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The recent death of former US president George W. Bush is burying the US under an avalanche of eulogizing of the famous man. Here is an article that is a little less flattery of the man, who held back on an adequate response to the AIDS epidemic. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-george-hw-bush-lgbtq_us_5c0366ffe4b0606a15b5efa7 The Media Is Erasing George H.W. Bush’s Catastrophic Harm To LGBTQ People It’s no surprise that after the death of former president George H.W. Bush we’re seeing media pundits, advocates and popular historians promote a rosy view of his tenure as president. In the era of Donald Trump, there’s a tendency to portray every Republican leader of the past in a nostalgic, sugar-coated way. The first thing that caught my eye was a report on CNN’s website that included a tweet from the president of Covenant House, a charity that runs shelters across the U.S. for homeless youth and which has a historical connection to the Catholic Church. The tweet included photos of the former president and the late first lady Barbara Bush hugging children, implying that Bush was an important advocate for people with AIDS. Perhaps that was what Bush “believed,” but it was far from the truth. Bush was as captive to the evangelical right on social issues — and thus a decidedly Republican president — as was his predecessor, Ronald Reagan, who cultivated religious conservatives as a potent political force and bowed to their anti-LGBTQ agenda as the AIDS epidemic mushroomed in the 1980s. Reagan’s history of callously ignoring the epidemic while thousands died is well-documented. Bush, at the outset of his term, promised a “kinder, gentler” presidency than the man he’d served under as vice president. He even gave a speech on the AIDS epidemic in 1990, which was long on compassion but short on strategy and commitment to funding. During the speech, in fact, Urvashi Vaid, an invited guest and then the executive director of the prominent National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, now the National LGBTQ Task Force, took the unprecedented and heroic act of standing up and holding a sign, “Talk Is Cheap. AIDS Funding Is Not.” Bush, in the end, bowed to the same extremists Reagan did when it came to AIDS and LGBTQ rights. As The Washington Post noted, Bush allowed evangelicals to mature as a movement within the GOP after Reagan brought them in, rather than pushing back.

Hello Everyone! We are a group of PrEP activists based in Europe and Asia who started a site called PrEP Online to make access to PrEP more convenient and affordable for people around the world. For those of you who don’t know, PrEP is a pill approved by the World Health Organization that you can take daily to reduce the risk of contracting HIV by up to 99%. We believe that PrEP is a game-changing drug and an important weapon in the fight against HIV. Our goal is to help spread awareness and make access to PrEP more convenient and affordable to people worldwide. We work directly with US FDA-approved manufacturers of generic PrEP to supply it at a low cost - you can get a month’s supply from just $27 on our site, with shipping to your doorstep included. Our shipping and packaging is absolutely discreet for those of you who are concerned. Order PrEP: https://getpreponline.com/shop/ Learn more about PrEP: https://getpreponline.com/prep-info/ Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions! PrEP Online Team

There was an incident recently where I had a small skin "sensitivity" near the private areas. I was deciding whether to ignore it or goto see my family doctor. I decided to see a new doctor for treatment. I registered using a christian name and told the registration that I was a foreign talent and thus do not have a NRIC. The good news is that the doctor told me that it was a common "skin reaction" that had nothing to do with sex. A little cream and a review one week later and I was cured. After that incident, I think that it is good that we should know some PLU friendly medical practitioners. a. We are more comfortable when you speak to them about the medical condition and if necessary the real context of how we may have got it. b. They probably know our concerns and can address it more directly. c. Sometimes you may want to bring your partner along who will need to learn how to take care of you. eg post circumcision care Anyone can recommend PLU friendly doctors. Post or PM me. If required, I can keep the information private. Related : Anyone can recommend PLU friendly lawyers and financial counsultants that can provide professional advise.

