25yr Old Cures HIV Naturally

**Lee** · 11-14-2005, 02:47 AM

In what is seen as a medical miracle, a 25-year-old gay man from the UK has been completely cured of Aids without any medication. The case of Andrew Stimson, who moved to London from Scotland four years ago, is a sensational development for Aids researchers who have so far tried and failed to develop a vaccine.

Medical experts are unable to explain the Stimson phenomenon, which they describe as “spontaneous viral clearance”, the mechanism that enabled the former hairdresser to clear the virus naturally from his body. They have asked to make himself available for more tests.

Prof Jonathan Weber, one of UK’s leading HIV/Aids experts, said: “It’s tantalising for scientists wanting to create an HIV vaccine. There have been spectacular advances in the use of combinations of drugs to treat HIV since 1995, and now infected men and women with access to these drugs may lead near-normal lives. However the drugs are not preventing new infections. We need a vaccine but there is no plausible candidate on the horizon.”

Another Aids expert, Dr Patrick Dixon, from the international Aids group, Acet, has described the Stimson case as “very, very unusual". “I've come across many anecdotal reports of this kind of thing happening in Africa, some quite recently, but it’s difficult to verify them," he told the BBC.

Stimson was diagnosed HIV-positive in August 2002 at a time when he was having protected sex with his 44-year-old long-term partner.

“Initially, I was HIV-negative, but it takes three months to show up in blood tests”, he revealed.

“On August 15 a further test came back neither positive nor negative. Then two further tests were returned positive. I didn’t speak for two days after because I didn’t know what to think or what to say. The doctor said I could live for ten years, 20 years, maybe 40 years. But your natural reaction is to think you will die sooner rather than later. “In a split second everything I dreamed of — all my life goals disappeared. I thought I might be dead within six months.”

One year later during a routine appointment at his clinic, Stimson had another routine test. This time the result came back negative and three further tests showed the same result.

Stimson said, “My doctor came in the room and kept saying, “You’ve cured yourself, you’re fantastic.”

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanhe...2320051113.asp

Whilst this is definately a 'feel good' story, i cant help but think the reason for his sudden 'cure' was that the hospital fucked up his results to begin with.

I mean, if the first test came back as either +/- and the second test came back as neither, after 3 tests you'd figure they'd have the right answer.

Im more inclined personally, to beleive that the testing center screwed up.

Regards,

Lee

**basschick** · 11-14-2005, 02:58 AM

or he had some other health situation that caused the positive readings.

joneze · 11-14-2005, 10:33 AM

If he really did have it, hopefully science can benefit from his actions.

Slade · 11-14-2005, 02:48 PM

However, he won't go back in for further testing.
Doesn't that make anyone just a tad suspicious?

**Lee** · 11-14-2005, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by Slade

However, he won't go back in for further testing.
Doesn't that make anyone just a tad suspicious?

Where did you find that out?

Certainly seems to add to the train of thought its all BS.

Regards,

Lee

**CorbinFisher_BD** · 11-14-2005, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Slade

However, he won't go back in for further testing.
Doesn't that make anyone just a tad suspicious?

Well he'd already been tested a number of times by his doctor and the results seem quite verified and certain, according the numerous media outlets that have reported this story.

So why should he keep goin back? Let the man live his life.

What do they wanna do? Keep testing him over and over and over again a 100 times til a (potentially false) positive result comes back and they can say "A HAH! Gotcha!!! Please return to your regularly scheduled programming".

HIV tests are much more likely to yield a false positive than a false negative (albeit slim chances on either) so if he's had numerous consecutive negative results verified by the doctors and labs that conducted them - which is what seems to be the case - then why should he need to keep gettin retested?

**Lee** · 11-14-2005, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by CorbinFisher_BD

then why should he need to keep gettin retested?

I would have thought knowing one way or another if you have HIV was the only reason needed myself.

If not for his sake, for the sake of those around him who could, potentially become infected should he cut himself, not to mention the sexual implications.

Regards,

Lee

**DonMike** · 11-14-2005, 03:37 PM

I used to work for a guy (years ago, not in this industry) who had something similar happen to him. He was diagnosed positive by one doctor and then negative by another. He decided to just live life as he always had and see what happened.

