One of the key difficulties in the development of anti-HIV drugs is the fact that HIV only infects humans. This precludes the testing of drugs in animals and instead requires that drugs be tested on volunteer human subjects. The developing world (particularly sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia) has the highest rates of HIV infection. Consequently, drug companies frequently conduct studies in these regions. Some people decry such tests, fearing that drug companies may profit hugely from the use of economically disadvantaged people. Others counter that such tests are the only way to find new and cheaper drugs that will ultimately help everyone. What do you think are the ethical issues surrounding trials of anti-HIV drugs in the developing world? Which side do you think has the more morally compelling argument?

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Hi everyone. Welcome back. Let's look at our next question. It says people with AIDS are more likely to contract other common infections because of what we recall from our content video that AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. And so when you have that immune deficiency it makes the person more likely to contract other common infections that cause the mortality level in AIDS. Um because they're unable to fight this off due to the immune deficiency. So our questions asking us what is the mechanism, what is the cause of the immune deficiency caused by AIDS? And that is because the HIV virus which causes AIDS specifically attacks the helper T cells. And these helper T cells are necessary to signal B cells to produce antibodies and also to signal the decided toxic T cells to destroy the infected cells. So without those helper T cells with those destroyed by the HIV virus the body loses disability to launch a specific immune response. Which is obviously kind of that that key weapon in our immune system to go after um pathogens as they attack us. And then to remember um previous diseases and be ready to produce antibodies against them. And by destroying specifically those helper T cells, the HIV virus um destroys that ability of the body to effectively fight other infections that it comes across. So when we look at our choice a it says depletion in the number of helper T cells. And this is what we want to look at. Let's just walk through our other answer choices. Choice B says the depletion in the number of thrombin sites. Well thrombin sites are the red blood cells. These do something get depleted as a result of some of the problems those common infections that come along during AIDS. But it's not the primary mechanism that that causes that immune deficiency. So it's not our answer. This is also the case in Choice C depletion in the number of Aretha sites. Other parasites are the white blood cells. Again um having AIDS can cause lower levels of parasites but they're not totally depleted the way the specific attack on the helper t cells happens. So Choice D. C. Is not a correct answer. And finally, Choice D. Says depletion in the number of neutrophils. This is a kind of specific kind of white blood cell. They migrate to the source of infection as part of the innate immune response, it's part of the inflammatory response. Um And while these can get depleted sometimes it actually causes problems when increase in neutrophils causes a lot of them migrate to an infection site and cause a large immune response and that in itself causes damage. But again it's not that primary mode of immune deficiency. So not our answer choice here. So people with AIDS are more likely to contract other common infections because of choice a depletion in the number of helper t cells. See you in the next video

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Key Concepts

Ethical Considerations in Medical Research

Informed Consent

Global Health Equity