A leading scientist who won the Nobel prize for discovering HIV has said a cure for Aids now "might be possible". Professor Francoise Barre-Sinoussi suggested that an end to the worldwide epidemic could be achieved with renewed scientific efforts. Professor Francoise Barre-Sinoussi was speaking after the announcement of the apparent cure of an HIV-positive baby in the US. She told The Times that with renewed scientific efforts, an end to the worldwide epidemic could be achieved.
"We are now in a position that we have evidence suggesting a cure might be possible. We have to stimulate funding for research into cures. "It's ongoing, and it will take time, but more and more data is indicating that we have to move forward and work on a cure." The professor said that while antiretroviral drugs had been successful in helping people to live normal lives while infected, it was also important to try to find more permanent solutions to the disease. It still affects 100,000 people in Britain and 30 million worldwide.
Professor Barre-Sinoussi said: "What we have today is wonderful progress, but we have to consider other solutions for the future. "It's wonderful to have antiretrovirals today. But if we can improve so that people's treatment can stop, that would also be wonderful for the patient, and for the budget of the Government." Professor Barre-Sinoussi won the Nobel prize for medicine in 2008 together with Luc Montagnier, for their work pinpointing the cause of Aids. Her comments come after US researchers announced at the weekend that a baby girl who was born with HIV had been cured after very early treatment with standard drug therapy.
Professor Barre-Sinoussi said: "What we have today is wonderful progress, but we have to consider other solutions for the future. "It's wonderful to have antiretrovirals today. But if we can improve so that people's treatment can stop, that would also be wonderful for the patient, and for the budget of the Government." Professor Barre-Sinoussi won the Nobel prize for medicine in 2008 together with Luc Montagnier, for their work pinpointing the cause of Aids. Her comments come after US researchers announced at the weekend that a baby girl who was born with HIV had been cured after very early treatment with standard drug therapy.
It was seen as a potentially ground-breaking case that could offer insights on how to eradicate HIV infection in its youngest victims. The child's story is the first account of an infant achieving a so-called functional cure, a rare event in which a person achieves remission without the need for drugs and standard blood tests show no signs that the virus is making copies of itself.