By The Binocular Reporter
Kampala, Uganda – Researchers at the Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP) have announced plans to recruit volunteers for a groundbreaking study on HIV/AIDS treatment.
The study will explore the potential of “drug holidays” – planned breaks from medication – as a strategy for managing the disease and investigating the possibility of a cure.
Dr. Hannah Kibuuka, a researcher at MUWRP, emphasized that the primary goal of the study is to find a cure for HIV.
“This is research in people living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy and are suppressed.
Then their ART is paused to be able to test other interventions to determine if the virus can be completely suppressed, or if it is suppressed to an acceptable level for a long period,” she explained.
The study will involve pausing antiretroviral therapy (ART) and applying immune-related therapies to enhance the immune system and suppress the virus. Researchers will monitor participants’ viral loads and restart ART if necessary.
While some people living with HIV have expressed concerns about the risks associated with treatment interruptions, researchers assure that guidelines are in place to protect participants and their partners.
The study is part of the DELIVER initiative, a global research program aimed at developing the capacity of laboratories to conduct long-term HIV remission studies. Uganda is one of the partner countries, along with Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Thailand, the Philippines, and Brazil.
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If successful, the study could bring relief to people living with HIV and reduce spending on antiretroviral drugs.
As Mr. Moses Nsubuga, a musician and HIV advocate, noted, “If there is a chance of the doctors putting me off treatment for a year-and-a-half using this method, and then they put me back for another year-and-a-half, what’s wrong with that? Why don’t you give it a chance?”
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