Hi All, Thanks for all those enquiries. Keep them coming in. Many guys are now on PreP and taking it as an additional precaution to preventing HIV. PEP is also available for those who think they have been exposed to HIV. But its efficacy is a window period of 72 hours and less. For those who are co-infected with Hepatitis C, there are now generic versions of Sofosbuvir, Ledipasvir and Daclatasvir. These are now much more affordable. Do talk with your doctors and/or healthcare professionals about it. Generics are cost saving drugs, that can stretch your dollar and go a long way. Best wishes and stay safe, Hotspunk +6597531592

Shin Min Daily News 新明日报 Man molest man! A middle aged man was charged for hiding in a male's toilet and subsequently molesting a 29 year old man. The molested 29yo man was using the toilet at HDB Hub Toa Payoh when he met the molester. The molester not only watched him from the opposite cubicle, and also molested his legs by touching them through the gap below the partition. The 29 year old man was shocked and ran out of the toilet immediately. This molest case occurred in 19 Nov 2004, at around 6:30pm at Toa Payoh HDB Hub. The molester was a 44 year old man named Hong Ya Sai. He is a computer promoter. He was charged this morning in court. Hong Ya Sai was wearing a blue T-Shirt and was medium built. He faced a charge for molestation and another for peeping. He is out on bail of S$12,000. The case will be adjoured to 24 Oct 2005. According to the courts, the molestation happened at the 3rd level toilet of Toa Payoh HDB Hub.

Hey not sure whether this is the right place to ask but does anyone knows where I can get Prep ni Klang valley area?

Just want to share this here, this is indeed worrying. Hope everyone here practice safe sex and be safe. Remember to do the occasional checkups especially if you're sexually active with multiple partners http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/361-new-cases-of-hiv-reported-between-jan-and-oct-moh-9459194

Being Sure Is Sexy What’s your sign? Are you a Mr. Mind Blowing Sex or are you Mr. & Mrs. Unforgettable Sex? Pink Carpet wants to make the experience as simple, safe, and appropriate for the community. Fill up the form below and a FREE HIV test coupon will be e-mailed to you. Regular testing puts you in control of your HIV and STI status, allowing you to protect your health and the health of your sexual partners. However, we understand that taking an HIV test can be a very stressful event, and that’s why we are here for you. Visit www.gayhealth.sg/kys to claim your complimentary HIV test.

It will make my day if ya'll can help complete this 1 minute questionnaire for my university project on improving healthcare and medical services for the LGBT community! http://bit.ly/2nQ3CY0 Thank you in advance love ya'll!

