It's not so bad getting AIDS anymore... (1 Viewer)

Imagine he has a good chance of living longer than 2015 with his wealth and physical condition. 24 years is a pretty good outlook (at an obscene cost) for any new HIV infections, could have a cure by the time they develop AIDS. Only been 24 years since AIDS was officially recognized.
 
And keep in mind that while the current life expectancy is 24 years, we cannot be sure what kinds of medicines may be developed in the next 24 years that will enable people to live still longer.

That being said, it is still decidedly unpleasant. I was reading the other day that most current HIV medications are unable to pass the blood-brain barrier and that the brain is one of the first places the virus settles in. So even if the medication keeps one's viral load down in the blood, the virus can continue to replicate in the brain. The result is a mild form of dementia. Not the same as people used to get in the advanced stages of AIDS, but a loss in mental capacity that can reach as much as 25%. One of the main mental faculties affected is memory, meaning that the mental problems often cause patients to forget to take their anti-viral medications. And the medications are also highly toxic, with patients sometimes dying due to what the medicines do to them, rather than what the virus does.

Believe me, this is something I have to stay informed about, probably more than most of the rest of you, since it is still so common in the gay community. It still scares me to death, although you'd be shocked how many gay guys today think it's not that big a deal or think it can't happen to them.
 
I've always wondered, how has Magic Johnson lived so long?

Peak physical condition and millions of dollars to afford the best of the best medical treatment and doctors. That and I'm pretty sure he is still only HIV positive and hasn't developed full blown AIDS.
 
Last edited:
The drug companies will never cure anything.
 
Was watching TV yesterday and I saw a documentary relating to "shooting galleries" in Australia and how they have contributed to the control of AIDS. I was just wondering if the US has any similar type program.

Shooting gallery - a government funded building with a supply of needles where people may inject drugs in a safe environmet without the need to share needles.
 
Federal funding has been banned for syringe exchange programs since 1988, part of the war on drugs. Several federal studies have shown SEPs to be effective in controlling the spread of HIV/Hep C, unfortunately common sense isn't used in our federal drug policy. There are hundreds of state and locally funded SEPs, not aware of any that let users shoot up in the building.
 
Like most diseases, there will never be a cure. The R&D will always be in treatments until they get it down to a science where you can have anything so long as you take PILL X on a regular basis. It's all about the benjamins.
 
I thought I heard somewhere that Magic was no longer HIV Posative? Is that even possible?
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

    Back
    Top Bottom