THE most poignant examples of 鈥渢echnology bite-back鈥� come from medicine, when
a treatment designed to help people destroys them instead. Among the most tragic
are the unlucky souls who, in the 1970s and 1980s, were given pituitary hormones
from cadavers. Some injections were contaminated with the prions that cause CJD.
Dozens have already died.
The notion of a medical treatment gone wrong has also exercised researchers
hunting for the origins of HIV. They鈥檝e been exploring author Edward Hooper鈥檚
controversial theory that using chimpanzee cells to make the CHAT polio vaccine
allowed simian immunodeficiency virus to infect people and mutate into HIV. The
latest studies all suggest his theory is wrong
(see 鈥淔ace the facts鈥�).
Hooper will almost certainly be preparing a response. But this week鈥檚 results
will lay his theory to rest in the minds of many. That begs the question: 鈥淲as
it all worth it?鈥�
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The answer must surely be yes. If nothing else, Hooper has reminded everyone
of the dangers of using animal cells that could be harbouring unknown viruses.
That message seems to be getting through where xenotransplantation is concerned.
But monkey cells are still routinely used to make medicines such as the oral
polio vaccine given in Britain. Hooper may be wrong this time. The next time
round, he might be right.