Maybe I'm not supposed to ask this here but I'm still gonna try it. 2 years ago, I had gay sex with a guy. Whatever we did was kiss, and 69 blowjob(boring) then after I went home, weeks or months later, I realized a lump growing on my glans. Also, it slowly spread to the base of my glans this year. They seemed to grow uncontrollably under my glans. But the one bump remained one, on the glan itself. It kinda enlarged a little compared to last year. Now it's like 2mm-3mm or 4, likely 3. Characteristics: Solid, round, white in colour/bright coloured I suppose. And most of all, rock solid solid like I first mentioned. Harder than my glans when erected. Why did I say I suppose it's bright? My frenulum is not detached and my foreskin has not completely dissolved. As a matter of fact, I can't retract my foreskin completely because 11/20 of it is still intact! Like it's glued. And the spots are growing like below it. I can only see their existence by stretching and sliding my foreskin, to see a not moving, still white (to my eye with foreskin filter) object on my glans of course. I am freaking worried about my condition, for like months since last November. Oh yes, there are roughly 20- spots on my one is that are hard and of different sizes. Please help me out people I'm really afraid to see a doctor sorry. And thanks a lot.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/hiv-has-nowhere-to-go-now-breakthrough-drug-prep-to-be-approved-for-public-subsidy-20180207-p4yzkt.html EXCLUSIVE FEBRUARY 8 2018 - 12:15AM SAVE PRINT LICENSE ARTICLE 'HIV has nowhere to go now': Breakthrough drug PrEP to be approved for public subsidy Adam Gartrell A revolutionary HIV drug that will liberate thousands of gay Australians from the fear of sex will almost certainly be approved for federal subsidy this week, in a watershed moment in the decades-long fight against AIDS. Hopes are high particularly in the gay community that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee will on Friday issue a long-awaited "positive recommendation" for Truvada, commonly known as PrEP. Fairfax Media understands Health Minister Greg Hunt will then move quickly to list the drug on the Pharamaceutical Benefits Scheme. That will bring the price of the drug from as much as $10,000 a year down to just $39.50 per script, or just a couple of hundred dollars a year. An estimated 31,000 people - mostly gay and bisexual men - will benefit from the move, including Gavin Prendergast. The 46-year-old Sydney man has been on the drug as part of a trial for the past 18 months and says it has taken the fear out of sex. "I was around for the whole Grim Reaper thing," Mr Prendergast said, referring to the notorious 1980s AIDS advertising scare campaign. "The fear was hammered into me early on: if you don't use condoms you're going to get AIDS and you're going to die. Sex back then was always tinged with a little bit of paranoia or fear. What if I slip up, what if I don't use a condom? "Now we have a pill that can basically guarantee you're not going to get HIV. It's a pretty monumental change. The fear is disappearing." New Zealand on Wednesday became one of the first countries in the world to publicly fund PrEP, meaning it will be subisdised from March 1. With PBAC's decision due on Friday afternoon, Australia is set to follow suit. The antiretroviral drug is so popular among gay men - the people most likely to contract HIV - experts say it will slash the number of transmissions across the country. The drug is up to 99 per cent effective. The drug was approved for use as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in 2016 but the advisory committee subsequently announced it had rejected a proposal to list it on the benefits scheme due to price concerns. That left the drug available but prohibitively expensive - about $1000 a month - for those not part of government-funded trials. The sponsoring pharmaceutical companies subsequently submitted fresh applications that were expected to be approved last year, but a decision was deferred - disappointing the gay community and HIV campaigners. After months of further negotiations it now appears the positive listing is imminent. Mr Hunt said in December said he would not pre-empt the committee's decision but "we are making very good progress" on negotiations. "My hope is the PBAC will recommend PrEP and my commitment is if it does recommend PrEP we will list it and list it quickly," he said. Bridget Haire, the president of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, said a listing would be a "huge step forward". “Coupled with additional investment in health promotion, workforce skills and co-ordinated leadership, this would allow us to properly pursue the end of Australian HIV transmission in Australia," Dr Haire said. “This would be a huge advance for people at risk of HIV and also a massive benefit to the Commonwealth, as every averted HIV transmission saves close to $1 million in lifetime care and treatment costs.” Mr Prendergast, who works for the HIV prevention group ACON, is optimistic there will be no further delays to a listing. "HIV has nowhere to go now," he said. "Which is pretty awesome when you consider that thirty to forty years ago people were skeletons and dying in the street. It's nice to know that something as beautiful as having sex won't kill you."

Im a 23 year old guy who was closeted my whole life...then for some reason being foolish I went and fool around for 3-4 times, which I deeply regretted my actions after that. Recently I went to check for STDs and realized I have genital warts, which also means I have human papillomavirus (HPV). Upon further reading up on the internet than I realized that the warts could be remove but there is no way to cure the virus, even though many people have it. It is just very depressing to know that I'll have such a virus, and how I'm suppose meet/date anyone anymore. The more I think about it, the more depressing it gets, and I don't know what to do anymore.

Hello everyone, Great news! Gayhealth has turn two years old and we like to celebrate this milestone by presenting two episodes of People Like Us on our webpage. Yas gurls!! We have also revamped our website to provide more sexual health information with a user-friendly interface. To celebrate pride, love and community stay tune for more upcoming episodes of People Like Us. *To watch the mini-series, click on the link to retrieve the password for viewing. P.S very steamy scenes awaits you AND watch till the end for a special surprise! http://www.gayhealth.sg/plu/

Dear All. Any contributions from you guys with regards to this topic. Can anyone share or who had experienced living wif HIV friend/s or boyfriend.

What are the consequences of being detected with std in Singapore for foreign worker and for local? are they going to report this to MOH, to your parents, to your colleagues and everyone near to you or they will keep it private? Is it safer to go Malaysia or other country for check up or Malaysian Doctors will also report this back to sg? Sorry im just seeking for people who gone through this and have knowledge about this thanks!

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I think it's high time that we address the elephant in the room. It is likely that there is at least 1 friend of friend whom is positive, and is keeping his status private for fear of harassment and discrimination. I, for one, think and feel that I will have no issues with it. This would be a good gauge to see where (part) of the community in BW think about this.

