The tentative results of a small human experiment offer a glimmer of possibility that the body's own defense system can be trained to hold down the AIDS Virus. He has remained free of HIV for two years. Franco Lori, head of the Research Institute for Genetic and Human Therapy at Georgetown University in Washington. Lori's team is one of a few exploring the idea that it may be possible to wean people away from the demanding regimen of AIDS medicines without actually curing them of their infections. Lori presented his findings at the 6th conference on Retroviruses and opportunistic infections.
Some physicians are skeptical.
They fear AIDS patients who learn of these attmpts will stop taking the drugs on their own-with potentially deadly consequences. Robert Schooley of the University of Colorado, a conference organizer. It shounds good to patients. But the real question is whether you can change the immune response. I worry patients will stop therpy.