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HIV rise blamed on belief in cure | HIV rise blamed on belief in cure |
(about 6 hours later) | |
A false belief among young HIV patients that the virus can be cured is fuelling a rise in infection levels, a specialist has claimed. | A false belief among young HIV patients that the virus can be cured is fuelling a rise in infection levels, a specialist has claimed. |
Dr Veerakathy Harindra says a quarter of his young HIV patients wrongly believe a cure has already been found. | Dr Veerakathy Harindra says a quarter of his young HIV patients wrongly believe a cure has already been found. |
This leads them to fail to take adequate precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, he said. | This leads them to fail to take adequate precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, he said. |
The Terrence Higgins Trust says the number of HIV infections has more than doubled in the last six years. | The Terrence Higgins Trust says the number of HIV infections has more than doubled in the last six years. |
Dr Harindra, director at Portsmouth's genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic, says between 20% and 25% of the young people he sees believe they can be cured of HIV. | |
Drug treatments which help manage HIV have led some people to wrongly believe it can actually be cured altogether, he says. | Drug treatments which help manage HIV have led some people to wrongly believe it can actually be cured altogether, he says. |
'Widespread ignorance' | 'Widespread ignorance' |
According to the Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity for HIV sufferers, the number of people with the virus has risen from 30,000 in 2001 to 70,000 this year. | According to the Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity for HIV sufferers, the number of people with the virus has risen from 30,000 in 2001 to 70,000 this year. |
Research by the charity in July suggested there was still widespread ignorance about HIV, particularly among young people. | Research by the charity in July suggested there was still widespread ignorance about HIV, particularly among young people. |
The poll of 1,000 people found more than 20% of people aged 18 to 24 mistakenly thought there was a cure for HIV. | The poll of 1,000 people found more than 20% of people aged 18 to 24 mistakenly thought there was a cure for HIV. |
Among the same age group almost a quarter believed condoms had holes in them which let HIV through. | Among the same age group almost a quarter believed condoms had holes in them which let HIV through. |
On Friday, international drug company Merck halted trials on an HIV vaccine that was regarded as one of the most promising in the fight against Aids. | On Friday, international drug company Merck halted trials on an HIV vaccine that was regarded as one of the most promising in the fight against Aids. |
Merck stopped testing the vaccine after it was judged to be ineffective. | Merck stopped testing the vaccine after it was judged to be ineffective. |
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