Roger-Luc Chayer (Photo : NIBSC/Science Source)
Once again, a pseudo-scientific Facebook group — like the thousands that exist on this platform — announced the day before yesterday that HIV/AIDS had been defeated. According to them, thanks to a medical technology called CRISPR, they had managed to destroy 100% of all traces of the virus, marking a world first that would definitively solve the HIV issue worldwide. A curative treatment, then, for affected people regardless of their level of infection.
Unfortunately, as is often the case in these groups that pose as scientific, the news is false. It is based on fragmented information and preliminary research that often leads to no concrete application.
What is CRISPR technology?
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), CRISPR technology is a revolutionary genetic modification method that allows precise targeting of a DNA sequence to make changes. Discovered from a natural defense mechanism used by certain bacteria to protect themselves from viruses, it relies on a protein called Cas9, capable of cutting DNA at a specific location. Researchers can thus delete, modify, or replace defective genes.
CRISPR raises immense hope for treating many genetic diseases, certain cancers, and even viral infections like HIV. Its effectiveness and relatively low cost make it a major advancement in biotechnology. However, despite its promises, this technology is still experimental for most human applications and raises important ethical debates, especially when it comes to modifying embryos or making hereditary changes to the human genome.
CRISPR and HIV: where does the research stand?
Several studies have been conducted in the past on using CRISPR technology to fight HIV. However, contrary to what was claimed on the page of a group — which I won’t name to avoid giving undeserved publicity — while the results are indeed promising, they do not currently lead to an effective treatment for the human immunodeficiency virus due to technical limitations.
In 2024, the BBC published an article titled “Scientists say they can cut HIV out of cells” which stated: Scientists claim to have succeeded in eliminating HIV from infected cells using the Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR gene-editing technology. Acting like scissors but at the molecular level, this technology cuts DNA to remove or inactivate “defective” segments.
The team from the University of Amsterdam, which will soon present a summary of its early findings at a medical conference called ECCMID 2024, emphasizes that their work remains only a “proof of concept” and will not lead to an HIV treatment in the near future.
On March 12, the scientific website Interestingengineering.com published an article titled: “Breakthrough: Scientists remove AIDS-causing virus from infected cells.” Unfortunately, this headline is misleading and greatly exaggerated. It is this kind of headline, if one does not read the more nuanced rest of the text, that misleads readers and promotes the spread of false rumors.
NO, HIV HAS NOT BEEN DEFEATED!
Still according to the Interestingengineering.com article by Maria Bolevich, a recognized science journalist, “The authors explain that the CRISPR-Cas genome-editing tool offers a new method to target HIV DNA. They aim to develop a combined CRISPR-Cas protocol that is both effective and safe, to achieve an ‘HIV cure for all’ capable of inactivating various strains of the virus across different cell types.
Using the CRISPR-Cas technique allowed them to eliminate HIV from infected cells. This is particularly significant because current medications cannot eliminate the virus, offering a hopeful future.
The problem is, the raw material is critically scarce!
It’s all well and good to announce an effective treatment against HIV, but if it only works on a few infected cells in the lab, it becomes much less interesting. In this case, to use CRISPR technology against HIV at a human scale, one would need access to a large quantity of specific molecules in the human body necessary to eradicate the virus.
However, these molecules are extremely rare in the body and cannot be artificially produced.
In conclusion, the technology has proven its potential, but given the scarcity of the materials needed to treat even a single patient, no further results since 2019 have confirmed its effectiveness to “cure” people living with HIV.
How to face disinformation and misinformation on Facebook?
Facing disinformation and misinformation on Facebook has become a real challenge for many internet users. Every day, thousands of pieces of content circulate on this platform, and it is not always easy to distinguish what is true from what is false or misleading. Disinformation consists of deliberately false or manipulated information, often shared to influence public opinion or provoke a reaction. Misinformation, on the other hand, refers to errors or inaccuracies shared without ill intent, simply because people believe what they read or hear. Both phenomena can cause significant damage by fueling fears, rumors, or distorting reality.
To protect yourself, it is essential to adopt a critical mindset. It is important not to believe everything you read or see, even if it seems to come from a reliable source or a friend. Taking the time to verify information by cross-checking multiple sources often helps form a more accurate view. For example, if an article seems too sensational or incredible, that can be a red flag. Trying to understand who the author is, their motivations, and whether other reputable media outlets report on it can help avoid falling into the trap of fake news.
Next, it is useful to remember that on Facebook, as on other social networks, algorithms tend to show us content that matches our opinions or preferences. This can reinforce our beliefs, even if they are wrong, because we are less exposed to different viewpoints. To limit this effect, it is good to diversify information sources and follow a variety of pages or profiles. This allows for a more complete and nuanced understanding of current topics.
Furthermore, it is important to think before sharing information. Even if a post seems interesting or shocking, sharing it without verification can help spread disinformation. By taking a few seconds to ensure the content’s accuracy, we avoid unintentionally fueling rumors or false news. Facebook now offers tools to report suspicious content, which helps limit their spread, although I am not fully convinced Facebook actually follows up on these reports, often sponsored and therefore too profitable to remove!
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