**CorbinFisher_BD** · 11-14-2005, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Lee

I would have thought knowing one way or another if you have HIV was the only reason needed myself.

If not for his sake, for the sake of those around him who could, potentially become infected should he cut himself, not to mention the sexual implications.

Regards,

Lee

Well I think the cases reported in the medical literature of people being infected through things like cuts can be counted on 2 hands, so that's not a real concern.

As far as otherwise goes, the tests are designed to be over-sensitive. "Better safe than sorry", in other words. They're designed to be over-reactive so as to assure that if there are antibodies to the virus there, the test will show it. On the flip side, it makes for the potential of cross-reactivity - which is to say that non HIV-related factors might yield "false positive" results.

So again, with more than one negative result there's a pretty damn good chance he's clear of HIV-antibodies. This could be because the first test he got was a false positive or because he's some medical anomoly and truly has ridded himself of infection. He's actually not the first documented case of this having happened. It's rare, but not entirely unheard of.

**EonFilms_Rocky** · 11-14-2005, 04:29 PM

I was diagnosed as positive by a doctor during a hepatitis test. I always practice safe sex, so I could not beleive it. After walking around San Diego crying and just looking at the trees, I decided to get a second opinion.

I went to a hematologist and had extensice bloodwork done. As it turne dout, I was mis-diagnosed. I have an ailment called "Gilbert's Disease"... which means I have to eat or my skin and eyes turn yellow. It's a form of jaundice I have had since I was a baby. It's completely harmless and non-contagious.

So yeah, he may have been mis-diagnosed.

Rocky

**XXXWriterDude** · 11-14-2005, 06:00 PM

Hmmmmm, was his 44-year-old long-term partner HIV positive???

**basschick** · 11-14-2005, 07:16 PM

the thing that bothers me is a fair chunk of people have false positives, yet the news is announcing this like it's a miracle.

**CorbinFisher_BD** · 11-14-2005, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by basschick

the thing that bothers me is a fair chunk of people have false positives, yet the news is announcing this like it's a miracle.

That's what bugs me too. Whereas on the one hand it's obviously important for people to have faith in the tests and the system behind them, it's also key to point out that false positives are not unheard of. The tests are unspecific. Almost all viral infection tests are (as Rocky pointed out with his hep tests). The HIV test looks for the antibody, not the virus itself. Cross reactivity is a reality of the tests.

This isn't to say people should run around ignoring test results. But they're not 100% guaranteed, either. Close, but not 100%.

What kinda bugged me in that article was the person saying "Well we should really make sure that the samples tested were truly his and not mixed up at the lab" and the people saying "Well he should be retested again and again to make sure he's really neg" when you don't hear them saying "Well maybe his initial positive results were a lab mixup and it was someone else's sample" or that his initial positive shoulda been followed up by retest after retest after retest to be sure he really was positive.

Slade · 11-14-2005, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by CorbinFisher_BD

Well he'd already been tested a number of times by his doctor and the results seem quite verified and certain, according the numerous media outlets that have reported this story.

So why should he keep goin back? Let the man live his life.

What do they wanna do? Keep testing him over and over and over again a 100 times til a (potentially false) positive result comes back and they can say "A HAH! Gotcha!!! Please return to your regularly scheduled programming".

HIV tests are much more likely to yield a false positive than a false negative (albeit slim chances on either) so if he's had numerous consecutive negative results verified by the doctors and labs that conducted them - which is what seems to be the case - then why should he need to keep gettin retested?

It's not a matter of NOT letting the guy live his life. It's just that when you are dealing with medical and scientific "facts" it is best to have it cross referenced by more than one doctor. And in a different article on the same subject, certain doctors (where he lives) had simply asked for a chance to study his blood to see if they could "find" anything unusual that could be helpful to other hiv+ folks..plus the doctors said it would help CONFIRM that has indeed hiv-. And he has said NO to ALL these doctors? Not even let ONE other doctor get the chance to see if you might have a "special gift" that would help tens of thousands of other people? Seems a little LESS "thankful" than he professes to be if he doesn't care to help in this manner. imho