A list of non-comprehensive helplines in Singapore: General Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): For anybody in crisis and persons with suicidal tendencies. Tel: 1800-221 4444 Opening Hours: 24 hours Oogachaga Hotline: Helpline for gay, bisexual, and transgendered men on sexuality and relationship matters, as well as advice and resources on safer sex and HIV/STI related issues. Tel: 6226 2002Opening Hours: Tuesdays - Thursdays: 7pm - 10pm and Saturdays: 2pm - 6pm (except on public holidays) Oogachaga is an anonymous hotline manned by LGBT professionals and all calls are strictly confidential. Our volunteers are trained to listen to you. You can also go to our website to find out more about us. Oogachaga email counselling at http://www.oogachaga.com/care Family Centre for Promoting Alternatives to Violence (PAVe): For families facing violence in need of counselling and support servicesTel: 6555 0390 Opening Hours: Mon to Fri: 9am – 6pm and Wed: 9am – 9.30pm Child Protection and Welfare Services (MCYS): Reporting of Child AbuseTel: 1800-258 6378 / 1800-7770000Opening Hours: Mon–Fri 8.30am – 5pm and Sat 8.30am – 1pm Elderly SAGE Helpline for Seniors: For anyone 50 years and above or anyone who has a concern or question regarding someone 50 years and aboveTel: 1800-555 5555 Opening Hours: Mon to Fri: 9am – 7pm and Sat: 9am – 1pm Lions Befrienders: Information, referral and befriender services for the elderly. Tel: 1800-375 8600 Opening Hours: Mon to Fri: 9am – 6pm Health & Disability Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) Helpline: For people who have psychological, psychiatric or social problems and others who need information for such persons Tel: 1800-283 7019 Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am – 6pm Action for AIDS Helpline: For those enquiring information and counselling services on all aspects of AIDSTel: 6254 0212 Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am – 5.30pm Singapore Cancer Society: For those needing information related to cancerTel: 6221 9578 Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am – 6pm Centre For Enabled Living (CEL): First-stop centre for users of eldercare and disability services, and their caregivers.Tel: 1800-8585 885 Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am – 6pm and Saturday: 8:30am – 12:30pm (except on public holidays) Financial Assistance Comcare Hotline: Connect with Family Service Centres or other helping agency Tel: 1800-222 0000Opening Hours: 24 hours Credit Counselling: For consumers seeking help for serious debt problems.Tel: 1800-CALL-CCS (1800-2255 227) Opening Hours: Monday - Friday: 9am – 6pm More Information: http://www.ccs.org.sg/link.php Legal Aid Legal Aid Bureau: For low-income persons requiring legal assistance Tel: 1800-325 1424 Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am – 12.30pm, 2.00pm – 5.00pm and Sat: 8.30am – 12.30pm Singapore Association of Women Lawyers: For members of public requiring free legal counselling. Appointments must be made directly with the community centres where the legal clinics are conducted.Tel: 6334 6809 Opening Hours: Mon-Sun: 9.00am – 8.00pm except public holidays Safra: By appointment and for SAFRA members only. Tel: 6377 9880 Opening Hours: Every 2nd Thursday of the month, 7pm to 9pm Community Centre: By appointment only. Please call your nearest Community Centre (www.pa.gov.sg) for information. More Information: http://legalclinics.sg/ Addiction / Substance Abuse Alcoholics Anonymous: For those who are alcohol-dependent and their families Tel: 6475 0890 Opening Hours: 24 hours National Addictions Management Service (NAMS): For individuals with various addictions, including substance behavioral addictionsTel: 6-RECOVER (6-7326837) Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8.30am – 6.00pm, Friday: 8.30am – 5.30pm, Saturday: 8.30am – 12.30pm Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA): For drug-abusers, their families and the general publicTel: 1800-733 444 Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8.30am – 6pm WE CARE Centre: For individuals and families who need help with addictions Tel: 6471 5346 Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 8.30am – 9.00pm and Sat: 10.00am – 8.00pm Gambling National Addictions Management Service (NAMS), Institute of Mental Health (IMH): For those with a gambling problem or know someone who does Tel: 1800-X-GAMBLE (1800-9 426253) / 1800-6-668-668 Opening Hours: Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 6.00pm ================= APPLY FOR CASINO EXCLUSIONS Self Exclusion: http://ces.ncpg.org....t&access=publicSelf Exclusion (Foreigners): http://www.knowtheli..._Foreigners.pdfFamily Exclusion: Call 1800-6-668-668 LEGAL & FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES: The following FSCs have trained counsellors on hand to provide basic legal and financial advisory services for those facing problems such as financial difficulties, marriage issues and property related issues. Ang Mo Kio Family Service CentresAng Mo Kio Branch: Blk 230 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 #01-1264 S(560230) Tel: 6453 5349Cheng San Branch: Blk 445 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 #01-1627 S(560445) Tel : 6454 6678Sengkang Branch: Blk 223D Compassvale Walk #01-673 S(544223) Tel : 6312 8100 Hougang Sheng Hong Family Service CentreBlk 237 Hougang St 21, #01-406, S(530237) Tel: 6289 5022 Thye Hua Kwan Problem Gambling Recovery Centre133 New Bridge Road, Chinatown Point, #04-05 S(059413) Tel: 65382406 ================= Here are some other helplines that you want to call if you wish to talk to someone about your feelings. Other Helpline (Straight) > Samaritans of Singapore (a 24 hr suicide prevention hotline) 1800-221 4444 > SAGE Helpline (For elderly people over 50 years old and care-givers of the elderly) 1800-555-5555 (9:00am - 5:00pm Mon-Fri and 9:00am - 1:00pm Sat) >Care Corner Family Service Centre 1800-222-0000/1800-353-5800 (Chinese Speaking) > Singapore Association for Mental Health Hotline 1800-283-7019 > Family Service Centres 1800-838-0100 > Touchline (Touch Youth Service) 1800-377-2252 ================= Sexual Health Sexual Health Counselors at DSC If you need to talk to someone about sexual health, our friendly counselors are always ready to assist and they are reachable, call DSC Clinic 1800 252 1324. To visit DSC for a testing or screening, simply call our appointment hotline at 6293 9648. More info at DSC Website. ================= Last update : 28th April 2013

