At this very moment, Seattle scientists are working with the only known man to be cured of HIV to see if they can recreate his incredible miracle in the laboratory.
Timothy Ray Brown learned in 1995 that he had tested positive for HIV, but never in his wildest dreams could have imagined he would also be the first person cured of it. ?His cure became know to the world following a 2007 diagnosis of leukaemia after the chemotherapy treatments he was receiving?were deemed ineffective, resulting in?his doctor’s consideration of alternative means for curing him.
Because Brown’s leukaemia did not go into remission as expected, the doctor recommended a stem cell transplant.
During the search for potential donors, his doctor found one match. It was inconceivable that his doctor would have known that this life saving transplant would also prove to be a cure for Brown’s HIV.
Brown’s doctor discovered a perfect stem cell match from an unknown donor who happened to possess a gene resistant to HIV.? According to Dr. Han-Peter Kiem the percentage of the population with this mutated gene is no greater than one percent.
Brown may not have believed a cure possible; however after several follow-up tests for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus known to cause Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) he received a negative diagnosis after years of taking 14 pills a day.
Having been cured of HIV, it is reported that Brown is meeting with scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where they are currently working on a project to eradicate HIV by attempting to recreate the process used by Brown’s European doctors.
Finally, although no timeline has been provided to the public, Dr. Keith Jerome is optimistic that a cure for HIV is inevitable.? Like Dr. Jerome, many believe a cure for HIV is in our future.? It would appear once again, that stem cell research has been proven to possess the ability to cure a great many ailments.
Edited by: Jeromie Williams – Photo: io9
