Local 12: Report: Person was 'cured' of HIV, but a local doctor says treatment is dangerous
UC expert has concerns about stem cell transplants
New research published in the Nature Medicine journal says a 53-year-old German man is now clear of HIV after a procedure that replaced his bone marrow cells with HIV-resistant stem cells from a donor. He is just the third person to be cured of HIV.
WKRC-TV, Local 12, interviewed Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, who was at the scientific meeting in Seattle where this research was released.
"I do hope in my professional lifetime will be able to see him the situation where we can cure a disease like HIV,” said Fichtenbaum. "Every year, we get a little bit closer to a better answer.”
/content/dam/uc/news/ahc-public-relations/medicine/fichtenbaum-lab-folder.jpg/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Marketing + Brand
While the news about the German patient is exciting, Fichtenbaum knows it doesn't do much for the average person living with the virus.
"It’s very important, it gives us hope, but it’s not a scalable cure that can be down at your local pharmacy tomorrow," said Fichtenbaum.
That is mostly because of how specific the patient's health condition is and because Fichtenbaum says operations like stem cell transplants are extremely dangerous.
"We have tried this several times and it’s failed because bone marrow transplant transplants, stem cell transplants are dangerous, and these are mostly used in individuals who have cancer,” said Fichtenbaum.
Lead photo/Aaron Ufumeli/EPA-EFE
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's graduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Local 12: Music creation's impact on the brain after cancer
August 4, 2021
UC researchers launched a new study looking treating a common brain problem that results after therapy for cancer.
WLWT: COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Ohio
January 11, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine providers across Ohio will soon get better guidance about the next steps for getting shots into arms. Brett Kissela, MD, spoke to WLWT-TV, Channel 5 and said the benefits of the vaccine outweigh any potential side effects.
What's Happening in Health: RNA treatment for brain cancer
May 18, 2021
UC's Daniel Pomeranz Krummel, PhD, discusses new brain cancer research with Liz Bonis on Local 12's What's Happening in Health program.