Cleared of AIDS after a year living with it

Former Member

Interesting story, thoughts?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4432564.stm

Former Member

He won't come forward?

Former Member

-[MoonRat]- wrote:

He won't come forward?

Huh?

Former Member

I just read the article from another source, and it said that he was keen to offer himself to further research to help other sufferers..

Former Member

I remain dubious.

You can get an impression of the type of person he is from that article. Declining further tests seems illogical and probably hints at some a dodgy claim or cure.

Former Member

Kentish wrote:

I remain dubious.

You can get an impression of the type of person he is from that article. Declining further tests seems illogical and probably hints at some a dodgy claim or cure.

I saw this on breakfast news this morning, I saw his interview and he actually wanted compensations because the second test said he was negative when the first one was positive, and he is willing to do further tests to help.

There is a gene that helps you fight HIV more than the usual person, there's obviously something incrfedible in his immune system that fights this. Why shouldn't he give himself up in the name of science?

Former Member

turlough wrote:

There is a gene that helps you fight HIV more than the usual person, there's obviously something incrfedible in his immune system that fights this.

What gene's that then?

Why shouldn't he give himself up in the name of science?

Who said he shouldn't?

Former Member

All sounds a little bit suspect to me, then again, there have been many different takes on what is happening, no wonder i'm confused.

Former Member

Kentish wrote:

What gene's that then?

Not quite sure exactly it's name but it is known. There have been examples of prostitutes in Africa who live in AIDS ravaged communities who've never contracted it and they have it, maybe he has it aswell, only a super strong version of it.

Former Member

Sounds abit odd, but then again i suppose the body is evolving all the time and becoming resistant to certain diseases, otherwise we'd all be dead from common colds by now!

Former Member

Out of 6 billion people on the planet you are always going to find the odd individual whose body does seemly impossible things (such as that 'human magnet' woman). So from that point of view it is not totally inconceivable that there might be one (or a handful) of individual worldwide capable of fighting off the HIV virus successfully.

Whether something can be learned from this chap and apply it to good use is another matter though...

Former Member

Personally, I'd question the first diagnosis as much as the later tests...

Former Member

Man Of Kent wrote:

Personally, I'd question the first diagnosis as much as the later tests...

my thoughts exactly.
I suspect it was a flase positive for the original test or a mix up

Former Member

rainbow brite wrote:

I suspect it was a false positive

Gotta be.

Former Member

rainbow brite wrote:

my thoughts exactly.
I suspect it was a flase positive for the original test or a mix up

:yes:

Former Member

Well according to an article in one of the Sunday papers there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever the positive results were accurate. The blood in question has been re-tested, is without dobut that of the subject, and was without doubt infected with HIV.

Then again maybe it was tested at the lab where they thought BSE had crossed from cows to sheep because they couldn't tell their brains apart...

Indrid Cold

he had declined to undergo further tests.

He has told the papers he would do anything he could to help find a cure.

Well, which will it be? Can't he make up his mind?

Former Member

rainbow brite wrote:

my thoughts exactly.
I suspect it was a flase positive for the original test or a mix up

While I feel that is the most likely explanation, the health authority claim this is not the case - but I suspect that may be because in this compensation culture they stand to be sued for mental anguish, or whatever.

Former Member

Carriage Return wrote:

While I feel that is the most likely explanation, the health authority claim this is not the case - but I suspect that may be because in this compensation culture they stand to be sued for mental anguish, or whatever.

Of course. Anyone who believes that they have kept and re-tested the original sample is a fool. Any test will have a false positive rate and that is why you need 2 positive samples to make a diagnosis of HIV.

Whilst there is of course the possibility that he has cured himself of the virus (or that the viral load is now unmeasurably low), I think another explanation is more likely.

I suspect, however, that he will be demanding money to have his blood tested further. Such is the nature of the beast.

Former Member

The health authority have vouched for the accuracy of both tests. Unless you want to prove otherwise Kentish, you'd do well to accept that assertion.

Of course, he won't go in for further tests, so they have no way of knowing what has happened.

Former Member

The case certainly is odd, the reason he has given for not doing tests as yet is he wants compensation for the PCT not doing more after his first positive. They claim they offered him more tests, he says they didnt.

Former Member

Kermit wrote:

The health authority have vouched for the accuracy of both tests.

I'd love to know how they can be so certain...

Former Member

Kermit wrote:

The health authority have vouched for the accuracy of both tests. Unless you want to prove otherwise Kentish, you'd do well to accept that assertion.

If they accept the possibility of the first test being inaccurate it would cause a storm, and probably attract litigation. But they have totally contradicted themselves in the statement - they say that both tests were accurate, but will not accept that he has been cured of HIV infection. Which is it?

Former Member

well, this guy wont come forward...he wont be retested, so it is likely that lat test he did have was a dud sample or a contaminated sample or something, so unless he comes forward for retesting, i think i may not trust his claims of being HIV negative!

Former Member

I don't know whether this is an elaborate hoax (maybe not as elaborate as you think) or it could be a genuine mix up. I think having HIV then not is a pretty extraordinary feat.

First of all, the blood test may infact not be is, I work as a phlebotomist and, although I seriously doubt the chance of this happenning, it is possible. The blood needs to be taken and then written up. What if the written up blood has got mixed up with another tube? The first test may infact come out to be positive because of that, and we'd never know otherwise; unless markers in the blood (for which I don't know of) may show it is actually his blood.

The other alternative is a mix up in the lab. With these two scenarios retesting the original sample (which are kept for a certain period) would always show a positive result... as the sample is infact positive.

The other alternative is of course him sending someone else, who is HIV+ for the test. I know the only real ID we take is the patient telling us that is who they are, from them telling us their date of birth and name, which is written on the form. Unless of course, they're inpatients and so are wearing a wristband.

It isn't as difficult to hoax as first may be believed, lets just hope it's more a case that he is genuine.

One question baffles me though. If he is HIV+, it has been said he wasn't taking the cocktail to try and delay onset of AIDS, is this true? And why was he not on the drugs? I'm no expert on AIDS so their may be a genuine reason, or perhaps its the side effects, just wondering really.

Former Member

Sounds like he was after compensation from the start to me. just found a flaw in the system, as solid L has stated; there are many.

Former Member

I read that he continued having unprotected sex with his bf after the diagnosis (as he too had aids)..now surely if it was a "false posistive" he would have contracted aids after, from his bf?

Former Member

Let's say it's true, the man has had a remission of some kind, and his dna/immune system/diet/house/whatever holds the key to ending the AIDS virus.

How much is he worth?

Horrible as it is, the guy is potentially worth billions. No doubt he is taking bids.

Former Member

klintock wrote:

Let's say it's true, the man has had a remission of some kind, and his dna/immune system/diet/house/whatever holds the key to ending the AIDS virus.

How much is he worth?

Horrible as it is, the guy is potentially worth billions. No doubt he is taking bids.

ebay anyone?


no In all seriousness, ofcourse, if it is true, then he worth a mega amount. But I don't think you can place any kind of monetary value on this. It is worth far more than that.

Former Member

mystifymysoul wrote:

I read that he continued having unprotected sex with his bf after the diagnosis (as he too had aids)..now surely if it was a "false posistive" he would have contracted aids after, from his bf?

False positive means that the test has come back positive but he actually doesn't have HIV at all. All screening tests have this possibility, hence tabloid stories about incompetent doctors when someone's breast cancer is missed on a mammogram or someone without cancer is given that diagnosis in error.

And the chance of getting HIV from anal sex is around one in 300 I believe. If he's having unprotected sex than that will be his risk each time.