HIV/Aids breakthrough not a ‘treatment’, common social media posts misrepresent the details
IN SHORT: Whereas promising, a current breakthrough in HIV analysis isn’t a “treatment” or a “vaccine”, as a number of posts declare on social media. The scientists concerned say it could possibly be a few years earlier than the know-how is used as a treatment.
Customers on Fb, Instagram and X have shared the identical “BREAKING NEWS” message, claiming that “A CURE FOR HIV/AIDS HAS JUST BEEN FOUND”.
Africa Verify discovered a whole bunch of those posts, the preferred of which have been seen tens of millions of instances. The message is usually accompanied by a graphic which incorporates the textual content “Researchers in Australia have simply discovered a treatment for HIV/Aids” and a picture created utilizing synthetic intelligence instruments, of a bottle labelled “HIV Vaccine®”.
Sadly, this declare isn’t true.
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIVis a virus which assaults the immune system, the processes chargeable for defending the physique from illness. If left untreated, it causes acquired immunodeficiency syndromeor Aids.
HIV might be handled with antiretroviral medication, which stop the virus from multiplying in an individual’s physique. ARV therapy can decrease the extent of the virus in an individual’s physique to the purpose that it’s undetectable and can’t be transmitted to others. Nonetheless, ARVs can not eradicate the virus solely.
So what has prompted these “breaking information” posts?
On this case, there’s a actual scientific breakthrough behind these claims, nevertheless it has been described in a deceptive manner.
Intentionally deceptive headline and picture shared alongside textual content copied from real information story
These posts embrace paragraphs of textual content, describing the scientific breakthrough. They start:
A treatment for HIV could possibly be a step nearer after researchers discovered a brand new solution to pressure the virus out of hiding inside human cells.The virus’s capability to hide itself inside sure white blood cells has been one of many important challenges for scientists on the lookout for a treatment. It means there’s a reservoir of the HIV within the physique, able to reactivation, that neither the immune system nor medication can sort out.Now researchers from the Peter Doherty Institute for An infection and Immunity in Melbourne, have demonstrated a solution to make the virus seen, paving the way in which to totally clear it from the physique.
The textual content is an identical to the primary 12 paragraphs of a information article revealed by the UK’s Guardian newspaper on 5 June 2025. Not one of the posts which Africa Verify discovered clearly credited the Guardian because the supply, nor did they embrace your complete article.
The unique article is headlined: “Breakthrough in seek for HIV treatment leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed’.” Within the posts on social media this has been changed, normally with a variation on “Breaking Information: A treatment for HIV/Aids has simply been discovered”, typically misspelling Aids as “Auds”.
The Guardian article by no means refers back to the analysis as a “treatment”, however solely as a promising step in the direction of one.
In sections of the article not included within the social media posts, researchers are quoted as being “very hopeful” that the breakthrough may ultimately be replicated in people. However this could possibly be a great distance off.
The Guardian notes: “The trail to utilizing the know-how as a part of a treatment for sufferers is lengthy and would require profitable exams in animals adopted by security trials in people, prone to take years, earlier than efficacy trials may even start.”
The Guardian hyperlinks again to the unique scientific paperrevealed within the journal Nature Communications. The paper additionally doesn’t consult with its findings as a “treatment” for HIV. Though they do not signify a “treatment”, the findings are a promising growth in HIV analysis.
Promising development in analysis, not HIV treatment
As already mentioned, ARV medicines can cut back the presence of HIV in an individual’s physique, however not eradicate the virus solely. The Nature Communications article covers analysis into a possible resolution to this downside.
Of their paper and in feedback to the Guardianthe College of Melbourne researchers describe a brand new technique of delivering genetic materials, often known as mRNAinto sure sorts of white blood cells. HIV is ready to infect these white blood cells, the place it might basically cover from the physique’s immune system and different types of therapy. With the ability to attain the virus inside these white blood cells opens up new alternatives to deal with it.
Vaccines in opposition to Covid-19 additionally made use of mRNAwhich can be why the graphic accompanying these “HIV treatment” claims depicts an “HIV vaccine”. (The picture within the graphic could be very related to inventory pictures which have existed since 2016.)
The Nature Communications research didn’t use mRNA to vaccinate in opposition to HIV, however demonstrated that “therapeutic mRNA”, comparable to small items of mRNA designed to alert the immune system to the presence of the virus, could possibly be delivered to those white blood cells.
At time of writing, there isn’t a treatment for HIV/Aids.
However apart from this breakthrough, there have been different promising developments in HIV therapy.
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Actual breakthroughs in HIV therapy
In 2023, a scientific trial started in South Africa and the US to check the efficacy of a possible vaccine in opposition to HIV known as VIR-1388. Like different vaccines, VIR-1388 wouldn’t be a treatment for HIV however, if it really works, could stop an infection and subsequently cease the unfold of the illness. It was developed by US-based Vir Biotechnology.
ARVs might be taken as pre-exposure prophylaxisor PrEP, by people who find themselves HIV detrimental however prone to be uncovered to the virus. This may stop transmission of HIV. Nonetheless, PrEP should be taken continuously to make sure correct safety. Present South African PrEP tips contain taking one capsule day-after-day.
Lenacapavir is an injectable drug which has been proven to reliably defend in opposition to HIV transmission for six months at a time, with some trials demonstrating safety for a full 12 months. After profitable trials, there are plans to start use of the drug in international locations comparable to South Africa, which has a very excessive burden of HIV. It has been accepted to be used within the US.
Like different types of PrEP, Lenacapavir is neither a “treatment” nor a “vaccine”, however can stop HIV transmission. As a result of it’s for much longer lasting than different types of PrEP, it might make it a lot simpler to stop transmission.
