Fact Check: CRISPR Therapy ‘Erases’ HIV from Cells — But No Cure Yet
A viral Facebook post with over 350,000 likes and 75,000 shares claims that scientists have developed a CRISPR-based therapy that removes HIV DNA from human cells and prevents the virus from returning. Fact CheckThis claim is misleading. While CRISPR research has made progress in laboratory experiments, no therapy has yet been proven to permanently remove HIV from the human body or to guarantee that the virus will not return. What the Science Says Laboratory Research:In 2024, researchers at Amsterdam University Medical Centre used CRISPR-Cas9 with two guide RNAs to cut HIV DNA out of CD4+ T cells in lab dishes. In those treated cells, the virus did not replicate immediately. However, this experiment was conducted outside the human body and does not reflect the complexity of HIV in living patients. Human Trials:The most advanced CRISPR therapy for HIV is EBT-101, […]