The ethics of talking about ‘HIV cure’

Hutter G, Nowak D, Mossner M, Ganepola S, Mussig A, Allers K, et al. Long-term control of HIV by CCR5 Delta32/Delta32 stem-cell transplantation. N Engl J Med. 2009;360:692–8.

McNeil DG (2013) Marrow transplants fail to cure two H.I.V. patients. The New York Times, December 6, 2013, Page A13.

Saez-Cirion A, Bacchus C, Hocqueloux L, Avettand-Fenoel V, Girault I, Lecuroux C, et al. Post-treatment HIV-1 controllers with a long-term virological remission after the interruption of early initiated antiretroviral therapy ANRS VISCONTI Study. PLoS Pathog. 2013;9:e1003211.

Persaud D, Gay H, Ziemniak C, Chen YH, Piatak Jr M, Chun TW, et al. Absence of detectable HIV-1 viremia after treatment cessation in an infant. N Engl J Med. 2013;369:1828–35.

“Mississippi Baby” now has detectable HIV, researchers find.” NIH News, July 10, 2014 [ http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2014/Pages/MississippiBabyHIV.aspx ].

Raw Story/Agence-Press France. Early HIV treatment has second U.S. baby disease-free within a year. March 5, 2014. [ http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/06/health/hiv-baby-cured/ ].

Bitnun A, Samson L, Chun TW, Kakkar F, Brophy J, Murray D et. al. Early Initiation of Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-1-Infected Newborns Can Achieve Sustained Virologic Suppression With Low Frequency of CD4+ T Cells Carrying HIV in Peripheral Blood. Clin Infect Dis. 2014, Jun 9. pii: ciu432. [Epub ahead of print].

CTV News. May 3, 2014. HIV resurfaces in Canadian child after break in drug treatment. Available at: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/hiv-resurfaces-in-canadian-child-after-break-in-drug-treatment-1.1804770#ixzz3BttfaO9D .

Deacon BJ. The biomedical model of mental disorder: a critical analysis of its validity, utility and effects on psychotherapy research. Clin Psychol Rev. 2013;33:846–61.

Hsue PY, Hunt PW, Schnell A, Kalapus SC, Hoh R, Ganz P, et al. Role of viral replication, antiretroviral therapy and Immunodeficiency in HIV-associated atherosclerosis. AIDS. 2009;23(9):1059–67.

FDA (2013) HIV patient-focused drug development backgrounder document. [ http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForIndustry/UserFees/PrescriptionDrugUserFee/UCM354549.pdf ]

Churchill M. Towards an HIV cure. Global Scientific Strategy. 1st Stakeholders consultation meeting, 28 September 2011. Available at: http://iasociety.org/Web/WebContent/File/HIV_Cure_Churchill_Canberra_Presentation.pdf .

Miller K, Abraham JH, Rhodes L, Roberts R. Use of the word ‘cure’ in oncology. J Oncol Practice. 2013;9:e136–40.

Engel GL. The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science. 1977;196:129–36.

Wilson SJ, Bladin PF, Saling MM. Paradoxical results in the cure of chronic illness: the ‘burden of normality’ as exemplified following seizure surgery. Epilepsy Behav. 2004;5:13–21.

Mullan F. Seasons of survival: reflections of a physician with cancer. NEJM. 1985;313:270–3.

Van Eys J. The truly cured child. Pediatrician. 1991;18:90–5.

Hilton P, Robinson D. Defining cure. Neurourol Urodyn. 2011;30:741–5.

Easson EC, Russell MH. Cure of Hodgkin’s disease. BMJ. 1963;5347:1704–7.

Chen JY. Can we use the ‘C’ word with confidence? Cure for chronic hepatitis C. Gastroenterology. 2011;140:766–8.

Hamilton HE, Gordon C, Nelson M, Cotler SJ, Martin P. How physicians describe outcomes to HCV therapy: prevalence and meaning of ‘cure’ during provider-patient in-office discussions of HCV. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008;42:419–24.

Katlama C, Deeks SG, Autran B, Martinez-Picado J, Van L, Rouzioux C, et al. Barriers to a cure for HIV: new ways to target and eradicate HIV reservoirs. Lancet. 2013;381:2109–17.

Theilman NM, Osterman J, Whetten K, Whetten R, Itemba D, Maro V, et al. Reduced adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected Tanzanians seeking cure from the Lonliondo healer. JAIDS. 2014;65:e104–9. The authors conclude: “Recognizing and addressing the lure of alternative cures for HIV infection and their impact on adherence is critical to the continued success of HIV care and treatment programs in resource-poor settings.

Henderson GE, Easter MM, Zimmer C, King NMP, Davis AM, Rothschild BB, et al. Therapeutic misconception in early phase gene transfer trials. Soc Sci Med. 2006;62:239–53.

Dube K, Henderson GE, Margolis DM. Framing expectations in early HIV cure research. Trends in Microbiology: Science & Society. 2004;10:547-549.

Katz IT, Essien T, Marinda ET, Gray GE, Bangsberg DR, Martinson NA, et al. Antiretroviral refusal among newly diagnosed HIV-infected adults. AIDS. 2011;25(17):2177–81.

Kennedy C, O’Reilly K, Medley A, Sweat M. The impact of HIV treatment on risk behavior in developing countries: a systematic review. AIDS Care. 2007;19:707–20.

Trono D, Van Lint C, Rouzioux C, Verdin E, Barre-Sinoussi F, Tae-Wook C, et al. HIV persistence and the prospect of long-term drug-free remission for HIV infected individuals. Science. 2010;329:174–80.

Tucker JD, Volberding PA, Margolis DM, Rennie S, Barre-Sinoussi F. Words Matter: Discussing Research Towards an HIV Cure in Research and Clinical Contexts. JAIDS. 2014;3:e110-1.