Hi guys, I've recently had unprotected sex as a top. DSC reckons my odds are 1:10000. I have started PEP within the 72 hr window from a private doctor. The DSC has since referred me to the CDC because they do not carry truvada and worry that my foei gras liver will not be able to take the older generation pep that the DSC stocks. Does anyone here have any experience with the CDC ? Im worried about having it on record.

Hello everyone! If you and your gay/bi friends who need a complimentary HIV test please email us pinkcarpet@gayhealth.sg ALSO if you are 18-24 years of age, drop by the Pink Capet Y Drop-In for youth to get FREE coupon for testing and meet other youth. This is safe space for youth to learn about HIV and other sexual health issues. Join the Facebook group - Pink Carpet Y

Around two months ago, I had understall fun. When I sat down and leaned my privates over to his side of the cubicle, the other party gnawed and bit on my exposed dickhead. I immediately retracted and got a little scared. After he reassured me, I leaned my privates over once more and he bit and gnawed me again. I was furious and left the toilet. Now, I've been having fever, fatigue over the past two days. I've never had sex before, only received oral once. Could I have HIV? Where is a trustworthy place to get tested anonymously?

*Hi everyone! firstly, have a Happy Chinese New Year, i'm posting this on behalf of Gayhealthsg as I am one of the coordinators for the programme! ^^* We know it is hard to be a youth. Trying to figure out about yourself: the struggles and challenges, identity, school and dating, to name a few. Gayhealth would like to introduce a new initiative (Pink Carpet Y) for gay/bi/questioning youth between 18-24. This will be a bi-weekly drop-in for youth who want to meet other like-minded youth in a safe space to learn drawing/painting, games and good sexual health education. Located at 9 Kelantan Lane #05-01. Please help pass this along to any youth who would benefit from the drop in. For more information, please email us at pinkcarpet@gayhealth.sg STARTING DATE : Saturday February 4 Pink Carpet Y

So, how often do you guys get tested? Because I am surprised at people not asking about disease status on apps like Grindr. Some people find it "rude." What do you think?

