008
Please check this link too. We have problems in this country, seriously.

, And am disheartened,

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/living/2006/sept/02/living-02-09-2006-004.htm
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by Carlosein(m): 5:03pm On Nov 13, 2008
candylips:

dude please stop mentioning that guy Emeagwali Phillips. He is a fraud

here we go again.

you must know something we don't!!!
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by PAPABOMBOY: 5:14pm On Nov 13, 2008
Fly wey no dey hear word, dey follow dead body enter grave.

I remember that guy (Abalaka) wey come on T.V say him get vaccine for AIDS----well nobody dey hear of am again.

As im dey inject the virus LIVE inside im body--- just to prove say him vaccine dey work---maybe im too don find out say

AIDS no be joke.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by basking4me: 5:35pm On Nov 13, 2008
PAPABom,

The Gentleman's career was muted by Goverment that should have encouraged him.

Abalaka is still alive and hearty, they have only succeeded in killing his dreams of been the discoverer of the vaccine to cure AIDS.

The logic or scheme government plans to achieve, i am yet to grasp. Let us know what happened to all the challenges Abalaka gave them to allow him prove himself,
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by Phemzy(m): 5:41pm On Nov 13, 2008
That is a great news, i believe that someday it will be HIV/AID will surely leave us and we will all be happy with each other
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by yemivictor: 5:59pm On Nov 13, 2008
I remember praying for a cure for both HIV/AIDS & cancer as we crossed into the year 2008!
I'm still hoping these prayers of mine get answered positively!! sad
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by texazzpete(m): 6:46pm On Nov 13, 2008
First off, i must express my EXTREME dissapointment with all these boneheads talking about Abalaka. Did the Wright brothers receive Government help before they flew their plane? Did Galileo receive government help?

The man says he made his cure from low cost herbs and stuff. There are thousands of Nigerians living with HIV/Aids in Bonny and Benue state, do you think if he had set up shop there with his so called 'cure' he wouldnt have been rolling in dough and been world famous?
He challenged the Government to send proven cases of HIV to him. Does he not know where he could get thousands to experiment on?

The truth is Abalaka never had the cure. It defies logic that someone would hold the holy grail of medicine and be complaining of lack of Government support. Some people just thrive on the attention, like those guys in the US that claimed they had found a corpse of Bigfoot. Shame some people here on Nairaland are easily misled.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by texazzpete(m): 6:48pm On Nov 13, 2008
yemivictor:

I remember praying for a cure for both HIV/AIDS & cancer as we crossed into the year 2008!
I'm still hoping these prayers of mine get answered positively!! sad


You should have prayed for World Peace while you were at it grin


Phemzy:

That is a great news, i believe that someday it will be HIV/AID will surely leave us and we will all be happy with each other

Translated: so we can have indiscriminate sex! grin
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by babat2000: 6:57pm On Nov 13, 2008
Dont loose your Hope on God He can answer u anytime even 31 dec is not too late for Him.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by MrCrackles(m): 7:05pm On Nov 13, 2008
favcom:

Hmmmmmm, imagine if this is true
Promiscuity would be berekete lipsrsealed lipsrsealed lipsrsealed

is promiscuity not already jaburata even with the deadly threat of HIV?!


spikedcylinder:

Lets see how it goes, I sincerely hope it works though.
Given that, I am sure it would be a painfully expensive procedure. sad

are you worried about anything?! grin
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by Nobody: 7:13pm On Nov 13, 2008
texazzpete:

First off, i must express my EXTREME dissapointment with all these boneheads talking about Abalaka. Did the Wright brothers receive Government help before they flew their plane? Did Galileo receive government help?

[b]The man says he made his cure from low cost herbs and stuff. There are thousands of Nigerians living with HIV/Aids in Bonny and Benue state, do you think if he had set up shop there with his so called 'cure' he wouldnt have been rolling in dough and been world famous?[/b]He challenged the Government to send proven cases of HIV to him. Does he not know where he could get thousands to experiment on?

The truth is Abalaka never had the cure. It defies logic that someone would hold the holy grail of medicine and be complaining of lack of Government support. Some people just thrive on the attention, like those guys in the US that claimed they had found a corpse of Bigfoot. Shame some people here on Nairaland are easily misled.

So true. Testimonies from cured HIV/AIDS patients would have surely scaled him through.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by diggler(m): 7:37pm On Nov 13, 2008
MrCrackles:

is promiscuity not already jaburata even with the deadly threat of HIV?!


are you worried about anything?! grin

[flash=200,200]">http://grin grin grin grin[/flash]

texazzpete:

First off, i must express my EXTREME dissapointment with all these boneheads talking about Abalaka. Did the Wright brothers receive Government help before they flew their plane? Did Galileo receive government help?

The man says he made his cure from low cost herbs and stuff. There are thousands of Nigerians living with HIV/Aids in Bonny and Benue state, do you think if he had set up shop there with his so called 'cure' he wouldnt have been rolling in dough and been world famous?
He challenged the Government to send proven cases of HIV to him. Does he not know where he could get thousands to experiment on?

The truth is Abalaka never had the cure. It defies logic that someone would hold the holy grail of medicine and be complaining of lack of Government support. Some people just thrive on the attention, like those guys in the US that claimed they had found a corpse of Bigfoot. Shame some people here on Nairaland are easily misled.

Agree with u 110%

Its the typical Nigerian laziness that started when we let Crude Oil define who we are.

