Although many aspects of HIV cure research in pediatric populations are entirely without precedent, historical examples demonstrate how curative interventions may transform clinical practice and perceptions of disease over time. The history of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) illustrates how the psychological and social dimensions of care became part and parcel of curative efforts. In … Read more

Women are underrepresented in HIV cure research. In this paper we discuss the rationale for including women and propose multilevel strategies to improve sex equity in HIV cure research. The inadequate inclusion of women in HIV cure research is concerning for both scientific and ethical reasons. Biological responses to HIV and HIV treatment, as well … Read more

While still aspirational, the concept of curing HIV infection is gathering momentum as basic science concepts move into clinical research studies. The International AIDS Society has led strong advocacy efforts, paving the way for “HIV cure” to transition from being a four-letter word to being a strategic research priority of all the main HIV funding … Read more

BACKGROUND: In 2008, researchers reported that Timothy Brown (the ‘Berlin Patient’), a man with HIV infection and leukemia, received a stem-cell transplant that removed HIV from his body as far as can be detected. In 2013, an infant born with HIV infection received anti-retroviral treatment shortly after birth, but was then lost to the health … Read more

Three randomised controlled trials in Africa indicated that voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is an effective method to reduce a man’s risk of becoming infected through sex with an HIV-positive female partner. The success of recent public health initiatives to increase numbers of circumcised men in Malawi has been very limited. We conducted in-depth interviews … Read more

HIV is both a biomedical disease and a social phenomenon that is constructed in particular cultural contexts. A successful and humane HIV cure requires not only the science of eradicating pathogens, but also the art of healing to restore harmony between mind and body. Healing in the context of HIV cure will be both personal … Read more

When teaching ethics at our school of public health, I sometimes refer to public health activities as forms of “tinkering.” This does not make me popular. After all, the definition of tinkering, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (2010), refers to “attempts to repair or improve something in a casual or desultory way, often to … Read more

The effectiveness of antiretroviral regimes (ARVs) to reduce risk of HIV transmission from mother to child and as post-exposure prophylaxis has been known for almost two decades. Recent research indicates ARVs can also reduce the risk of HIV transmission via sexual intercourse in two other ways. With pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), ARVs are used to reduce … Read more

One of the defining qualities of living with HIV has been that it is incurable, and this basic fact has powerfully formed and disrupted individual, organizational, and institutional identities. But now this basic fact is contested. Today one individual appears to be cured. Several individuals are “post-treatment controllers,” having undetectable viral loads following a period … Read more

For this study we conducted in-depth interviews with 29 youth living with HIV (YLWH) and key informant interviews with 8 HIV care/support providers. We describe terms used to portray people living with HIV (PLWH) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Labels commonly used, mostly derogatory, described PLWH as walking corpses, dangers to others, or … Read more