Hi guys, I've recently been to the polyclinic and the doctor referred me to the DSC clinic because he wasn't sure if what I have is an STD. A week pr so before I visited the polyclinic (I'm in NS so that explains why I didn't get it checked earlier), I experienced an unbearable itch in the area between my dick and my anus. It was so unbearable that I began scratching continuously and before long, I experienced pain while I shower. I then noticed that the scratching has caused a wound which started secreting foul smelling pus. The pus has even caused a rash on my butt cheeks around my anus and the entire area is red now. Tomorrow's my STD check up and I'm afraid. I've Googled my symptoms and they all point to a condition termed as a 'jock itch' which is not an STD although I've not read anyone experiencing the pus causing more rash on the butt cheeks area mentioned above. However, I do believe that it works like normal wounds that do not get to 'breathe'; the pus causes an irritation of the skin and thus lead to a break out of rash. I've also asked a few friends and they believe that it was a skin irritation that I aggravated when I scratched it which probably lead to an infection. A friend of mine also has 'jock itch' every now and then and he said that my symptoms were similar to his (he has already went for the STD check up and cleared it). Here's a picture of how the area looks like now. I'm sorry if this is disturbing but I really need some opinions (hopefully some good ones). P.S. I'm actually a top but because my boyfriend is a top, I took on a more passive role when we got attached. We've been together for a year plus now and neither of us have had STD symptoms during or before the relationship even though we never actually got tested.

GOOD NEWS: HIV/AIDS cure finally FOUND, Doctors confirm July 28, 2016 Doctors in Barcelona, Spain believe they have found the cure to HIV – the AIDS-causing virus that affects the lives of more than 34 million people worldwide, according to WHO. By using blood transplants from the umbilical cords of individuals with a genetic resistance to HIV, Spanish medical professionals believe they can treat the virus, having proven the procedure successful with one patient. A 37-year-old man from Barcelona, who had been infected with the HIV virus in 2009, was cured of the condition after receiving a transplant of blood. While unfortunately the man later died from cancer just three years later, having developed lymphoma, the Spanish medical team is still hugely encouraged by what it considers to be a breakthrough in the fight against HIV and related conditions, according to the Spanish news source El Mundo. Doctors in Barcelona initially attempted the technique using the precedent of Timothy Brown, an HIV patient who developed leukemia before receiving experimental treatment in Berlin, the Spanish news site The Local reported. Brown was given bone marrow from a donor who carried the resistance mutation from HIV. After the cancer treatment, the HIV virus had also disappeared. According to The Local, the CCR5 Delta 35 mutation affects a protein in white blood cells and provides an estimated one percent of the human population with high resistance to infection from HIV. Spanish doctors attempted to treat the lymphoma of the so-called “Barcelona patient” with chemotherapy and an auto-transplant of the cells, but were unable to find him a suitable bone marrow. “We suggested a transplant of blood from an umbilical cord but from someone who had the mutation because we knew from ‘the Berlin patient’ that as well as [ending] the cancer, we could also eradicate HIV,” Rafael Duarte, the director of the Haematopoietic Transplant Programme at the Catalan Oncology Institute in Barcelona, told The Local. Prior to the transplant, a patient’s blood cells are destroyed with chemotherapy before they are replaced with new cells, incorporating the mutation which means the HIV virus can no longer attach itself to them. For the Barcelona patient, stem cells from another donor were used in order to accelerate the regeneration process. Eleven days after the transplant, the patient in Barcelona experienced recovery. Three months later, it was found that he was clear of the HIV virus. Despite the unfortunate death of the patient from cancer, the procedure has led to the development of an ambitious project that is backed by Spain’s National Transplant Organization. March 2016 will mark the world’s first clinical trials of umbilical cord transplants for HIV patients with blood cancers. Javier Martinez, a virologist from the research foundation Irsicaixa, stressed that the process is primarily designed to assist HIV patients suffering from cancer, but “this therapy does allow us to speculate about a cure for HIV,” he added.