Nollywood when it came out was screaming 'government should come & help us grow.
Sure they did, by setting up Video Censors Board to regulate them silly.
In true sense of the word, that is what government does & should do, regulate ur ass.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by hannydarl(f): 7:51pm On Nov 13, 2008
@texazzpete

maybe he needed financial support from the govt.even abroad resaerchers always go asking for donations and charity to carry out clinical research so get your facts right before yabbing people.no one man can do such research on his own and besides he cant go to bonny and benin to treat AIDS patients because the govt will have to aprove his cure first before he starts legally using it on people that is why he was calling for recognition by the govt.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by adebayo300: 9:27pm On Nov 13, 2008
aids is not real, it`s just an american idealogy of disturbing sex,
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by victado64: 9:30pm On Nov 13, 2008
adebayo300:

aids is not real, it`s just an american idealogy of disturbing sex,

My dear friend Aids is real and many have gone down in ignorance.Remember life is too short to live on your own experiences alone.

Hm ! It's interesting to see how people are reacting to this news.
I for one won't quickly take anything I hear about a cure for HIV too seriously.And like everything else in due time the truth will be revealed.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by cicero(m): 9:40pm On Nov 13, 2008
First off, i must express my EXTREME dissapointment with all these boneheads talking about Abalaka. Did the Wright brothers receive Government help before they flew their plane? Did Galileo receive government help?

The man says he made his cure from low cost herbs and stuff. There are thousands of Nigerians living with HIV/Aids in Bonny and Benue state, do you think if he had set up shop there with his so called 'cure' he wouldnt have been rolling in dough and been world famous?
He challenged the Government to send proven cases of HIV to him. Does he not know where he could get thousands to experiment on?

The truth is Abalaka never had the cure. It defies logic that someone would hold the holy grail of medicine and be complaining of lack of Government support. Some people just thrive on the attention, like those guys in the US that claimed they had found a corpse of Bigfoot. Shame some people here on Nairaland are easily misled.

@texazzpete
Brilliant!
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by sniperwolf(m): 9:41pm On Nov 13, 2008
I don't see any relationship between bone and HIV/AIDS
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by shollyaj(m): 10:16pm On Nov 13, 2008
Zip up or Get married, That's d only Antidote we all know now,
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by Builder: 10:38pm On Nov 13, 2008
Hallelujah, lets all go clubbin and fuckkkkkkk anything that walks, AIDS now gat cure
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by mayrho(m): 11:27pm On Nov 13, 2008
Thank God!! There is hope for this world same with Sickle cell I heard it might work out using this same bone marrow paroles its about time grin
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by nomanicole(f): 11:44pm On Nov 13, 2008
did someone say america's idea of discouraging sex? i heard this thing from someone and i really felt sorry for him, how can a someone be in nigeria where hiv/aids advert,workshop and testimonies has been the order of the day utter such? its so real and as real as the fact that u inhale air and exhale air. please youths lets be faithful to our partners and stop deceiving ourselves.if you cant ,please always use a condom and properly.condom dey tear and its not even 100% safe. please the cure for aids should be found o! cos the thought of contracting aids idoes not scare some people, and to the faithful partners out there,God no go gree make u catch am.amen
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by iukpe: 5:16am On Nov 14, 2008
Maybe the Ministry of health will spend billions of Naira soon to order equipment for marrow transplant to cure AIDS in the country.

Nigerians who have ideas have never been encouraged by past governments.

e.g.
1. Dr Ezekiel Izuogu- Nigerian made car Z-600

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/1stNigerianMadeCarNews.html

2. Brino Gilbert - Counter Collision Gadget (CCG) a device that has the capacity to avert accidents on the road, air, sea and rail.
http://www.edofolks.com/html/pub138.htm

3. Mohammed Bah Abbah - pot-in-pot cooling system for refrigeration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Bah_Abba

4. Philip Emeagwali - Gordon Bell Prize winner on computing with over 41 inventions submitted to the US. Patent and Trademark Office.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Name_some_Nigerian_inventors


THIS IS THE REASON WE LACK INDEGINOUS POWER, MEDICAL CARE, RAIL ROAD AND GENERAL TRANSPORTATION, ETC
AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO SELL TO THE WORLD OTHER THAN OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND OIL.

Its really not whether its govt duty to support them or not, but what do you think when these people are asking for the support or recognition from a govt that when unseated will be blamed for billions of unaccounted naira. I am sure the Wright brothers got support from their govt at the time either license to try their invention or the piece of land to experiment.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by basking4me: 8:56am On Nov 14, 2008
@ TEX-ASS-PETE

You are the real BONEHEAD here. Look at your life and tell me what claims YOU have.

It is better to be a spoke in a rolling Wheel than a be HUGE Wheel not rolling at all.

If you dont believe in good things, at least dont discourage others.

All I have said is that, if it were in an advanced country, government will at least give a listening ear, not ban him. If ur sorry-ass must know, the man's drugs were banned.

So, how would he have gone to your villa, where there's a scourge of the dreaded disease to treat them.

I have no affiliations with DR. Abalaka, but I appreciate an effort when I see one.

Please, I am not here for flames, I just hate it when I see some little boy just of university with loose morale.

It is because of your likes government is afraid to sign the FOI bill. It isnt signed yet and you're running your mouth (or your thots) like tap water already, what happens when it is signed??

My thanks to everone on this thread especially guys like HANNYDARL AND IURPE, i really feel your comments.
Re: Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured Aids by scholarist: 9:05am On Nov 14, 2008
adebayo300:

aids is not real, it`s just an american idealogy of disturbing sex,

AIDS IS REAL
AIDS IS REAL
AIDS IS REAL
AIDS IS REAL shocked shocked shocked

100% REAL

(1) (2) (3) (Reply)

Razor Bumps - What Are They And What Causes Them? / Sacked Lagos State Doctors Head To Court / Did Amalar Kill My Friend?

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 73
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.