I recently met Magic Johnson, the HIV+ sporting legend, in Los Angeles, and I told him in private that I am HIV positive like him, and recently infected this year heterosexual. He told me the treaments now are very good but to live a clean, heathy lifestyle that is the key to health. I asked him his views on a cure, and he told me we are a lot closer than people think in finding a cure for HIV, but as I was about to ask him more questions,he had to leave... Dr. Bob, do you think we are closer to a cure than people think? Would Magic Johnson know more than what you guys would???

Thank you for your time...

Hello,

Do I think we are closer to a cure than people think??? Well, I guess that would depend on who the people are and what exactly they think! Some people have been so frustrated with our efforts to find a cure they are discouraged and think that we'll never find a cure. I don't agree with them. Other folks feel that a cure is just around the corner, say, within the next one to five years. I don't agree with them either. At this point, a cure for HIV/AIDS is not visible, even on the distant horizon. That doesn't mean we won't find a cure. Ultimately, I believe we will. I just don't think it will be anytime soon. Of course if Dubya was spending even a fraction of the $5,000 per second (yes, $5,000 per second!) that he is wasting in Iraq on a cure for HIV/AIDS (or cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc.), we'd be much closer, or perhaps have already found the cures!

Dr. Bob