A cure for HIV may be possible - Research

A French virologist Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, who won a Nobel prize for her part in the work which originally identified the HIV virus in 1981, told the BBC that research to finding a cure for HIV is very promising.

According to Avert, around 1.8 million people die from HIV-related illnesses every year, mainly due to the limited access to antiretroviral drugs in poorer parts of the world.

But if a cure was developed this number would fall dramatically.



Professor Barre-Sinoussi told the BBC's HARDTalk programme that a case in Berlin had resulted in a patient being completely cured of infection.

"It turns out today that after two bone marrow transplants we can say we cannot detect the virus anymore in his body," she explained.

Professor Barre-Sinoussi insists that this may not be viable for everyone, but does show a "proof of concept".

Current treatment requires a patient to take antiretroviral drugs every day, but they are not always available in poorer countries.

According to the World Health Organization, only around 50 per cent of HIV-infected, pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa have access to the drugs they need to prevent mother-to-infant transmission of the virus.

Another more functional cure is also being developed which would not eradicate the virus, but allow a person to remain healthy without the need for medication every day.

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