“HIV is Reported Cured in a Second Patient, a Milestone in the Global AIDS Epidemic”
“For just the second time since the global epidemic began, a patient appears to have been cured of infection with H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS. The news comes nearly 12 years to the day after the first patient known to be cured, a feat that researchers have long tried, and failed, to duplicate. The surprise success now confirms that a cure for H.I.V. infection is possible, if difficult, researchers said… Both milestones resulted from bone-marrow transplants given to infected patients. But the transplants were intended to treat cancer in the patients, not H.I.V. Bone-marrow transplantation is unlikely to be a realistic treatment option in the near future. Powerful drugs are now available to control H.I.V. infection, while the transplants are risky, with harsh side effects that can last for years (New York Times).” Read More
“Democracy is Good for your Health”
“Together with colleagues from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Bilkent University, we published a study in The Lancet that is the first comprehensive assessment of the links between democracy, adult health and disease-specific mortality in 170 nations over 46 years, 1970-2016. The findings are democratic. Adult life expectancy at age 15 was 3% higher on average in countries 10 years after their transition to democracy compared to nations that remained autocratic….Between 1995 & 2015, we estimate that increases in democratic experience averted 16 million deaths globally from cardiovascular disease alone (CNN).” Read More
“Why the College Admissions Scandal Hurts Students with Disabilities
“In 2018, (Singer) told a parent over the phone, “What happened is, all the wealthy families that figured out that if I get my kid tested and they get extended time, they can do better on the test. So most of these kids don’t even have issues, but they’re getting time. The playing field is not fair.”… Understandably, parents and educators who work with students with disabilities are outraged. “This hurts every individual with a learning disability,” Beth McGaw, the president of the Learning Disabilities Association of America said in a statement. At many levels of education, students with disabilities — such as dyslexia or ADHD — can receive extra time on standardized tests. It’s one of a number of ways that make tests accessible to all students…”Accommodations are about leveling the playing field and not about bestowing an unfair advantage,” the Learning Disabilities Association of America wrote in a statement (NPR).” Read More