MEDICAL UPDATE: Concepts of Immune-Based Therapies

MEDICAL UPDATE: Concepts of Immune-Based Therapies

Being Alive Newsletter, Being Alive/Los Angeles - July 1992
Dr. Robert Schooley and reported by Walt Senterfitt

There are two different general concepts of immune-based therapies. One concept emphasizes AIDS as a viral disease associated with gradual decline of general host immune responsiveness. As that responsiveness declines below a certain threshold, one sees the onset of various opportunistic infections and tumors. The way to deal with this decline is to find ways to stimulate the general host immune responsiveness. The take home message, though, is that these general immune response modifiers which include cytokines like interleukin-2 and the so-called immunomodulators like isoprinosine and immuthiol and Imreg have been quite disappointing. The tests of the non-cytokine immunomodulators have failed to demonstrate sufficient selectivity in boosting general immune response and thus have failed to convince many people that they are bona fide anti-HIV agents.
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