Scientists report curing a HIV-positive patient for second time ever

Scientists believe a patient has been cured for just the second time ever of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, The New York Times reported Monday.

Researchers are expected to publish a report on Tuesday in Nature, a leading science journal, and describe their findings at a press conference in Seattle. The patient’s identity will remain anonymous, researchers said.

{mosads}The Times reported that scientists are describing the latest case as a long-term “remission,” but other experts are calling it a cure. Scientists agreed that the the development would provide a source of optimism for other patients, and could prove to be a breakthrough in AIDS research.

The first instance of an HIV-positive patient being cured came roughly 12 years ago. Both cures resulted from bone-marrow transplants that were intended to treat cancer.

The Times noted that bone-marrow transplants are unlikely to be a realistic treatment option for HIV patients in the near future, but that drugs are available to keep the infection under control.

President Trump announced during his State of the Union address last month a goal to eradicate AIDS in the United States within the next 10 years.

“My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years,” Trump said. “Together, we will defeat AIDS in America.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 million Americans are living with HIV, and there are 40,000 new infections every year.

The Trump administration has been criticized by AIDS advocates for failing to fill out the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and for asking for cuts to domestic and global HIV/AIDs programs in previous budgets.