Comment on Would we be able to use the measles virus to reset the immune systems of people with autoimmune disorders like MS or rheumatoid arthritis?

HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• thespcicifcocean@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  to be fair, it does sound like a very stupid question.

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  • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    i mean, do we really understand the mechanism by which measles does the reset all that well? that’s my first question, but you know.

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    • spankinspinach@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I think this is the primary question before anything else. Can you reliably replicate the immune system reset across multiple test subjects without/while limiting adverse consequences (e.g., completely destroying someone’s immune system permanently)?

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      • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        yeah it’s one of those experiments that is ethically difficult to set up without an ongoing outbreak. intentionally exposing test subjects to measles sounds like an IRB nightmare.

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  • jol@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    It sounds like a really smart question. Most people have no idea how measles, or any virus, works.

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  • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    so like hey if you work on a phd in this, let me know please i’m really curious

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  • phoenixz@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Problem with this and just about anything related to the human body (and a million other subjects) is that the answer usually is: it’s not that simple.

    The human body is extremely complicated with countless different proteins and system each performing multiple tasks all mixed throughput your body and with all of our knowledge we probably still only know a fraction of what there is to know.

    Typically if someone comes up with “this one simple trick”, the answer is “it’s not that simple” and if someone sells you a simple solution (zinc! Ivermectin!) it’s bullshit

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